And The Father of the Year Award Goes To...

PAUL

I love to watch Paul interact with our children. Each of his actions clearly demonstrates how dedicated a father he is. Usually I am in the mix with the three of them, but on occasion, I get an opportunity to just observe and admire the man that I love. In honor of Father’s Day, I wanted to list a few of the things I love watching Paul do with our kids.

1. Tickling – using hands and toes, Paul sends our kids into giggling fits of laughter. At times, he holds Ian in his lap with one arm, jerkily swings his other arm around like a machine (sounds effects used for emphasis), suspends it above Ian’s body and then drops it for a tickling siege. Laurel delights in having her daddy raspberry her tummy.

2. Chasing – fun is being chased by a daddy monster. A crazed, wild-eyed look, hooked arms, and grunts signal to Ian that he is about to be chased. Once captured, Paul flips Ian upside down and either tickles him or gives him a pink belly.

3. Comforting – cradling an inconsolable Laurel, Paul softly sings and walks her about until she falls asleep. No one else can do this, not even me.

4. Doctoring – making numerous trips to the doctor and pharmacy for a sick Ian while I was recovering from the C-Section with Laurel, had to be a daunting task. Many a night Paul was up, giving breathing treatments and medicine to Ian, or cleaning up a vomit soaked child and changing sheets. Never a complaint was heard, only concern.

5. Relaxing – Paul knows how to relax. He loves to take the opportunity to cradle a sleeping baby on his chest and lay down to take a nap. These moments are few and fleeting, so go for it honey.

6. Disciplining – Paul is extremely patient. When I’m at the point of losing it to a persistent misbehaving toddler, he takes over and calmly reinforces our expectations (a.k.a. the rules).

7. Playing – A boy at heart, Paul loves to get down on the floor and play with the kids. Whether it’s peek-a-boo with Laurel, or trucks and Legos with Ian, he’s enjoying and savoring each precious moment.

8. Adoring – Right now, at this time of his life, Paul’s hobby is his kids. Everything he does is with them in mind. He is amazed at how they grow and learn. With each new development, Paul is right there cheering his children on, encouraging them to try again or continue their discovery. He takes time to read up on child development and parenting techniques, and talks with me about how to best help our children succeed.

9. Enduring – Paul knows at least a dozen of Ian’s books by heart. “Again, again,” insists our boy. (Thanks, Teletubbies!) I can’t count the number of times Paul has pretended to be a garbage truck in order to pick up and flip Ian, the human trash barrel, upside-down.

10. Modeling – I can’t think of a better role model for my children than Paul. As our children grow and learn, they will observe their father’s actions and hopefully internalize some of his wonderful traits.

I am so grateful Paul is on this exciting adventure of parenting with me. It’s a lot of hard work, but with Paul as my partner in crime, it becomes incredibly fun and rewarding.

Happy Father’s Day PAUL, I LOVE YOU!