Year 34, lots of changes
Oops, I always try to do a Happy Birthday post for Lo and I forgot this year. I didn’t forget his birthday…just to post about it. Babies will do that to you. Thirty-four was a big year for Lo – he became a father and started a new job – and much more. And this is someone who doesn’t like change! 
He has absolutely thrived in the dad role (and husband role as a result). He’s possibly the most involved father that I know. He does so much for me and Jenson…from sharing diaper changes and washing cloth diapers, giving him almost all of his baths, getting his bottles and my pump parts ready for workdays, wearing him in a baby carrier while he vacuums, getting dinner when I’m busy with Jenson, and (or just not wanting to put him down after being gone all day)…AND possibly the most beneficial thing for all of us: letting me sleep in on weekends while he spends time with Jenson. I’m up through the night with Jenson every night and get to bed late trying to get other stuff done, so the couple of extra hours of sleep makes my world a better place. And the one-on-one time that he spends with Jenson is priceless to both of them. He changes him and plays with him for awhile until Jenson takes an early short nap, and then he brings him to me (or I’m already up) when he’s ready to eat again. Even in families where both parents work full-time, it often seems like the mom is shouldering a larger majority of parenting duties…and I realize how lucky I am that we are equal parents.
He also recently started a new job after 12 years at the same place. He started at the court right out of college, so it’s been his only “grown up” job. He excelled at his job and was extremely well-liked there – and it was comfortable – so it was hard to leave. But so far he really likes his new job, even though there’s so much he has to learn and so many decisions he has to make (on his own). It’s his first role as a manager, and not only is he the I.T. manager, he’s also the only I.T. staff so far, so it’s all on him. It great to see him excited about his job, even if he feels slightly overwhelmed right now. His new job has been a change for me as well, but I’ll save that for another post because my posts are always run-on.
In his second year of home ownership, he tackled some big projects: laying new floors downstairs, lots of landscaping, staining the deck and repainting house trim, refinishing furniture, installing a new screen door (just this weekend), and tons of other big and small projects. Turns out, he’s quite handy!
He got to do fun stuff too..camping with his friends for Mid-Ohio, Indy 500, Blue Jackets hockey games and playoffs, thinking the Browns were going to be good for 3 games last season (he honestly wasn’t that optimistic), Crew soccer games, winning both of his fantasy football teams, getting 6 weeks of maternity (while it was lots of work, he was incredibly fortunate to get that time at home with us), first family vacation to Vegas, and surely lots of other things that I’m forgetting about from during my pregnancy and postpartum mind loss.
He went through so much change in the past year, and he did most of it quite happily. And Boof, Jenson, and I couldn’t be happier that he’s ours.
