True Love

Zachary Wayne was born on Wednesday, December 5th, at 7:22 pm. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces; and was 20 1/2 inches long. He is perfectly healthy, and we are just enjoying him so much! Of course, he keeps us up at night, but that's his job, and he's pretty good at it. :) He will be a week old tonight, and I can already see him changing! I cried yesterday because he already looks different, more filled out than when he was born...my tiny boy is already growing up! :( My labor was long and painful...and not what I expected in the least, but it's over, and I'm recovering very well, and, yes, I'm already willing to do it all again for another baby...in a few years... :)

I have always loved kids, and I've been waiting my whole life to be a mommy, so I knew I would love it. I also knew that Joel was looking forward to being a daddy, and that he would do a great job at it. But what I didn't expect was how completely adorable he would be as he held and interacted with Zachary, and how patient and sweet he would be with me during even these rough, sleepless first few days, and I never expected the experience of watching him be a daddy to make me totally fall head over heels in love with him all over again, and add a whole new dimension to our relationship. So in the midst of new parenting challenges and joys, here is an ode to the Hubby & Daddy of the year.

True Love is...

-letting your wife hold your hands during 22 hours of labor and hardly complaining when they lose circulation because she's squeezing them so hard.

-changing all of the baby's diapers the whole time you're in the hospital

-going out to get your wife milkshakes and iced coffee in the middle of the night

-getting up for every feeding for a week just to help out with some feeding difficulties

-holding your emotional post-partum wife as she bawls for no reason...more than once...!

-trying your best to figure out how to dress the baby in the riduculously complicated (but cute) outfits his mother picks out for him...all those snaps!!!

-letting your wife sit in the backseat with the baby so you both know he's okay, even though it means she doesn't get to sit up front with you.

-spending plenty of time each day just relaxing with your wife and admiring your son together, even though there are lots of other things you need to do.

-spending an entire afternoon driving around town looking for some baby supplies that will make your wife's life easier.

Joel, in the last week, you've become an expert in diapers, onesies, swaddling, feeding, and burping, to mention just a few things. You have always been an amazing husband, and I am so blessed to have you by my side and watch you as you fulfill the role of daddy in such sweet ways that I never could've imagined. I love you, and I'm so thankful for you and little Z.