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Hey Dad,

Well, we're down to the final two weeks in the pregnancy countdown. My wife embodies the statement, "She looks like she's gonna pop."

It's kind of weird getting all the baby stuff out again. It's like opening up a time capsule. I remember Maggie Rose wearing the little pink sleeper. She felt so frail and tiny in my arms. Now look at her. She's a grown up two-year-old. And the infant car seat. … that's like a treasure chest of memories.

I bet I've lugged that thing the equivalent of a couple times around the equator. Buckle it in the van … take it out of the van … put it back in … take it out … in … out. Of course, on at least two occasions, I buckled it in but forgot to take it back out.

So I left a child in the car TWICE. I'm a guy. Sure, one was left out in the church parking lot one evening for about twenty minutes … and there was the time I left one of them in a parking garage, but that was only for 15 minutes at the most. Those things happen. The more kids you have, the easier it is to forget one in the crowd.

Actually, I was reminded about that this past weekend. I needed to be somewhere, and I took Ike (6) along for the ride.

He talked non-stop. We laughed, looked out the windows, told jokes, and I told him how proud I am of him.

And that's when it hit me that maybe Ike has been lost in the crowd of kids and busyness lately. He's the true middle child, although he's number 4 in the lineup. He's the quiet one, the easy one to overlook, and often says, "You aren't listening … I'm talking … Oh, never mind."

The older kids often travel with me alone … but I am rarely alone with Ike.

As I drove that day, I determined that I would not forget ANY of my children (except maybe in a parking lot). I will work harder at spending "alone time" with each of them. I'll take Ike to Lowe's when I need a box of nails, or write a short note telling him how much I love him and place it on his pillow.

Let me ask you, Dad? Do you have a child who you might have overlooked or misplaced? Go find 'em. Do whatever it takes to make them feel #1 in your book.

You 'da Dad,

© 2006 Todd Wilson. Used by permission.

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