father knows best.

Sunday is Father's Day. When I was a girl, it meant buying those cheesy-poof snacks from the Avon lady in the antique looking metal tin, delicately paired with an obnoxious tie my Dad would be obligated to wear at least once a month. In public.

I can hardly remember my 20s being anything short of a decade that gave solid validity to every grey hair on my parents' heads. But then came this man named David. Suddenly my career-minded singleness was a blip in the rear view mirror. One date and I was hooked. He was perfect. Don't get me wrong, he is flawed. But he's perfect for me. He is kind, loving, compassionate and patient. He has incredible strength and is like a hot mug of cocoa on a snowy day. He calms me. And, lucky for me, he adores me too.

One day 2 years ago he made me a Mommy. He's knocked me up again, naturally, because he's way too great of a father to stop at just one. If you don't think you can love your husband one smidge more than you do...wait until he holds your baby. And kisses her on her wrinkled little forehead. And says, "Hi. I'm your Daddy."

I'm a solid sleeper. And if I wake at night, I can't get back to sleep. This comes in handy with a newborn that doesn't sleep a lot, but not so much with a 1 or 2 year-old that's just having a rough night. Stay-at-home mom's can't exactly grab an extra shot in their Starbucks and take it easy at the office the next day. So David, a feat of nature, gets up when she does. He sweeps her up and sings Twinkles until she is safely back to sleep in his arms. Sometimes he stays for extra cuddles, just to be sure. He never complains. If anything, he relishes the time between just the two of them.

At no time in my 20s did it ever occur to me that the sexiest thing about a man would be to see him hold my child. Not once back then did I think hearing my husband tell me I was beautiful as I was desperately seeking a comfortable sleeping position would make me forget about my aching pregnant body.

At 30 I became pregnant with Emily. At 31 she was born. At 32 I became pregnant with Ethan. And at 33 he will complete our little family. And just a few days ago, I decided to stop taking my Dad for granted.

Monday my Dad came for a visit from Bend. Bend is a wonderful place. It's like a breath of fresh air. And so is my Dad. Watching him with Emily reminds me how much fun I had as a kid...and why. My mom is an amazing woman, but my Dad was always the fun machine. He made funny noises, funny faces, and could drive his car without it's key. [Awesome!] Some things never change. During one visit last year I looked over at the cackling to find he had put a sock on each of his ears and was making elephant noises. My daughter never fails to laugh her hardest when he is here to visit. He doesn't take himself too seriously. He can take a completely ordinary action and turn it into knock-down fun.

Tuesday we went to meet our playgroup at a park in Tualatin. He followed Emily around the whole time, playing with her and making sure the bigger kids didn't run her over. She can, of course, hold her own, but who would take that protective-Grandpa-duty away? At one point one of the moms said to me how she'd never allow either of her daughter's grandparents to babysit. They didn't get the toddler thing. They weren't fun. Another noticed how my Dad was helping her son with a toy but doing it in such a way that it made the boy think he was doing it all by himself. The moms were in awe. Suddenly, I realized: my cool Dad was now a cool Grandpa. My daughter was going to benefit from all the awesomeness I grew up with. How cool was that.

It's amazing what some time and perspective will do. Thanks to you both. And may you enjoy a very happy Father's Day.