There's a Ladder in my Bathroom!

A somewhat lighter contribution after 24 hours of a stomach bug.  Turns out my kids' immunity-boosting methods of digging in trash cans and scoping out food on the floor were actually the way to go.

There is a ladder in my bathroom.
I could move it, but it would return.

There is a pile in my bedroom.
Why it remains there, I'll never learn.

There are tomatoes on my countertop.
An empty bowl for them is near.

But I'd never trade your faults for other's
and I'll hold you forever, my dear.

Daddy River Badger is as close to a perfect Daddy as can be.  From attending 10 weeks of Bradley Method childbirth courses with me all the way to (claiming to) finding me sexy as hell even after three kids in just over four years.  He is thoughtful, kind, sensitive, and responsible.  My friends love him, my colleagues respect him, my parents ADORE him.

So how can I complain about him?

Well, I am a wife.  I live with the guy 24-7, and there are little things that build up.  Steam to blow off over some wine and a heart-to-heart with a girlfriend or sister.  It is bad, though, when I've spent my 15 minutes complaining about the mess in his car, or the tools he used to fix the bathroom still sitting there eight days later, and my counterpart rolls her eyes.  Not in the "what a jerk!" way, but in the "WTF are you complaining about?" sort of way.  *sigh*

Most of the time, what annoys me about him is that fact that he is always right.  He has fantastic intuition about people, and can stick to a budget, and can usually read a situation perfectly.  Whereas I typically cannot do any of those things.  So, I end up being annoyed that I married a good, smart, competent guy.  I know, eye roll, right?  And, with the kids, because of his good traits, he usually ends up playing the bad cop role.  I buy McDonald's and spend money on toys at Target, and give them milk in the middle of the night, and he doesn't, because he holds the line.

No wonder he sometimes feels he can't win.

So, on the occasion of his birthday, I want to tell Daddy River Badger that I love him and that I see his many strengths, both as a partner and as a father.  He is amazing.  I will pledge to hold the line more, so that he can sometimes give the kids ice cream in the afternoon.  I will pledge to greet him with a smile and a hug, because I know he worries about me when I'm feeling down about myself.  And I will pledge to ignore that ladder lingering in my bathroom because it was put there by a man who is working hard for his family.