Once.... upon a time. On Fathers Day.

A little bear came running in to her parents' room, all wide-eyed and slam-door-open-y and shouty. Luckily for her the parents, it was a smidge after 7am. And there was much rejoicing that a "sleep-in" had occurred (regardless of the fact that Mama Bear had again been awoken at ungodly hour of the wee morning and had only just fallen asleep and ended up getting a mere four hours yet again, for about the fifth time this past week..... but I digress...)

Papa Bear, after the same amount of severely sleep deprived nights, was a tad like this. And he remained that way all sodden day. And Baby Bear was a little like this. Of course, Mama Bear played peacemaker and her role was repetitively like this.

In all, a good day was had. No, really. Papa Bear received a hand painted mug and he was touchingly delighted by it. It is going to work with him as a water mug (for Papa Bear doesn't have hot drinks.... negating the need for a mug, but Baby Bear was sooooo beside herself to paint it and bake it for him that Mama Bear could not distract her from the idea).

And Papa Bear was also dutifully pleased with his family pass to a session at the MSO Kids Classical concert series. Always a fabulous day out, as The Three Bears can attest, having gone to one of the "Jay Laga'aia presents" sessions this past August (and Mama Bear heartily recommends it to any parent bears reading who happen to live in Melbourne).

Most of all, Papa Bear now cherishes a beautiful card by Baby Bear that was lovingly toiled over last night, which reads (and Mama Bear took the dictation verbatim)...

"I love you because....

I like your smell
I like your tickly beard.
I like playing golf with you.

That's it."

Mama and Papa Bear feel full tonight. And it's not just because of the lemon slices that Nanna Bear made and brought to the family gathering this afternoon, either.

Here's to all the Aussie Papa Bears. Wishing you and your cubs a happy father's day.