Week 21: Father's Day

When Arthur and I began dating more than eight years ago, babies weren’t exactly at the forefront of my mind. But I knew that anyone I ended up with would have to not only be my best friend but an active parent and good role model for our future children. It didn’t take much time to realize that Arthur fit the bill.
And now as surreal as it is, we’re having a baby together. Our son (by the way, it’s amazing to be able to say that!) will link us forever and have the best father I could imagine for him. While Arthur won’t technically be a papa yet this Father’s Day, I can’t help but admire the parent he’s becoming even before Roo’s birth. My husband is a pretty reserved guy when it comes to his emotions; but lately I’ve noticed a building transformation that’s revealing him to be less of a cool cucumber and more of a concerned father-to-be.
Exhibit A: When I became alarmed over some spotting a couple of weeks ago, Arthur was just as concerned. He was the first person I called when the bright red spots brought me back to last year’s miscarriage. I expected him to be worried, but I didn’t anticipate the panic I could sense in him throughout the day. Even after the doctor’s office confirmed it was probably nothing, he kept checking in and got out of work as soon as possible. As soon as he came home, he hugged me tight and proceeded to kiss my stomach and tell Roo how much he loved him.
Exhibit B: The Oklahoma tornado that killed so many children yielded more of a reaction from him than previous disasters. Normally, he acknowledges such catastrophes with a solemn face and a shake of his head. This time, though, when he heard the death toll for children his face really fell. He said that now he’s gearing up to be a parent, he views things with a different perspective.
Exhibit C: Watching other parents experience milestones with their children has made Arthur more vocal about his excitement. As avid lovers of the TV show Friends, we’re working on our umpteenth viewing of the series. We recently watched the episode where Ross’ son says his first word, and at the end, Arthur commented on how amazing and exciting that must be to experience with your own kids.
Our son hasn’t arrived yet, but his father is already evolving into the parent he deserves. I had my husband pegged as an ideal father years ago, long before we got engaged, and I’m so thankful that Roo gets to grow up with him as a dad. And thanks to Arthur’s tailor-made songs for our baby and continual interaction with my bump, Roo should have an inkling of how well-loved he is by his papa this Father’s Day, before they’ve even formally met.