Dear Shaun,

For me to sit here and write about what a wonderful father you are would just be cheesy. I don’t think I need to fill your head with that nonsense. So, let’s be real for one minute.

When we were dating I knew that I wanted to marry you. And when I married you I knew that I wanted to have children with you. When we finally had Shaunsito I thought, holy crap! What was I thinking? I have to do EVERYTHING! Wasn’t marriage supposed to be a partnership and shouldn’t we be splitting the parenting responsibilities in half? Okay, call me naive but I really bought into thinking that you might change more diapers or something. Geez.

But then I took a step back and realized something very important. I wasn’t LETTING you be a father. I was doing everything because I chose to. I wouldn’t let you help. I wasn’t giving you the opportunity to be a daddy. I was taking away something very important…a bond between you and Shaunsito that you both needed. And once I did take that step back I saw the most amazing things begin to happen.

You changed his poopy diapers, you fed him, you played with him, you sang to him, you read to him, you made him laugh, you watched The Wiggles with him, you put him to bed, you loved him with every ounce of your being.

And one day he said the word you longed to hear…Dada…Dad…Daddy - and he hasn’t stopped saying it since!

I’ve watched the two of you grow closer and closer. He mimics everything you do. Every morning he wakes up calling out “dad, dad, dad!” which makes me laugh because it’s so darn cute! He picks up my cell phone to call you because he loves hearing your voice. He knows when it’s almost time for daddy to come home from work and will stand at the window looking for your car. He’ll go to the top of the stairs and ask to be picked up so he can see you walk up the steps. Shaunsito truly loves you!

It is completely amazing for me to watch him grow into this beautiful little boy and I know a lot of that has to do with you. You make his face light up and he smiles whenever you’re around. Sometimes the house is a mess because of all the serious playing you both do but it is so worth cleaning it up when I catch a glimpse of you two together. We are both so lucky to have you in our lives. And you know what? Cheesy or not and I know it’s because you are a WONDERFUL father! Yes, I know, I wasn’t going to say that but there is no denying the truth.

So to my amazing husband and Shaunsito’s best friend, Happy Father’s Day!

With all my love,

Jennifer

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