6.17.2012

this year

this year
we celebrate a new father
the countless times he cooked and cleaned for mama when you were an inside baby
the hours he knelt on the hard linoleum floor to support her as you made your way into the world
the nervous pride when he announced we had a baby...wait for it...girl
dad
who changed your first diaper
who made the first late-night doctor call when mama got nervous
who melts when you smile at him and also when you poke that bottom lip out and threaten to cry
dad
who sang you to sleep hours at a time
for months
who worries about whether you're pooping right
for days
who walks you around the circle in the neighborhood
for hours
this daddy of yours is patient, silly, tired, vigilant, confused, hopeful, anxious, playful, instinctive, and oh baby he will stand up for you any time any where to any one
i am so happy for you, daughter
but i am not the least bit surprised
because this year
as every year
we also celebrate two old fathers
you will only know them from our stories and our photographs
but girl
one of those fathers is the father who taught your father how to be father even before your father wanted to be a father
just by being such a brilliant father himself
and
one of those fathers is the father who taught your mama how to recognize a good father even before she was ready to be mama
just by being such a brilliant father himself
yes love
this year
we celebrate a new dad
and lucky for you
he's yours

3 comments:

  1. You need to add a link that says "made me cry" :) CW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh gosh. i can't go around makin' pregnant ladies cry! :) xo, c

      Delete
  2. seriously. i just reread it and it made me cry, again.

    ReplyDelete