A Father’s Love :: What It Really Means From a New Dad’s Perspective

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My husband and I will celebrate our second wedding anniversary this month. We have been together just over three years. Our son will be one in July. Needless to say, we are learning something new about each other everyday!

And through the swiftness and the magic of it all, I have continued to fall further in love with this man, who now is the father of my child. He is a great husband, and was a great boyfriend (for the five months he held that title!) but he is an absolutely INCREDIBLE father.

I could not have imagined he would be so connected, involved, and supportive, but he is. He knows when mama just need five minutes alone, when my son is ready for a nap, where all of the baby’s clothes and diapers belong, and he even makes homemade applesauce!

I am so thankful to have him in my life! So as we prepare to celebrate his first Father’s Day, I felt it only appropriate to ask HIM what he has learned since becoming a dad, and what fatherhood really means.

Here it is mamas: a humble perspective from my best friend, husband and first time dad.

  • The love a father feels for his child is a different type of love to be discovered. You will know the feeling the first second you meet your little one. It’s a love you have never experienced before and cannot be imagined.
  • Going in blind is a good thing; it gives you the ability to live the experience. You don’t need to know everything to expect or how to put the baby swing together. Take all the time you need to buckle the baby in for the first time…it’s the only first time you get.
  • Dads want to be involved too! The more daddy is involved and interacting, the stronger the family bond will become. Give him a responsibility that makes him feel needed. Your husband may not know how to ask for this, may not even know he wants it, or may be concerned he will “break the baby.” Give him the confidence he needs and he will do just fine.
  • You will look at the mother of your child in a completely different way than you ever have. A husband loves his wife, but after watching her with your child, it is a new found love, respect and adoration.
  • There will be an increased level of self-respect by becoming a father. Coming home from work everyday now has a bigger purpose.
  • Watching a bond between mother and son is something unique that can never be matched, even by his daddy.
  • Mom needs time alone, away — even if it is just for an afternoon. It is imperative for your relationship with each other, and the relationship between mom and baby.
  • Becoming a father will make you appreciate the meaning and brevity of life. You become a better employee and a nicer person. The big stuff suddenly becomes the small stuff. And you stop sweating the small stuff.
  • Now you make the rules! You get to be the father, look forward to the experiences with your children in the future, continue traditions and create new ones!
  • Father’s Day is a special because it gives us time to appreciate one another, recognize the growth within ourselves and our son, and celebrate the memories made that past year.
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Take the time to take it all in. They grow up so fast.

It is the little things in life that make the big things so special. Each day we survive parenthood, we grow stronger as a couple and a family. I wish all the new fathers and seasoned veterans a Happy Father’s Day…and to my love, a special first one… nother first to add to the list.

What would the dad in your life add to the list?

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Jacquelyn McHugh
Jacquelyn, a native Floridian, recently moved to the Columbia area with her husband, Lance, and 11 month old son, Ashton. Jacquelyn began her healthcare career in Sports Medicine, where coaching became her passion. She is co-founder of Ygeia Wellness, a Wellness Coaching and Nutrition Consulting group focused on women. Work-at-home motherhood has proved to be one of the most fun (and trying!) experiences for her. Jacquelyn believes balance is the key to success, and enables women to engage in a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. “Your Health. Your Way. Your Time.” Those are the words that have become Jacquelyn’s mantra, and appropriately, her business motto. Jacquelyn loves cooking, eating and teaching about food and has become an advocate for holistic and natural prenatal and postpartum nutrition and care. Jacquelyn and Lance spend their free time exploring Columbia, visiting parks and local eateries, farmer markets and learning all they can about the area. When home, Jacquelyn enjoys making Ashton’s baby food-assuring it is wholesome and nutritious, reading crunchy mama blogs, or just spending time playing with her very active son. When she gets “alone” time, Jacquelyn enjoys yoga, dancing, running, watching Florida State Football, and planning adventures to learn all about South Carolina!

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