Sean is the most wonderful Husband and amazing Father – I couldn’t have wished for better. Right now he’s off on a walk with Samantha so I can have an hour to myself. And this is Samantha’s fussiest time of day…. he really is the best Husband in the world. (Sorry ladies – you missed out. He chose me!)

Since the very beginning of Samantha’s life, Sean has gone above and beyond the call of duty to care for us. I have bemoaned sleepless nights, but Sean has been right there with me. When Sam was a colicky newborn, Sean would stay up with her from 1-4am while she screamed in his ear, so that I could get a nap in between feedings. He also changed alot more dirty nappies than me in the first 3 months, and he bathes our little sweetheart almost every night! It’s gotten to the point that she doesn’t want Mummy to bathe her – I just don’t know the routine, so where’s Daddy?!

Sean’s gotten alot of criticism for placing the family as a higher priority than work. A few people have even gone so far as to actually say, “Well, kids are the woman’s deal. They want them, they take care of them.” Kind of a dumb thing to say to a guy whose wife was infertile for years, and is finally embarking on an adventure he was beginning to think he’d never get to take!

Lots of people take their kids for granted – usually because ‘normal’ couples say, “Let’s have kids.” and hey presto, they’re pregnant; or many guys don’t want kids at the time their wives are ready, and just say okay to make her happy. Then the baby pops out, followed by all sorts of inconvenience and the reality of how hard taking care of a kid sets in, along with resentment and annoyance that this little person disrupted their lives.

Don’t get me wrong. There are days when I have looked at Sean and said, “What were we thinking? We’re responsible for her, and it’s hard work. I need sleep.” At the height of Post Natal Depression I asked, “Is there a return policy?” But I never take Samantha for granted. She’s an amazing gift. Both Sean and I know it. And we don’t know what we’d do if she wasn’t part of our lives. She has filled an emptiness that was so big – it seemed like a bottomless pit. I remember the longing, the grief, the sadness, the jealousy from my infertile days, and thank God for my Little Miracle.

And I thank God for my Husband. He’s been a part of every milestone in Samantha’s life so far. He’s not in many photos, cause he’s always behind the camera, keeping record. Oh, and thanks to Art, Sean’s Dad, for being such an awesome example to Sean of what a Dad should be. It’s always been a high value for us to put family first, and to include our kids in the work we do. Art & Ellen’s example and Sean’s upbringing is a great model for us with our kids.