Ten Things I Love About Fatherhood

Being a father is one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life. I always wanted to have kids someday, but no amount of daydreaming could have prepared me for what it is really like to be a father. Not only a father, but a father to the best baby boy! I’ve been thinking a lot about the things I love about being a father to Peter, and I’ve come up with this list:

1. I love the self sacrifice of being a father. The more that you give, the more you are given. Completely giving myself to Claire and Peter has been so rewarding, and brings me so much joy. It truly is a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
2. I love Claire even more. Peter has led me to love Claire more. Not only do I have more opportunities to show Claire my love for her, but simply kissing Peter on the cheek is loving Claire! There is more Claire in the world to love!
3. I love that I want to better myself for Peter. I love that I am motivated to be the best version of myself for Peter. I want him to have someone he can count on and look up to for his entire life. It is a humbling thing to reflect on what I can improve upon, what I can remove from my life, and what I can pass on to Peter.
4. I love his smile and laugh. One of the best things about Peter is that he is always ready to smile. When we walk in the room after a nap he greets us with a smile. If we look at him across the room, he meets our gaze with a smile. And making him laugh! I love making him laugh! I was away for work for a week late last year, and when I came home Peter and Claire greeted me at the door. I shouted, “I’ve missed you so much! It’s so good to see you!” And Peter just started laughing. He laughed so hard and I was moved to tears!
5. I love learning, relearning, and teaching Peter new things. Being a father keeps you sharp. What is that construction vehicle called? A digger thingamajig? Even when Peter was weeks old I would talk to him and teach him about all the things he was seeing, or what I was doing. It is so fun to learn new things, relearn some of the old, and to see the world anew through a child’s eyes.
6. I love holding Peter when he is asleep. I love the quiet time when Peter is resting in my arms. I love the weight of his little body and I am so thankful to God for these moments.
7. I love watching Peter reach his milestones. I love seeing Peter grow and reach his milestones. I love seeing him crawl and sit up by himself. I will always be his first and loudest cheerleader.
8. I love playing with Peter. I love getting down on the floor and rolling around. Playing with toys and making up stories, and watching Peter in the wonder of all the objects about him. I’ve been waiting for this since I was the one playing with toys on the floor.
9. I love that Peter elevates the free time I spend to something greater. I think of the free time I’ve spent before Peter. Watching shows and movies, listening to music, playing games – these are all fun things to do. But all of this media doesn’t even come close to being with Peter. I find myself longing to play with him and just be in his presence!
10. I love knowing my own father’s love. I love understanding a new element of my own father’s love for me. Every sacrifice he has made, I see in a new context. I love being there for Peter and knowing that my dad is there for me, too.

– M