An Ode to Cally's Dad

Over the past six months, I've been told many times that I'm really lucky. I'm really lucky to have such a happy and healthy baby, to have found a great childcare situation for Cally during the spring, to work so close to home, to have been given so many great hand-me-downs from my wonderful friends and family, etc. etc. But most often, I hear that I'm lucky to have such an attentive and loving father for Cally. The list of the amazing things that John has done for both Cally and me is lengthy. He really is a fantastic father to Cally and husband to me. Not only did he take six weeks off from his job to be the stay-at-home father for Cally, but he continues to devote so much to this lovely gal. He does it so naturally and without hesitation.

Before Cally was born, John bought one of those "Dad's Guide to Kids" kind of book. By December, when Cally was born, he'd never cracked it open. Even now, six months into the game, he hasn't had to look at the book once. He just "gets it". He gets what being a father is all about-- that it requires time away from the mountain bike, the skis, and the climbing gear, but time that is well invested and makes him happier and more fulfilled than I've ever seen him. He gets that when Cally cries, she needs something, that mom's need a break sometimes, and that our life is better because of having a child.

Just the other day, John and I were driving back from our camping trip through East Burke-- a place we've gone many times because of it's amazing single track mountain bike trail network. In fact, he popped the big question to me there two summers ago. As we were cruising by a river that we had dipped in after a long ride the previous summer, he said, "You know, I miss the way we used to be able to be so spontaneous and adventurous ....... but I wouldn't give up what we have with Cal for any of that. She's made our lives so much richer".

John is one of the most selfless and wonderful father's a girl could ask for. He loves spending time with his daughter. Last week, we decided to utilize the help of our friends (Medora and Mary) to babysit Cally so that we could go out on a rare mountain bike ride together. A minute into the ride, John realized he had a flat. He quickly tried to fix the flat, only to find out that the tube he had borrowed from a friend had a hole in it. He patched it and tried to reinflate that tire only to find out that the tube was the wrong size. Without a second thought, he insisted that I go on without him. He exclaimed, "This is stupid! Cally is over at our friends house and I haven't seen her all day. I'm going to stop messing around with my bike and spend some time with her this evening". Upon arriving at Medora's house, he saw that the ladies were having limited success feeding her. He jumped right in and took over in a way that left my girlfriends quite impressed.

As you can see, John lights up when he's with Cally. But so does she.

Not only did I wind up with a wonderful partner and best friend, I've found an amazing father for Cally. I'm lucky, I certainly know that, but so is Cally. She'll never been want for love and adoration from her father. In fact, I sort of feel sorry for her......... any partner that she ends up finding will have a tough act to follow.

Happy Belated Father's Day John!