Sunday, June 6, 2010

Grandpa Vic comes for a visit!

So let me start with a little back round on my dad.
When I was a little girl (not even 1 yr old) my mom and dad were divorced. They had been sweethearts since 5th grade... they grew up going to Catholic Schools together, but were married too young and there were a lot of interferences in their life which didn't help them to work things out.
I have to say that my dad was the love of my mom's life. I believe she loved him until the day she died.

She was remarried and moved me to California (from New York) my dad was very young..22 yrs old I think. He was then told that my mom and her new husband were trying to adopt me. He tried over and over to fight it but only had so many resources. He moved out to California to try and fight it. In the end he wasn't able to keep me which I am just amazed about...that the courts would take a child away from her father when he so clearly wanted to stay in her life. So for job reasons he had to go back to New York and we stayed in California.
My step dad raised me and had 5 other kids with my mom.

I never knew anything different. I eventually was told about my dad Vic. He would send me birthday cards. I always wondered about him growing up. When I would talk to him on the phone I would tell my friends my dad sounds just like Rocky! It wasn't until I was 11 or 12 that I actually met him for the first time. I was soooo excited.
Then I started going out to visit him in the summer time for a few weeks at a time.

I feel sad about what happened to him and we both feel like we were jiped from not getting to be able to be father/daughter. I have to wonder what my life would have turned out like if we had the opportunity. But I am grateful I have my family, my brothers and sisters that I grew up with, and can't imagine my life without them.

So back to the visit! We were so excited to have him come out! Sienna had never even met him. I was amazed how fast she warmed up to him. I think she could feel he was a part of me.
The more I talk with my dad and get to know him the more I know where I came from! We are so much a like.

This was right when he got to our house...Sienna loved him right away.

She read him her favorite book purplelicious...

We headed right to Jackson's baseball game and it kept grandpa on the edge of his seat! Ha ha...not really...they sadly lost.

Then we went to Sweet Water Tavern after the game for some dinner...

Sienna didn't last long....

She fell dead asleep while eating....

The next day Grandpa wanted to take Sienna to the toy store to pick something out. The boys got some cold hard cash from him to go pick what they wanted out too...
Little did he know it takes Sienna a VERY long time to look at every little thing before she can decide. They had fun wandering the store though....



She finally decided and no not on the life size fairy. She got her self a nice big strawberry shortcake doll. Once she saw it she knew that was all she wanted.

That night we had a nice little rainstorm which messed up our dinner at the pool plans...but we had a nice dinner of my chicken enchilada's at my house. Some of my girlfriends came over to meet him and he was a trooper through all the craziness...kids coming and going to practices...lots of Sienna's friends running around. He just sat back and took it all in. Probably with a major headache! My sister Rach also came up. She has met Vic through the years and just loves him. He feels the same.

The next morning we headed to the gym. I love that he came with me and I could introduce him to some of my friends there.


We stopped for drinks and fruit after....

Then we headed to the pool! It was a perfect day......

We were running out of time...sadly his plane was leaving at 5:00 that day. So we grabbed some lunch at Subway and headed home to pack up.

Sienna got a quick trim before we headed to the airport though...my dad owned lots of salons in his life and went to all kinds of schools in Paris... But yes he is straight! :) Sienna loved getting a haircut from him.

Jackson got home just in time to head out with us. Bummer the boys were still in school and were gone most of the time.


So thank you for coming to visit us!!! We had such a nice visit and hope there are many more to come!

4 comments:

Stephanie said...

Jessie, I loved this post and hearing about your dad! Wow, you definitely got his eyes--what a cutie and what a cool visit.

ej said...

Wow, for as much as I thought you looked like your mom in pictures you've posted, you soo have your Dad's eyes! So cool! I think it is so great that he got to come out and visit and bond with you and your family. Love that he has salon skills too, nice!

Love Notes said...

What a good looking dad. I'm so glad you had a great time. Hopefully he'll be able to visit more often!

Elizabeth said...

I loved reading this post about your dad and seeing pictures of the two of you together. You look so much alike. I'm so glad he could come visit. Love you, Jess.