In celebration of Father’s Day this year we thought we’d bring you some very special guest contributors – our husbands! We hope you enjoy this unique view into #dadlife from the men in our lives.
The other night, my wife and I took a virtual trip down memory lane, looking at photos and video clips of our son. Seeing him barely a few weeks old, hardly recognizable, reminded me of how much he has changed. It is easy to see how he has grown in the past year. In one photo he is as bald as can be, smiling a toothless grin, and in the next he has a curly cap of blonde hair and 12 teeth.
Looking at my wife, Heather, in the photos, there is not as much change. Her hair is shorter, and maybe a slightly different shade of brown, but she looks the same. Yet, I have seen her change over the past year. She has learned a lot, and made changes for herself and for our son. It has been an incredible journey.
On the subject of change, Heather struggles frequently with anxiety surrounding change. She enjoys keeping things the same, and having routines. As our boy grew, it meant things would be different month to month and even day to day. Old clothes would be put away, new foods would be tried, and baths would be in, well, the bath. At first it was a struggle for Heather to adapt, to watch her newborn become a baby. Then she took it upon herself to accept the new things, and to celebrate with our baby each new thing he was able to enjoy. Instead of seeing every new thing as a change for her, she started to see it as a new experience for our son. It is difficult to put it in to words, but it is definitely an amazing change to witness.
I have also seen her stretch to new limits to become the greatest mother of all time. Her limits were tested early on, and hearing the newborn colic cry in one of the videos we came across brought back those painful memories. It was a difficult time, and Heather did much of it on her own as I went back to work and our families lived far away. She went weeks without sleep, staying up through the night to comfort our newborn son. Simple pleasures of life like eating a nice meal or taking a shower were foregone, so that our son could get all the attention and love he needed. Love there was plenty of, so much that when it came time for Heather to return to work, instead of welcoming the relief she was deeply saddened.
Heather has continued to exceed expectations as our baby grows in to a young toddler. She eats cold meals after helping our son try new foods, spends countless hours helping him learn to crawl and walk instead of enjoying her favorite pastimes, and packs her purse, car, and anything else with baby toys, snacks, diapers, and other necessities. She has stepped outside of her comfort zone on numerous occasions for his sake as well.
From the beginning I knew she would be a great mother, being naturally caring, comforting, and thoughtful, so it has been impressive to watch her grow and change for the better. I didn’t think it would be possible. And from the surface the changes can’t be seen, maybe not even for close friends or family. But I have a front-row seat to the most inspiring story of motherhood, and I can account for the changes that have occurred.