Magnolia's Graces: Father's Day

I started this post for Father's Day and well, you know how things are. We had a couple of houseguests, Magnolia got her 4 month shots yesterday and we've been doing a lot of nursing and snuggling. So here it is...a few days late.

To me father's day means several different things. I of course think of my own amazing father. He is and has always been such a supportive, giving, loving and forgiving Dad. He's put up with all of his children's crap and still loves, loves, loves. At almost 75 years old, he is constantly thinking of other people and how to help them. He has become very active in his local Salvation Army and even hops in his truck to go help out at shelters after hurricanes, tornados and flooding. He's still quite the pool shark and just an all around awesome guy!

Of course on father's day I think of my amazing husband. My perfectly beautiful, loving husband. He, not surprisingly has a lot of the same qualities as my dad. Obviously the packaging is a little different, but I do see my dad in some of his actions. He remembers the small stuff. Just the other night he ran out to the grocery store for a few things we needed and came home with the movie Friday (which is my ghetto guilty pleasure) and a DVD for The Dude that has a compilation of bad kid movies. I say bad because they are the ones that have bad acting and talking dogs and things of that sort. But The Dude LOVES them. He thought to bring in The Dude's plant from the porch last night before a storm blew through. He does the grocery shopping with my very unorganized shopping lists and coupons. He does at least half of the housework. Sometimes more depending on what kind of day I had with the kids. I'm trying to get better at that. I try to think of all the things little housewives did in the 50's and 60's before they had quickie meals and all of the baby entertainment that we have these days. They got everything done and had dinner on the table by 5. Aaaand there I go. Totally different blog post. But what I'm getting at is this. Some of you may or may not know that B is not Hayden's biological dad. But his is, in all ways, his dad. He does everything a dad is supposed to do and then some. He was great with him from day 1 when we started dating back in 2007. They were fast friends and Hayden was really excited to have a male figure around all day every day. We got out and did more things. Hiking trails, climbing rocks in the middle of rivers, riding bikes and skateboards. Things that I, as a pretty girlie girl, was neglecting to do with him. Now they still ride bikes and scooters, they play catch in the backyard, they go on Cub Scout camping trips, they shoot bb guns in the backyard. Such dude stuff!

Now I get to see him be the father of our baby girl. He is so sweet and tender with her. I know she will grow up and know who to go to to get just what she wants. :) He always offers to get up with her at night. Even knowing darn well he can't breastfeed her. He is great at juggling being the sweet daddy to his girl and the manly (but sweet) dad to The Dude. My heart explodes with love for this man and I appreciate all that he does for our family. He is supportive of me and all of my ideas and goals and he is supportive of The Dude and the things he wants to do and achieve. He reads every one of my blog posts, so Hunny, I love you to the moon and back!