Oh man, this is amazing! (updated)

Thanks to Faith & Family, I got the chance to see an amazing blog called Jim's Pancakes. Perhaps because my husband does a "Saturday morning pancake fest" every week, I have a great appreciation for a dad who's trying to make pancakes for his daughter.

Of course, trying to make designer pancakes like these for SEVEN kids just wouldn't work, but still... gotta respect the man's creativity!

What I like most about this page... other than he does make some amazing pancakes... is the love of a Dad for his little girl (check out the picture in the ABOUT section). It almost makes me cry when I think about how men behave when they become fathers. I always knew that my dh would be an INCREDIBLE dad to our children, and he is. He has such patience with them, and gets such joy in playing with them, and they eat up every second with him. Oh, the stories I could tell of his creativity and the way he can get down on the floor and play Little People with them for what seems like hours.... coming up with names and stories that entertain ALL of the kids.

Perhaps we've all been guilty of shaking our heads at the immaturity of men sometimes, but I think it's that very trait... their ability to shake off "being the grown up" and play... that makes them able to fulfil a role that oftentimes moms just can't. I am not a "playing" mom -- I teach my children, cook with them, take walks, snuggle with them at night and tell stories, dance in the living room, read them untold numbers of stories, and hold them and love them. That's what I do. But, I also have to concern myself with the mundane tasks that -- let's face it -- if I didn't, would never get done.

That's where dads come in.

When I'm at my wit's end and needing to cook supper, and I've had it with dealing with grumpy toddlers, my husband comes home from work like my knight in shining armor, whisks them away, and plays with them so I can get a chance to cook in peace. Sure, sometimes it hurts to be the "background person" while my dh gets all the "glory" of playing with them, but I have to admit that he's taking care of a job that I'm just not good at. I try to play Little People (or whatever) and I fall asleep within a few minutes. He is able to bring in all the magic and creativity and have them mesmerized by the latest story.

Amazing how pancakes got me all sidetracked, huh?

So here is my salute not only to Jim, but to my husband, my dad (who, tired as he was after work, would "play fight" with all of us so my mom could cook in peace!), and all the other tireless dads out there who get on the floor and play with their kids. We moms thank you!