Just one week until Father’s Day. For the past month we’ve been featuring great dads every day, and today is no different. Here is out interview with Jeremiah Delatycki. But first, Jeremiah’s bio in his own words:
I’m something of a late bloomer. Career, marriage, kids, all took a while. Probably due to a little arrested development in my formative years, both environmental and genetic. But now it’s all about trying to squeeze in as much real life as possible. I’m having a great time, but also trying to maintain a healthy balance. Coming of age as a middle age man has sometimes been a disco party for one. My wife has drawn the line at break dancing at weddings, and I respect her decision that I’m no longer allowed to do that. Where the kids are concerned, a boy and girl that I would put up against anyone, I try to go just far enough for them. The best thing that ever happened to me was acquiring the ability to recognize how lucky I am. And to the right is a picture of me pretending that I don’t like getting my picture taken.
My first memory as a father is… My wife has an anatomical abnormality that prevents her from carrying a child. So her sister did it for us. And yes, sill waiting for the call from Oprah. Anyway, the big controversy was whether my sister was going to let me watch the birth. In the end she offered, but I chickened out. Although, I was in the room just over her shoulder watching. Maybe part of the amazement was all that lead up, I don’t know, but I’ll never forget what it was like to see my little girl come into the world. In a small way, through that experience, I was born again too.
What’s in your man cave? There’s a couch and a TV on the back porch. So technically that qualifies as a man cave. But the first time I used it with a cigar, my daughter saw me from inside the house and burst out crying. There endeth the man cave. One day I’m going to build a tool shed that looks like this on the inside:
My wife is my hero because… Other than the fact that she probably saved my life, I don’t have much else. It basically took twelve years from the day I proposed until I finally realized I had truly turned the corner because of her. Not that she’s perfect. Far from it. But she’s perfect for me.
What did you get your baby’s Mama for Mother’s Day? Technically, my two baby mommas are my sister-in-law and my wife’s brother’s wife. Again, where is Oprah when you need her? My kids get each of them a little something on Mother’s day. I got my wife a necklace that she actually wears outside the house so I know I did something right.
If you your wife could vacation without your kids, where would you go? Either somewhere very quiet or somewhere very loud depending on her mood.
If you could go on any vacation with your kids, where would you go? I would take them to Atlantis in the Bahamas. It’s basically a kids’ paradise. They have everything you could possibly think of for kids to do and more. Including watersliding with sharks. Check it out:
How are you like your own dad? We both think that we are much funnier than we actually are. And that more than anything else has kept us together in the hard times.
My most traumatic parenting experience was when… My son had a febrile seizure caused by a spike in temperature from a fever. And when he was flopping around in my arms I banged his head on the doorway. Fortunately it all happened in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. It was probably the first time I had ever got him to the doctor before something actually went wrong.
Describe your perfect Father’s Day. It would be multigenerational. If my kids and my dad are having fun then I’m having fun.
Be sure to head over and check out Jeremiah’s blog, and to follow him on Twitter!