Andi flipped open his computer the other day, played this commercial for me and nearly burst into tears. Having Tory has had the greatest affect on him; he's a different person - a better person - since he became a dad seven short weeks ago.
This time last year, Andi was a little apprehensive about starting a family. I really wanted to try for a baby and he wasn't so sure he was ready. It's not that he didn't want to have kids someday; he just wasn't sure he was ready for that moment to be now. We were living in our own little bubble as my mom liked to say, traveling and entertaining ourselves in whatever way we pleased. With a few tears (on my part) and many conversations later, he decided he was ready. Ten-ish months later, here we are today: parents to our Tory Girl.
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Throughout my pregnancy, I imagined Andi to be really hands-on. I thought he'd gently touch my belly, talk to it and want to feel close to the baby just as I did. But he rarely did, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little offended by it. Why wasn't he as excited about the baby growing inside me as I was? Hindsight tells me he was; he just had a different way of showing it. First-time dads (not all I assume, but some) aren't as sure what to expect when it comes to pregnancy and fatherhood. And because Andi wasn't experiencing the symptoms and pregnancy feelings I was, I think it was hard for him to relate.
This took place up to the minute our baby girl was born. The man who didn't want anything to do with the physical aspects of labor or cutting the baby's umbilical cord was suddenly right there in the thick of it, without a second hesitation. And he's never been the same since.
What I love so much about watching Andi become a dad is the way he interacts with Tory. It's different than the way I talk to her, hold her, or flatter her with attention. I guess that's why having both a motherly and fatherly influence in her life is so important. I try my best to hold back when he doesn't do things exactly as I would (sorry honey if it doesn't always seem that way!). When I can get out of my own way long enough to listen to them together, it melts my heart. He truly is the best father my daughter could ask for.
Mostly, I wanted to jot down this special transformation here in our life's journal. I'm anxious to watch their relationship unfold as Tory grows older and develops more of her personality. I can't wait for the day Andi teaches her how to ski for the first time or how to ride her bicycle. I'm sure he'll be the "fun-er parent" but uber protective too. I hope she has his supreme negotiation skills and street smarts (although I'm sure that'll come back to bite me later!). It's exciting to see parts of him shine brightly inside her.
We're both so lucky to have him.
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