four years ago this september, when we found out what was about to happen — how drastically our lives were going to change — i gave aaron the option to walk away. if he wasn’t ready for this, if he couldn’t be committed to giving this child his all, i told him i’d rather do it on my own.
he didn’t have an immediate answer. he needed time to think — time to process. but i couldn’t blame him; after all, we had only been dating for one month when i got pregnant.
but it didn’t take long for him to realize he couldn’t abandon me and the child we had created without regretting it for the rest of his life.
he gave his promise that he was fully in it with me, and never looked back.
today marks aaron’s fourth “papa’s day,” and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. he is such a kind, caring, and devoted papa to our liam.
the day i gave birth, aaron spent almost the entire six hours of our birthing center stay cradling our precious son, eyes glistening with unshed tears of joy. it was love at first sight — something that seemed impossible before we met liam.
i could be mistaken, but i’m fairly certain aaron is one of the most hands-on papas there is. in the first few weeks of liam’s life, i didn’t change a single diaper or give a bath; aaron was so eager to do it all. if he could breastfeed, he would have gladly helped with that, too. and when liam was ready for solid food, aaron was practically begging me to let him assist with the meal-making.
he’s dealt with growth spurts and teething and sleep regressions, nap protests and temper tantrums and the (rather unfortunate) addition of the word “no” to liam’s vocabulary, but somehow he’s never lost his mind.
it could be his love of all things comics messing with my imagination, but sometimes i think i’m bound to walk in on him mid outfit change and catch a glimpse of the hero gear that he must be hiding, he’s just so super.
there’s nothing quite like watching the special bond my boys share grow stronger. i love that liam asks to be held in his papa’s arms when he’s too tired to stand on his feet, that aaron crouches down to liam’s level to hear him speak, that liam calls out for his papa every morning when he wakes, and that aaron still musters up the energy to give piggyback rides and play pretend and read bedtime stories after spending all day at work.
and the positive example that aaron strives to set for our boy — to know just how deeply he cares about the person we are raising liam to be? well, i think i love that most of all.
every day, aaron fills our home with joy and the sound of laughter. every day, he enriches our lives and makes us whole. and every day, he inspires me to be the best mama i can be.
there’s no one else i’d rather have by my side for these adventures in parenthood, and even though liam can’t say it yet, i know there’s no one else he would rather have as his papa.
little joys 
This is so beautiful, Katye, and brought the biggest of smiles to my face. Your boys sound so wonderful, and very much like they make the best team.
And, goodness, am I happy to have come across your site again – I thought I’d lost you after forgetting to bookmark you last time I commented. But, here I am, and here you are, and here we’ll both be from now on!
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