The Power Of Love (Patrick Kane)

70

Patrick

As the days pass I end up really enjoying my time in Sochi. It was a nice way to get my mind off of my Grandpa passing and a shitty start to this year. But things were really starting to look up.

"You can do it! Come on" Rebecca calls as she sits with Junior on the floor. He was on his play mat surrounded by toys that are pushed to the side. I sat next to him with my phone up to my face as I try to capture something great. "Come on baby, roll over" Rebecca encourages as she pats the floor.

The baby rolls over onto his back and Rebecca lets out a little cheer. Junior claps his hands and laughs as he watches Rebecca celebrate his achievement.

Rebecca hands him a teething ring then pushes his toys back to him. She places him back on his stomach so he can do tummy time and I send that video to nearly everyone in my contacts.

"Have I ever said how much I love being a dad" I ask her.

"Only every day" she smirks.

"We should have another kid" I suggest and she scoffs.

"Says the guy who doesn't have to carry the kid around for nine months" she challenges.

"Come on! We make beautiful children, just look at him" I say looking at Junior sitting on the floor. He rolls over to his back again and looks around for Rebecca and I. Once he finds us he starts to smile and I once again find myself thankful I have a kid.

"We do. But I want to at least wait until after we're married. I worked so hard to find the perfect dress and I will be very upset if I can't fit in it because you couldn't wrap it up" she warns.

"Ugh, Fine. But I do want to have a little girl" I insist.

"Really" she questions.

"Yeah, why is that so hard to believe" I counter.

"Jonny cried for ten minutes when he found out he was going to have a girl" she claims.

"Well I really want a little girl" I insist.

"So did he. But then he realized he had to go through the talk about boys and body changes with her and he nearly passed out" she giggles.

"I don't care. I'll learn how to do her hair and buy her all the training bras she wants. I want it all" I insist.

"You've really thought this through, huh" she asks.

"Ever since Junior was born" I admit.

"You really want to have a girl" she questions.

"I do. I want to tell her stories about you, you're going to be her hero. She's going to be so brilliant and kind, everyone's going to love her. She's going to be unique like you, one in a billion type of person. I can't wait to hear her tell me that she loves me, I'm getting chills just thinking about it" I admit.

"Awh Pat, that's so sweet" she smiles.

"Well I love you a lot" I insist.

"I love you more" she claims.

"I doubt that" I argue.

"I'm not saying that I love you more than you love me.

I'm saying that I love you more than I love to breathe. I love you more than any bad thing that life throws at us. I love you more than anything we have been through and anything that we're going to go through. I love you more than life itself.

And I'll keep on loving you more and more each and every second that passes us by. And I'll love you more than you will ever know.

That's what I mean by I love you more."

I just stare at her as she looks up to me. Her piercing green eyes always seem to capture the beauty in all the moments we share, and I can never get enough of them.

"You're so incredible" I insist.

"We are Patrick" she says wrapping her arms around my neck. She starts to run her fingers through my hair at the top of my neck because she knows it drives my crazy. She softly massages my neck as my eye close shut.

"What are you doing" I mumble.

"I just want to make you happy" she insists.

"You are my happiness" I assure her. Junior makes a bunch of baby noises making us turn our attention to him. "You're my happiness too" I assure him and he continues to talk back.

I go over and pick him up and he smiles big when he sees it's me. I hold him close and he slobbers all over his toy. It was gross when I did it but it's cute when he did? That's just not fair.

"Hey buddy, what are you doing" I ask and he starts the blabber back to me.

"You know he can't talk right" she asks.

"Yeah, but he can listen" I argue.

"Sure, because you feed and change him" she laughs.

"Hey! He's starting to get into baby food instead of formula now, he's a big boy" I insist.

"He is. And he needs to stop growing" she says as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"I kinda wish he was older" I admit.

"Why" she questions.

"Because he won't remember any of his. I mean we're at the Olympics, that's crazy, but he won't remember any of this. Before he turns one his passport will already have stamps" I say.

"It is kinda crazy. But not because he's so young when this is happening, but in the sense that this is the beginning of our journey together as a family. I know I will never forget these days, no matter the outcome of these games. No matter what I'm going to remember of these times as a chance for our family to grow, a chance for our love to grow, and a chance to make this journey called life one worth living" she insists.

"This is why I love you so much" I sigh.

"I love you more" she smirks.

"And I love you most."