The 2 Parent Dynamic

Dear Lincoln,

I totally understand why God made Adam and Eve.  Marriage, I'll admit, may seem unnatural and contrary to human nature at times.  A successful one takes consistent, hard work-- but that's true of almost everything in life worth having.  When you add a child into the mix, even two grown adults aren't always enough to meet the challenges, much less one.

I'm not passing judgment or pitying those 9 percent of households in the U.S. headed by a single parent, but boy, oh boy, can I imagine the diligence it requires to keep them afloat.  From the day you were born, I gained a new respect for parents who raise children on their own.  Every single maneuver, from bundling you up to meet the cold December air, to making sure your car seat, swing and crib were safely and securely installed, was a team effort.  (All this not to mention the emotional magnitude of taking home a new person that will forever after be your responsibility.  It's nice having someone else in the same boat during a realization like that!)

Especially as you grow from a baby into a toddler, I have been able to take small breaks here and there to recharge.  I used to be chronically concerned that you would need to breastfeed at a moment's notice, and if I wasn't right there to snap open my nursing bra, all hell would break loose.  I seriously had nightmares over it.  But nowadays you are fully and happily satiated by plenty of other foods, and you LOVE spending time with your father.  On weeknights, you go to sleep less than an hour after he gets home from work, but on Saturdays and Sundays, the two of you usually take some time to have your own adventures so mommy can study, shop, write, run, etc.



It's a blessing that I can completely trust your well-being to another person who I know loves you, cares for you, and is as much invested in you as I am.  When two individuals fully embrace their roles as parent and spouse, loving and respecting one another, family operates the way it was meant to.

I am so thankful we are three.