Remarks from Mark

Time seems to fly by to fast when you're a father.

My daughter Hazel turned 18 months old on Saturday, a fact I can hardly believe. It seems it was just yesterday that my wife, Christina, and I were holding our newborn daughter in our arms as first time parents.

Now we have a wild child who loves to explore, play and run crazily around our house while laughing loudly with joy. Hazel also enjoys being outside in our front yard. If we'd let her, she would walk up and down our sidewalks for hours. She's started to venture on to the green grass, too, especially

for dandelions, whether they're yellow flowers or silver spherical seed heads ready to be blown away.

With the arrival of warm weather, we've spent more time outside in our front yard and walked around Bloomfield while pushing Hazel in a stroller.

Hazel, Christina and I enjoyed being outside for part of Saturday, which was a splendid spring day with temperatures in the 70s and mostly sunny skies.

Our daughter loves bubbles – it's one of her favorite words to say – so Christina and I took turns blowing bubbles for her from a bottle and a wand. We also walked down the street to the home of Christina's parents and hung out with them and her little brother in the evening.

Hazel really recognizes her relatives more and more as time goes on, which we're pleased to see, of course.

Her world will be turned upside down when her sibling arrives this autumn. Until then, we're enjoying all of the time with our daughter we can get. One of the summer activities we've planned this year is a trip to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. We're sure Hazel will be delighted by the animals she will see at the zoo, especially the wildcats, which she'll likely call "kitties."

She loves cats and tries her best to pet the three kitties who make their home at Christina's parents' place. Her favorite stuffed animal is a cat we call "Rainbow Kitty" because of how colorful its fur is. She'll run for that feline when we ask where her kitty is.

With Christina and I expecting our second child, we're not sure what to expect from Hazel when we welcome her sibling into the world. Our toddler will almost be 2 years old when this happens and she likely will be curious who this little intruder is who has invaded her home. I just hope Hazel happily accepts the fact she will be a big sister and isn't too jealous of the time Christina and I spend with her sibling.

We just need to remember to pay good attention to our firstborn child as well and make sure she continues to feel loved and appreciated