Something for Father's Day

"Yes I do want something for Father's Day".
"Oh yay! You never tell me what you want for holidays! What is it? We can do anything. I'll get you whatever you want. You are a great dad and you so totally deserve it. Tell me what you want. Tell me tellmetellme!"
"Nothing".
"What."
"Nothing".
"J, you said you'd tell."
"I mean literally, Nothing. I want Nothing. NO plans. No activities, just...Nothing."

And so, because J is the bestest daddy in the whole big world, and he does, in fact, so totally deserve whatever he wants on his very first ever Father's Day, that is what I gave him.
We did eventually wander down to Eastern Market, a fave spot on a gorgeous Sunday. But it was a random wandering, not a planned event, you see, and it was J's idea, so it still counts as me doing Nothing. It was a lovely, lazy Father's Day.



My friend Mox met up to help us celebrate the Nothing and we all had lunch from the famous crepe guy. We wandered around all day and picked up our favorite injera on the way home to do more Nothing. Which for J, really is rather an extravagant gift.
Because he never gets to do Nothing. J would not tell you this, but I read his papers where all the supervising doctors talk about how well he's doing on rotation, and if it were elementary school instead of medical school, it they would have been just dripping with smiley faces and gold stars. J works hard. Really hard. And he works long, ridiculous hours, and he does not have much time to study. Or sleep.
Because even though he is a superhero student, he doesn't actually get to have a clark kent life at home. He just trades in one cape for another at the door, and becomes a superhero dad.
So even though it will embarrass him, I thought that J deserved a post today about how great he is and how much Little One and I appreciate his extra-superhero-y-ness. Here is Little One's message. She especially wants to thank J for the following:

Making the best funny faces and sounds which make Her giggle.
Making time for dinner dates nearly every night, even after working overnight and all day.
Often managing to study and play with Her at the same time.
Changing diapers- even the really icky kind- wiping chins, mixing bottles, dressing, bathing, soothing, and picking up after Her just as much as mommy does when he is home. Which She hears not all daddies do, for some silly reason.
Reading Fox and Sox in the way only he can.
Taking Her fun places, even when he might rather be taking a nap.
Talking and playing with Her, teaching Her all about important things like how to put the yellow ring before the red one.
Giving Her so many really excellent hugs and snuggles.
Being so overall wonderful and exciting that hearing his voice or seeing him walk by is enough to elicit big grins, gurgles and coos. So wonderful that if She is sitting on the floor playing when he gets home, Her happy dance sometimes knocks Her right over. And so wonderful that when this makes Her cry because She bonks Her head, instead of being annoyed at coming home to a screaming baby after a long day, he goes right over and makes Her feel instantly better with hugs and smiles and kisses.

I would like to thank J too. For:
Always always always making time for his family, no matter how busy, worn out, overextended he is, and no matter how many more important things he has to do. From running the dogs to fixing the house to tucking in Little One to listening to me talk even when I've got nothing to say that doesn't involve some type of poop, he is there for all of us.
Being the reason I get to stay home and take care of Little One, instead of having some qualified person do it. (Like they'd know how to properly spoil Her and teach Her bad habits.)
Being patient. Being happy. Being fun. Being kind. On three hours sleep. Every. Day.
Helping create a home for his daughter that is safe and happy and free of those little stress molecules that can poison the air if you aren't careful.
Being the kind of daddy that I'm thankful and proud to have Little One watching (because She's always watching) and looking up to as an example of what being a person should be.
Being the kind of husband that I'm thankful and proud to have Little One watching (She is) and thinking as She grows up, "so that's how men are supposed to treat their gals".
Having those fantastic dreamy eyelashes and being thoughtful enough to pass them along to Little One.

Happy first Father's Day, SuperJ! It's no wonder Little One and the doggies and I love you so much you could drown in it. You're doing the same at daddying as you apparently are at doctoring. Which is a Darn Good Job for a Rookie. And you're doing it all at once. Which is really Something.