Father's Day!

Today we had the opportunity to celebrate Ethan for his highly anticipated first Father's Day, or Yom Abba as we've been referring to it at home. Our day started out with some family time in bed as Daddy opened his cards and gifts. From me he received a night out for BBQ and a Wilco concert in July. From Maddy he received four books and a Disc Golf set. We were all ready to take him frisbee golfing up in Topsfield for a day of fun and fried seafood, but the weather is STILL crummy and therefore we were at home for much of the day. This ended up being just fine; after a delicious brunch at the Biltmore, we had a family nap for 2 hours. It was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. The Hellmanns and Andersons came over for a BBQ in the evening, and we continued to enjoy our visit with Maddy's Uncle Josh. It's been great to catch up with him these past few days, and the timing of his trip has turned out to be quite fortuitous. About a week ago, Ethan started experiencing some numbness and tingling in his feet. These sensations have slowly ascended up the lower half of his body and are obviously causing quite a bit of concern. He has spent the past few days in and out of doctor's offices and hospitals for various tests meant to identify what the problem is. We are trying not to worry prematurely, but it's made us anxious. Since we have the baby, accompanying Ethan to his appointments has not really been an option for me. Fortunately, having Josh here has been a tremendous boon. Not only has he been able to keep Ethan company in my stead, he has provided him (and me) with comfort during a time that would have otherwise been fraught. Admittedly, having Ethan gone most of the time is making life a bit of a challenge. Not only do I miss him and worry about him constantly, but the responsibilities of keeping up with Maddy and the sundry chores around the house have fallen on my shoulders. Having his health compromised has made me realize how many blessings we normally take for granted, not the least of which is being able to manage the day-to-day in a balanced and collaborative partnership. We will be meeting with the neurologist in a few days for an update on test results, and we are both hopeful that the news will be promising and that life will resume some normalcy in the immediate future. 

Ethan has been the most devoted and loving father to Maddy these past 8.5 months. I know he is upset and frustrated that his current health crisis is preventing him from spending time caring for and doting on her. As much as I can reassure him that all is well, it does little to ease the pain. Nothing is as special as watching the two of them together. It's amazing what fatherhood has done for Ethan! He is able to illicit a special kind of smile from Madelyn, one that is reserved strictly for him. He sings her the "no pants dance" song when he changes her diaper (always with a smile!), he bounces around doing the "I am Your Dad" dance on a daily basis, he whistles the theme song to "Caillou" as he moves about the house, and though the alarm clock will still do little to rouse him from the bed, he is up like a shot the moment Maddy makes a peep on the monitor. Getting to know Ethan has a father has affirmed my love for him in countless ways, and on this Father's Day, in the midst of everything that is going on, it has never been clearer that there is nothing more important in this world than him and our family.