Lucky to Parent Together

At first, he was just trying to survive. We both were.

On days when three consecutive hours of sleep felt like a miracle, this guy still went to work in the morning and tried to use his brain. He let her co-sleeper take most of his half of the bed, so we could get those three hours. He lived with the simplest dinners and the meagerest fare until I had enough brainpower to work a stove again.

Then, she began sleeping. And became interesting.

And suddenly, the man I had known to be quiet and serious for years suddenly became a goofy dad. It seemed to happen overnight, but now he was making up silly songs, was willing to do silly dances, wear socks on his head, anything to get a laugh out of this girl.

And he grew a patience the likes of nothing I've ever seen. He can quietly and kindly teach her something for hours, which is how she now knows how to play Legos, stack blocks, catch a ball, and so many other skills.

Every year, he's added skills to his parenting tool kit. He can do silly cartoon character voices, read aloud even the trickiest Dr. Seuss books, and even put up with Maeve bossing him around when he plays video games. And he can fit himself into the smallest spaces!

I am so lucky to be parenting with this guy. And he is laying the foundation of a lifetime of love and friendship with his daughter, whom he understands so well.

Happy Father's Day, dear Daddy. <3