Mr. Mom

Yesterday was quite a day in the Smith Family household! Our regular babysitter’s daughter was sick and had a slight fever, so at the last minute we had to scurry to figure out what we were going to do with P-man for the day. I wasn’t feeling well on Monday and had been out of the office, so it wasn’t a good day for me to be off.

Sooooo Neil to the rescue! He packed up his laptop, came by my work to grab Porter and away they went. Neil decided to work from home, problem solved. Ok, ok, so I will be honest…… I learned yesterday that I have an “inflated” view of myself as a mama. (who me?) I think I am super mom (not really, but for arguments sake…) I automatically assume that the house will be a mess, I’d get a TON of “how do I do this? How do I do that?” phone calls and I would come home to a stressed out, irritated husband. Not that Neil doesn’t spend time or do just as much as I do, he totally does. But ALL day, alone, while trying to work, now that is different. Plus, my inflated mama ego thought that some things just needed a “mother’s touch”. And I would understand if he were frazzled…. Heck I have had those days! Sounds about right for him to feel that way…. Right? WRONG!

Neil took him home, played with him, kept up with work emails, fed him his bottles, Porter took not one but two 1-2 hr naps. Neil even survived a huge, epic, diaper blowout after Porter had his lunch. He wasn’t even frazzled. He had me laughing so hard describing the situation. What?! Later, when my phone rang at work, I thought “uh-oh… here we go…” and instead I got a cheery husband on the other end of the phone. “What are you doing?” I ask. “Oh, me and the boy are out running errands? Do you need anything?”… Porter happily chirping “da da da” in the back. Ummmm what?! That’s why you called?! I can barely get groceries done and gas in the car the days I stay home. And the days I do “run errands” I usually get the stage 4 meltdown in the middle of Target. Especially if I am working too! But Neil went to the bank, post office, and grocery store. He made it home for Porter’s afternoon bottle and nap. Oh, and did I mention he did all this after doing the dishes and putting 2 roasts in the crock pot for dinner? (which were delicious by the way) To top that off, he and Porter headed to the gym in the late afternoon so Neil could get his workout in and Porter could play with the kids at the gym for an hour.

So, let’s re-cap. My "Mr. Mom",  for a day was able to shower AND get dressed in non sweat like clothes, work, do dishes, put pot roasts in for dinner, play/engage Porter, keep him fed/happy/clean, got him to nap good and got a work out in. Hmmmmm, something is wrong with this picture! Where was my frazzled hubby? He was working out, hanging out and appreciating time with his boy. How awesome!

I feel really lucky to have the husband I have. He is an AMAZING father. He sings to him, plays, and tells him about football. He bathes him almost every night to give me a break and talks constantly about how beautiful he is and how he is his pride and joy. Neil wants more babies.... yesterday. And lots of them. He calls it blissful insanity. Isn’t that great?! I am really blessed with him. He can’t wait to coach little league, help with math homework and go to football games. He tells me all the time that he pretty much has everything he could ever want and this is his dream life. (crazy huh?) He was super involved in pregnancy (my birth-y friends can attest to this one :) too. In fact, he took the book A Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth on the plane with him during a business trip, simply because he felt it had better information!! Ha, ha too funny! In all seriousness though, I couldn't have gotten through pregnancy and new motherhood without him.

In this day in age of absent fathers or fathers who cannot connect with their children, Porter is really a lucky boy. His dad will always be there for him and is constantly trying to be a better example and leader. I don’t think Neil will be able to be “Mr. Mom” full time unless we win the lotto or buy more houses, but he really did a great job yesterday. I appreciate him stepping up when our family needed him. I find new things to love about him every day. He really is a great father and husband. Turns out, “Mr. Mom’s” father’s touch is what saved the day!