It was a weekend of everyday family life – a cousin’s baby shower, pizza night at home watching Men In Black 3, the boys going hunting on Sunday – topped off with one very grumpy 8-month-old who kept us up much of the night for almost three days.
A baby who’s sweet daddy walked her and sat up with her much of the night so that her mama could sleep. And I realized that this is one of the things that you don’t really know about someone before you marry them.
Actually, it’s probably one of the things you don’t really focus on because you’re busy thinking about how cute and funny he is. Or how much you just want to be around him. Or what you’ll be doing when he proposes. Or what color your bridesmaid’s dresses will be. Or where you’ll go on your honeymoon (hypothetically, of course). Or what restaurant he’ll take you to on your first anniversary. Or what your children will look like.
And so you don’t focus on questions like will he stay up at night and walk the baby so that I can get some much needed sleep?
Or will he be a good, loving daddy who adores his son and two little girls?
Will he be a good, loving provider and work hard without complaining?
Will he be patient with me even when I am completely emotional and irrational?
Will he hold my hand in the delivery room while I’m in labor and be my biggest champion for natural childbirth and breastfeeding?
Will he be accepting and forgiving of my faults?
Will he go to the park and throw the football with the kids even after a long day or week?
Will he make the kids pancakes and bacon on the weekends because he knows how much I dislike cooking breakfast food?
Will it drive me crazy when he leaves dishtowels scattered all over the kitchen counter?
Will there be times he’ll watch Road Warrior or Terminator 2 whenever they are on even though he has seen each of them no less than 348 times?
Will he change the lyrics of almost every song ever to make his own vulgar or politically incorrect version of the song?
Will he put dead deer heads on my walls?
As it turns out, the answer to all of these questions is yes.
And will he still make me laugh after thirteen years of marriage?
Yes. Yes he will.
