Captain Ben and Dada
While super dads boldly go where they may never have gone before (i.e. the first poopy diaper change in the isolette) there are the other supermen that have blessed our preemie families with their feats of kindness and acts of selflessness.
There is:
A grandpa who racked up a lot of mileage driving hours to visit, to bring much needed clothes and stuff to mom and dad in the hospital, and then sit with mom, recovering in her hospital room, while everyone else got to visit the baby in the NICU. And he keeps on racking up that mileage to bring grandma, aunt Michelle, and Riley the dog, to see their special boy and give him lots of love, and lots of licks.
Uncles who dropped everything to wait with dad when mom was undergoing an emergency c-section. Then, visiting baby and mom for hours when they could have been home relaxing for the weekend. And, now, they love nothing more then getting down on the floor with their nephew and getting out the tickle monster.
Those wonderful cousins (or “cuncles” as we call them in our family since they are old enough to be uncles) who love to play with their baby cousin! They were so patient those first months when they could not meet baby Ben since he was in the NICU and then under quarantine post-NICU. What a joy it is now to watch my almost grown nephews experience the same joy playing with my baby as I did playing with them as babies.
Friends who offered up countless prayers, and sent beautiful flowers, letting us know how much they loved us and our new baby. Bought us food and gas to fuel our daily half-hour trips to and from the hospital. And still they sustain us with their unending support.
These are just the super men we have been blessed with in our family. Perhaps your family has been blessed with super great-grandpas, or super great-uncles, or super stepdads. However many supermen you can list, have you ever done anything to thank them?
Considering most of us just spent Father’s Day honoring the dads in our lives, and rightfully so, I now have to ask, what can we do to honor these other special men who have helped our preemies? Maybe have a family cookout or family movie night. Or bake them cookies. Have your older kids write them a “thank you” note for all they do for them or make a picture, using your baby’s hand/foot prints. I know my older brother loves it when his nieces and nephews draw him pictures. Whatever you decide to do to thank them, the important thing is that they know how much they are appreciated.
To all you supermen, and super dads, out there, thank you!