"Best Dad Ever"

J is seriously the best father I know. He is so present with his children, which seems to be a rarity for many these days. He always puts them first, and I love that. I mean, this is the guy whose little girl called him one early afternoon and said, "Papa, come home and carry me." And what did he do? He immediately turned his computer off and came home to hold her and play with her. I don't know a lot of dad's who would do that! (Granted, a lot aren't in work positions where they can, and I do get that, too).

The relationship he has with our children is so beautiful and amazing.  Nothing melts my heart more than seeing him holding and playing with our babes. And nothing breaks my heart more than when he's away and I have to listen to them cry for him. But I always remind myself that it's a good thing they cry for their papa, because the alternative is them not being attached enough to be phased. And I wouldn't want that.

J inspires me as a parent each and every day. It's like he's able to take all my beliefs and carry them out without all the mistakes I make. He definitely inspires me to be better.

He's incredibly supportive of all the crazy ideas I come up with in regards to our children. When I mention something that is "new" to him (and typically me too!) he is always immediate in going about to research the new idea. And then he typically feels more strongly about it than I do, and is my support person when I'm feeling weak. (So many times I have sighed after feeling all touched out and proclaimed that maybe I wanted to wean Miss H, and each time he says, "If you really feel like you can't do it one more single day and still be happy, then let's do it. But remember, these xyz reasons are why we decided on self weaning.").

J's never raised his voice to our children. Not once. He's never made empty threats. He's never hit them. He's always so calm and gentle, the best peaceful parent I could ever hope to know (and far better than I could ever hope to be!). And let's be honest here, it's not like my kids are little saints that never try him. He's just a saint and realizes that he must be the example for them and must react the way he wishes for them to. Seriously, he's an awesome dad.

Right this very second he is out on the porch swing putting baby B to sleep, because he was having a rougher time going down tonight. I brought B downstairs after 30 minutes of trying, to no avail, to help him into slumberland. Immediately J whisked him into his arms, kissed his cheeks, and said, "Let me take him out to the swing." And that was that.

I hear so often of married mothers who do the majority of all the childcare 24/7. And if that's what works for them, than that's great!  But I think I'd lose my mind. J changes nearly all the diapers when he's home. He gives baths and helps to feed them. Nearly all of our children's waking hours when J is home he's playing with them. And that's kind of awesome to me. And it's not him playing with them because he feels like he has to, but it's because he truly wants to.

He loves teaching our children new things. Today he and Miss H found a dead bumblebee outside and he was so excited to explain all the different parts of the bee to her. At the Farmer's Market he held baby B's little hands and walked him through the fountain, talking to him about the temperature of the water and the texture of the rocks on his feet.

I love the kind of father J is. I love the kind of man he is that let's him be such a kick-ass papa. I love that he adaptable. I love how tough he likes to pretend he is, but how I can watch a 2 year old girl and a 9 month old boy turn him to putty without saying a word.

I know, I know, everyone has the "Best Dad Ever" or are married to the "Best Dad Ever." But seriously, my children really do have the best papa ever. I seriously am married to the man who is the best papa ever. And that's just that, folks.