Day of the Dads

Who's got two babies and is a great Dad?? THIS GUY!

Oh yeah, and we hiked in Red Rocks Park this weekend.

 Lots of people comment on Dave's Daddy skills. Grandma D. gave him a blue ribbon on being a great dad, this past visit to Iowa - she said he is the most involved dad she'd ever seen. And I couldn't agree more! Everyone can see how on top of the baby care-taking he is: changing diapers, getting them to eat, teaching them to share, weathering the tantrums, etc.

 From my insiders perspective, I can tell you, no one is more patient and kind to our little hoodlums than he is, to the point where he astounds me on a daily basis. He gets home after a long day and the party starts - they swarm up his legs and before I know it there is a full-fledged wrestling/airplane match going on the floor. They play, we eat, then he sings songs through bath time to get them to let him wash their hair.  We read scriptures, say prayers, and he gives out multiple kisses and cuddles before they finally get tucked in. Our kids can be in no doubt how much he loves them.

 He's also the one to have around when the going gets rough. What does he do when Riley is stupid-tired and volatile and loses it because, I don't know, she wants the blue cup and I gave her the green? He cuddles her. She smacks him. He tells her he loves her. She screams. He rocks her. She passes out. I have never known him to lock himself in the bathroom and run in place while pulling his hair out when the kids are going crazy. And that, my friends is a bigger achievement than you might think.

I actually didn't marry him for his parenting skills - I married him because he is sweet, smart, righteous, smoking hot and he makes me giddy. But they say you tend to marry someone like your dad and I feel like there are some striking similarities in their parenting skills. I have also been thinking of Dad today. How he defused tension with humor um...every day. And how he made each of us feel special. "How'd he do that", you might ask? Candy bars on the dash when he picked me up from gymnastics, cheering in the stands at our sporting events, being my first dance partner, and staying up with me all night until I understood the calculus (but mostly it was the candy bars :).

Dad also taught us about being a team and loving each other. Family "laundry-folding parties" every weekend, popcorn and milkshakes to follow. Yard work, service projects, family home evenings every Monday, caroling in the winter and berry-picking in the summer. Man I had an awesome childhood. Thanks in large part to my dad - take him out of the picture and I don't even know what kind of person I would be today. Love you, Dad!

God bless all you dads out there, all you who are so "there" for your kids, it's boring (heard that in a movie a while ago and it stuck - that's soo Dad. And Dave.) You make the world a better place.

Happy Fathers Day!