I’ve never met a man who truly, down deep felt comfortable holding an infant. No matter how much they love and adore their child there is something so inherently vulnerable about newborns that it makes men uncomfortable. Babies cry for no reason and they are small and all their parts look like they could just easily snap right off. As kids grow and they learn to talk, walk and their parts look less like they could break in a freak diaper changing accident, men become more comfortable.

The past couple of weeks our house has been abuzz with talk of Star Wars. David eagerly watched the movies with the kids and then this past weekend he pulled out of the closet the sacred receptacle of Star Wars toys from his childhood. A large metal tin filled with about a 100 action figures. It was a sight to behold as the three of them sat down in the playroom and David meticulously identified each action figure, which movie it was from and whether or not it was a good guy or a bad guy. Lucy and Max were overwhelmed both by the quantity of toys and the depth of Daddy’s knowledge.

David can easily navigate the waters of ‘good guys’ versus ‘bad guys’. He knows how to calm bed time fears and (thankfully) is a soothing voice when vomiting hits the house. He is the strong Daddy who can fix anything that is broken and knows how to make funny voices. THIS is his comfort zone. David has always awkwardly stood by during diaper changes, midnight feedings, and those early nonsensical bouts of crying. Now there are grand discussions over who should be Luke Skywalker for Halloween and would it be okay if Mommy was Obi-Wan even though SHE’S A GIRL!

For a little while I’m second fiddle. I’m the one who they see all day long and the one they hear “no” from all day long. But Daddy – well Daddy is this amazing, strong, all powerful person who “ARRIVES” at dinner time and while sharing fruity popsicles tells more stories about Luke Skywalker and “Dark Vader”. And you know what? I’m okay with that.