Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

My husband is one of the sweetest, most unselfish, giving, caring people I know. Simply talking to other moms gives me a better appreciation of him every day. My husband is not your typical guy.

For starters, he was the one who talked me into nursing our baby. I had never considered it until he brought it up and talked me into taking a breast-feeding class. I am so glad he did. I am so glad he was there through the whole thing. He brought me snacks and drinks without a single complaint – for months! He continued to treat me with the same loving, caring attitude as he had when I was pregnant.

If I was completely exhausted when he came home from work, he never balked at having to cook dinner for me. He is a great cook! I just feel like it is part of my job to cook for him, and so his opportunities to cook for me were few and far between. He never complained if dinner was already started and he had to finish it because I was with the baby. I'm sure he would rather have been watching a hockey game, but he never complained.

Although he couldn't help me feed the baby, there were many other ways in which he could. We took turns eating dinner, or else I wouldn't ever have had a hot meal in those first weeks and months! Bath time was also shared by us, as were diaper changes. Now I will admit that he did complain about the diapers, but not at having to change them so much as the quantity and quality of said diapers. I would usually smile smugly at him whenever he got a particularly fragrant diaper. One dirty diaper to the dirty dozen I changed daily?

He also let me sleep in on the weekends. His only days to sleep in, and he let me sleep in. As long as the baby didn't need to be nursed immediately, he could sometimes give me up to an extra hour of much needed sleep. It became his special “daddy time” with the baby.

Despite all of these things that he does for us, he is not perfect. Who is? He doesn't remember to pick up flowers when I am feeling down. He doesn't always think to take me out on dates when I am feeling lonely. He doesn't always think to give me a break from the baby.

He forgets to empty the kitchen trash can until it has spilled all over the floor. He leaves change wherever it falls when he empties his pockets. He never rinses his cereal bowl.

He runs errands for me. He goes grocery shopping when we need a gallon of milk. He buys feminine products when I run out. He puts air in my tires when they are running low. He mows the grass. Always. He moves the furniture around, no matter how many times I say, “No, that's not going to fit there.”

He loves me more than anyone else. He loves our kids as much as I do. He makes me laugh and holds me when I cry over spilled milk. He reads everything I write, and encourages me to write more. He has never expected me to be just a stay-at-home mom, and he supports me in whatever new project I undertake.

But some days, that's just not enough. Sounds selfish doesn't it? When my day starts at five forty-nine with the angry screech of a hungry baby, I sometimes know that it's only going to go downhill from there. These are the kinds of days I am talking about. The days when I not only don't get a shower, I don't get dressed. Breakfast consists of a stale Pop-Tart and cold cup of coffee that I started drinking hours ago. Potty breaks include the baby sitting comfortably in a bouncy seat at my feet so I can be ready to pop that binky back in. By lunch time, I'm usually in tears. The dinner I was trying to get into the crock pot is still scattered on the counter. The trash is overflowing. I've had to change the baby's clothes three times, and not because I couldn't decide which adorable outfit to put on him.

So, when my incredibly sweet, unselfish, giving, and caring husband calls from work to see how my day is going, of course I'm going to rant! And when he generously asks if there is something he can do to help, I know exactly what I'm going to say.

If you can't come home right now, then don't ask how you can help!