happy birthday, love!

As a mama of color, I know we don't always give due props to our partners in life, especially if our partners are men. In figuring out who we are as women, how we want to live in this world and how we want to raise our children, we are left with lots of high... high... high expectations of our men. This can lead to lots of frustration and very little appreciation. I mean, patriarchy doesn't get dismantled overnight, it's a process for everyone. Men don't have the same motherly instincts. And, we just gotta relax a little.

So I want to wish my love, Benji, a very beautiful and happy birthday (on the eve of his day). Thank you for stepping it up these past 6 and a half months and taking this amazing journey with me and our little Soluna. Thank you for striving to be a better papi and partna.

Thank you for...
... rubbing my feet whenever I ask because they are tired from walking or rocking.
... buying me ice-cream, no questions asked.
... dancing with me, even when I say I don't want to.
... cracking jokes, even when I don't feel like laughing and you think you're talking to yourself.
... making Soluna smile bigger and bigger and laugh louder and louder each day.
... the nights when I just couldn't breastfeed any longer, couldn't stay up a minute more and you rocked her and rocked her and held her close without any questions.
... working full-time so that I have the opportunity to stay home more with Soluna.
... believing in me on those days when I don't.
... being unbeliveable supportive throughout my entire labor.
... saying that you wish you had boobs so you can breastfeed Soluna when I'm tired.
... always choosing us, never giving up on us and reminding me that we have no other options but each other.
... encouraging me to continue to have big dreams and actually believing that they are going to happen.
... encouraging all the fads that I bring into my life.
... relaxing into fatherhood and reminding me that I need to do the same.

I love you. Happy 30th Birthday!! ... jajaja... Okay, just kidding... Happy 29th Birthday! To many more years of birthdays, laughter and joy.

I am so lucky.