J's First Father's Day

Sunday is more than a special day around here as you can surely imagine. It is J's first Father's Day as a Daddy. He made my first Mother's Day truly special and I'm hoping to return the favor. Usually on Father's Day, I would post about my Dad. But I think this year I will post about the Father my husband has already become.

 J's first photo with Reese.

When we started having issues getting pregnant over 5 years ago, it became very apparent to be that I had married the right man. I've at times wondered how my life might be different if I'd stuck with different men that I'd dated before J and none of the scenarios run out in my head even compare to our true, real life story. He was very supportive during our whole process even in times when it would have been super easy for him not to be. I knew he would be a great Dad someday...at the time, just not when.

Purely unrelated to Fatherhood, but for the epically long time when I studied for the CFP (aka "big nasty) exam, he took over many of my responsibilities so all (truly ALL) my time could be devoted to study. But he always let me know how much I meant to him and that even if I didn't pass once or 30 times, he was proud of me and loved me! And when I did pass, he was so happy to have me back!

When we finally got to the point of going thru IVF, again his support was apparent. He coddled me when I needed it and let me have space when I was cranky.

And on that glorious day when we found out I was pregnant, he cried tears of joy with me, thus showing me that he wanted this baby just as much as I did.

Throughout the pregnancy, he was great. Making sure I didn't work too hard, understanding when I just couldn't do anything but watch TV or sleep and telling me I was more beautiful than ever before even when I felt like Shamu!!

Two months and a few days ago when it was finally time to meet Reese, he again stepped up to the plate of being a good husband and a great new dad. He was super supportive as the c-section wore on for what felt like forever to me, telling me I was doing great and she was almost here. We had a very special moment seconds after Reese was born where we just shared a look after hearing her first cry, again with joyful tears in our eyes. He said he had been feeling nauseous the whole surgery, but at that point, all the nausea disappeared.  And finally when I was stitched up and ready to go, he only left my side for a few moments to tell the grandparents of her birth. He "slept" on a horrible bed for 4 nights and awoke immediately when asked for help, doing things for me that I never wanted to ask him to but needed because I couldn't do myself. He just did them.

In the days since Reese's birth, he's again proven how great of man he is. He's again taken over many of my chores because I have neither the time or energy. He's been supportive through our breastfeeding trials and proud when he'd tell friends how difficult it was but that I persevered. And while he comes home mentally and physically exhausted from work, he's always excited to see his daughter. He's grateful (and tells me that he is) for all the things that I do for her that he can't which makes me feel appreciated. And he never fails to tell me that I'm doing great and he loves me, which again gets me through the hard times (like the past couple nights when we've moved Reese from the cradle in our room to the crib in the nursery...see here for that story). He's shown that he will be a great Dad thru-and-thru, even though he has moments (like we all do) of weakness, exhaustion, frustration and insanity. His humor is one of the many things I love about him and that gets us through our hard times. But I do tell him that his daughter will constantly roll her eyes at him, once she knows how because of that humor. And he laughs! 

So on this Father's Day, I honor my husband for the first of many years to come. Happy Father's Day my love!