Even the prospect of trying to write about him is overwhelming because there's just so much. I don't know where to begin. I'll try anyway. Maybe I'll talk about just today.
This was the only day all week where he didn't have to get up early for something, but he still got up at 7 and did his morning scripture study, and then when Louise woke up around 8 he went in and got her, being careful not to wake me up through all of this. Of course, since I'm pregnant and uncomfortable, I was awake anyway, but I was just so grateful. Then when Louise ran in to greet me and I needed to get up he came in and carefully swung my legs out of bed for me. :) This sounds fairly odd, I'm sure, but for the last few weeks I've been struggling increasingly with SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction), which means it's excruciatingly painful to move in any way that my hips aren't perfectly aligned, getting in and out of bed being one of those. Then we (mostly he, I was just there for moral support) made french toast while he held 23 month-old Louise in the Ergo because she needed a little extra cuddling this morning and we had breakfast as a family. Today was a day where we didn't really have any pressing plans until the evening, so we kind of just played around all day. I love days like this because I feel like it's so much easier to be a good parent when you're not in a hurry and you don't have to be anywhere. You have time to actually let your child stop and smell the roses and perhaps even investigate a few along the way. I feel like Louise learns so much and makes so many connections when she is left to explore in her own way. We played in the covers of our bed for a while, read some books, played with Louise's kitchen, then Louise took a nap.
During her nap Justin and I read from a book called Einstein Never Used Flashcards (a fantastic book that I highly recommend to all parents) and had a great discussion about how we're doing with our parenting. One thing I've come to realize and feel so blessed for in the last few months is just how much of a hand Heavenly Father had in our courtship and marriage. Justin and I didn't really talk about anything important before we got married. We just kind of knew we liked each other a lot, then knew we were supposed to get married. We never discussed where we wanted to live after we grew up, what kind of parents we wanted to be, when we wanted to be parents, how we wanted to raise our family, how we wanted to live financially, nothing. I realize now how lucky I am to have found him. He's truly one in a million. There's no way I could have been even remotely this happy with anyone else. We agree on everything important, without even having to discuss it first. The main thing I'm grateful for is our parenting. Our style isn't exactly typical, in fact, I would venture to say it's fairly uncommon, especially in a big city like this one. I won't get into the specifics now, I'll just say we're pretty modern in an old-school way when it comes to a lot of developmental things (keep in mind, he is getting his masters degree in child development from the top child development school in the country. We're bound to learn some things along the way). Besides all of that, I'm just so grateful for the kind of father he is. We're truly equal partners. He's masculine, but not macho. He's not afraid to be a goof ball and play with his daughter. He's tender, sensitive, and emotional with her, even in public. He leaves Louise and I with no doubt in our minds that we are his #1 priority. I feel so bad every day because I know how much he longs to be able to stay home with us, yet he goes to work and school anyway so that I can be home with our child. He loves being a father and playing with Louise as much as I love being a mother. Louise adores him.
I'm just so grateful for everything Justin does for us. He's truly my best friend, and I love him more every day. Living here alone in Chicago, we've really had to learn to depend and rely on each other, which is a beautiful thing. I'm so blessed to have found him. This post can't do him justice, but it's an attempt. He's the most wonderful man I've ever known, much like my own father.
This is beautiful! Although it leaves me quite curious at more of the specifics of your parenting. I hope you elaborate in one of these posts!
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