Anyway...back to my original reason for posting!
So I can't help but write something about this...Kelly is an amazing father and husband! I always knew he would be which is at least part of the reason I married him! So I guess I sort of take for granted all that he is and does. In my mind, I always knew it would be the way it is. But there are definitely 2 distinct trains of thought on the role of a father - those that are surprised by how much Kelly is involved and those that think it's normal. The latter is definitely the camp I fall into, but I can see where the former comes from. Dad's in previous generations (mine included) definitely left most of the baby duties to Mom. I'm pretty sure my Dad never even changed my diaper. Whereas, I never changed Riley's diaper until Kelly finally went back to work 7 weeks after Riley was born! Back then Dad's felt it was their duty to 'provide for the family'. Please don't send me hate mail! I'm making a cart blanche statement, but I know there are exceptions! Obviously things have changed a lot since that time. I work more hours a week than Kelly does, I manage all the household money - bills, retirement accounts, I'm the bookkeeper for his business, etc, and even as much as he helps with Riley - it's just natural that Mom is the default for certain things so even though I consider us 50-50 parents - I still end up doing more of the little things in the end. Add in breastfeeding which is something Kelly obviously can't do...and that's makes things a little less balanced. But he got up with me for every feeding the 1st 3.5 months - of course for part of that time I would pump while he would feed Riley a bottle, but even if I was just breastfeeding he'd get up and we'd watch the Olympics together or he'd just talk to me and help change Riley's diapers and stuff. I never even thought twice about it to be honest. That's just how we are - we take the team approach to almost everything we do - cooking, cleaning, etc. So with that being the case before Riley arrived, it only seems natural to me the way we were 50-50 when Riley arrived.
I do have to say that Kelly doesn't just 'help' me with Riley...he's a fully engaged, hands on father. And the bond between the 2 of them is already one you can almost physically see! It's amazing to watch! And it warms my heart to see the 2 of them together! I find myself imagining the things they'll get into when Riley's older, but I'm sure with those 2 it will far surpass even my imagination! Especially since they are the 2 joksters in the house! You can already tell that Riley is going to have Kelly's jokster personality. There may be a little Sterne temper in there too! When all else fails, he just starts banging his toys and screaming at them! It's funny & cute now! So I hope it stays that way!
Anyway, here's one of my favorite sights! Riley and Kelly hanging on the sofa 'talking'. Here's a side view of the infamous hair too! ;)
And here's a video of Riley just cracking up at his Dad - something they do a lot! This is how it goes...you get Riley to start laughing, then you start laughing at him laughing because it's so adorable, then he's laughing at you laughing...Good Times! As you notice, I have to start the video camera away from them and sneak up on them - I SWEAR if Riley hears the video camera come on - he automatically stops doing whatever he's doing and stares at the camera! Notice his FREAKING thumb in his mouth CONSTANTLY!!! OMG! It's going to be my demise!! He's not sucking it yet...just chewing, but he's laying the foundation to be a thumb sucker! I'm going to become a paci pusher! At least you can take the paci away! Kelly says this video makes him look like a dork, but I think it just shows their fun loving jokster side! ;)
