happy uppa's day.

When I was pregnant I developed a super nose and it has stuck with me since. The worst is peanut butter. Kris likes to have a spoonful of peanut butter as a snack before bed. I swear I can smell the jar opening two floors away. And then he crawls into bed and it's like I'm being choked by the smell and I can barely breath long enough to insist he go brush his teeth.

Even though my super nose is partly to blame, it is something that Kris does that drives me insane. After seven (or is it eight) years together, there are lots of little things like this that push my buttons. However, there is one part of Kris that can do no wrong -

That's the part of being Kale's dad (or as we call him around here "uppa.").

Kris has embraced parenting with his whole being and he's become a better person because of it. Here's a few things that Kris has done that prove he should be crowned "uppa of the year:"

• He continues to bedshare with Kale and respond to all his nighttime needs while I catch my zzzz's upstairs. Not only does Kris not complain about this, but he often excitedly tells me about all the cute things Kale did in the night ("He woke me up and told me he had to pee and I told him he could just go because he was wearing a diaper and he was all 'no uppa, Kale pee in toilet' and I was like, 'you're right, buddy, let's go.' Isn't that awesome?!"). 
• 9 times out of 10 he will pass on time by himself or with his friends to hang out with Kale. Sometimes I will suggest he do something on his own and he looks at me with genuine confusion and says "but then I wouldn't be able to hang out with Kale." 
• He will do whatever Kale wants to do, regardless of how he's feeling. Kale wants to go on a bike ride? Away they go! Kale wants to go swimming? Grab your suit! Kale wants to go to the park? Jump in the wagon! 
• Kris doesn't bat an eye when Kale comes out with toe nail polish, or grabs his purse and baby and tells us he's going shopping at the mall. He supports his choices and ignores gender stereotypes. 
• Kris has unlimited patience. Yesterday afternoon Kris and Kale were in the backyard sorting through camping stuff I could hear Kale ask, "Uppa, what this? Uppa, what that? What this, uppa?" OVER.AND OVER.AND OVER. Kris answered he him every time, with the same amount of patience. 

There are lots of things that Kale does that reminds me of Kris. They both have endless amounts of energy. They both love kicking around a soccer ball and taking bike rides. They both like people and talking to strangers. They both snore. They both love me. 

And, of course, there's this: 

Happy uppa's day.