Mark is great at most things – especially bringing me tea and breakfast in bed. He is patient and extremely nurturing with me so I expected he would be great with Elsie – but I misjudged him – he isn’t just great, he is amazing.

During labor and after it was Mark that held down the fort while I was drugged up – taking care of both me and Elsie. The nurses were very impressed with him. He quickly picked up the happiest baby on the block techniques – those 5 s’s do the trick!


When elsie had to be under the lights un-swaddled she was so sad – Mark decided that sleeping next to dad would be just the trick (we all hoped dad would get a sun tan, but he didn’t).


He spends many hours doing calisthenics with elsie making sure that she is doing pull ups and stretching out her little leggies.


Mark and I have a great night baby handoff – he changes pants, I feed, he burps, and then swaddles back for bed. Sometimes Elsie is just too snuggly to put down so she spends a couple of hours snuggled on dad’s chest (I call it pelt sandwich).

I don’t think either of us realized how cool it is to be parents – babies are truly magical. I think we both wish we could quit our jobs and be full-time elsie care-takers.