Happy Father's Day, James!

I've been thinking a lot lately about how interesting dating is, and how you try to ask questions and find out the things you need to know, but back then, I didn't really even know what I would need to know. Well, and even if the person you're dating CLAIMS they will clean up toddler puke and get up in the night, reality might just change their mind a little. So it's just hard to know when you're dating someone how they will be with day-to-day parenthood, because neither of you even know what you're in for. You just have to trust your faith and your gut and hope for the best, I guess. And boy did I get super lucky with James.

I knew in my heart when I was dating James that he would be a great husband and father. I had never seen him with kids, but I knew that he was sweet and caring, and that he wanted me to be happy in a way I had never seen before. A friend of ours at church said a few weeks ago that he had never seen any dad be as involved as James, and I totally agree. I am so lucky to have him as the father of our sweet kids. They ADORE him and I feel so blessed to have him around. Can I brag about him for a while, and all that he does? This will be a long post, but he does not get enough credit on this blog, or probably in our family....






*He will pick out the kids' clothes, get them dressed, and do their hair (even Kenley's).
*He ALWAYS takes Parker at church because he says he just wants to spend more time with him.
*He is willing to give the kids baths and do the bedtime routine after leaving this house before 5am and being on his feet all day.
*I have never seen him turn Kenley down when she wants to play, no matter how tired he is.


*Good parenting comes really naturally to him.
*He asks my opinion, listens, and respects what I have to say when we discuss raising our kids.



*He likes to peek at the kids every night before we go to bed, and he'll call me in to see something especially cute.
*We end each day lying in bed talking about how cute our kids are.
*James uncomplainingly gets up with the kids in the night, way more than his fair share. WAY more.


*He also gets up with them in the morning. I almost always get to sleep until 8 and I'm usually scared to ask when the kids got up (hours earlier).
*He is always supportive of having more kids, no matter how close together I think I want them. I never have to convince him or argue about timing.
*He really "gets" what it is for me to be a stay-at-home mom, and is always understanding and supportive, and never makes me feel guilty when things don't get done or I have negative feelings about it.
*He is diligent about keeping the kids safe. Luckily.




*He always comes up with ways that I can have time by myself, and continues to offer, even though I usually bite his head off for assuming that the simple task of mothering is making me crazy.
*Me: "I won't dress the kids in unisex clothes." James: "Okay." "I don't like nursing." "That's fine." "I want him to stay rear-facing in his carseat." "Sure." "She needs to wear party clothes to a party." "No problem." "No kids in bed with us." "That works." James gives input when he needs to, but lets me do my thing for the most part.
*He is so excited about the kids' milestones and accomplishments, and gets genuinely sad if he misses a "first."





*He is a shameless bragger about our kids. If you have any contact with my husband for any reason, you have seen pictures, the blog, and heard all about how wonderful, smart, and adorable they are. He is usually one of the only ones at work with kids, and he loves to bring them in, show them off, and talk about them incessantly.
*He has a really unique and special relationship with both kids.
*He never has time for himself, and if he does, he just wants to hang out with us.
*There is never a doubt in my mind that we are the most important thing in the whole world to him.