I loved being married to Kathleen. Somehow it felt different to when we'd just been living together. She was there when I went to bed...
...and she was there when I woke up. My wife.
I treated her often with flowers and generally made a fuss of her. She was an amazing wife and I just knew she would be an equally amazing mum.
As Kathleen became bigger and bigger, I became prouder and prouder. She hardly complained at all like the women in her pregnancy books which she made me read intently.
She bought two books at the bookstore where she gets a discount and we read them from cover to cover. They were very useful though I found the 'expecting mothers tale' a little too detailed for the male audience. Kathleen also got to studying cooking and other useful 'mumsy skills' as she called them.
She was desperate to stay fit during the pregnancy so she went to the local pool most days. I joined her when I could but I was so busy painting and trying to pay the bills.
Every time the mail man came I was biting my finger nails. I had been selling some of my paintings to friends but it wasn't bringing in enough to cover the bills. I considered getting a cleaning job at the hospital but Kathleen encouraged me to keep trying.
I started selling paintings at the towns consignment store, they sold for more there. It was hit and miss as to whether they sold or not, but generally it brought in enough to cover the bills. I was so pleased to get my first cheque. This was my dream and I decided I would never give up in making it happen. My trips to the consignment shop were also good for picking up bargains. I managed to buy a brand new teddy for the baby at almost half the super store price!
Harry had recently been thinking a lot about his future and he decided he wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps and become a sports star. He told us one day over dinner and I was very encouraging. It was nice to see Harry enthusiastic about something for once, he was usually so grumpy all the time.
Grumpy may be but he was always very polite and helpful. He would often offer to do the dishes and he always says 'please' and 'thank you'. He's definitely not your average teenager which is probably why he doesn't have any friends at school. I'm hoping he'll make some once he grows up in a few days.
"He'll make a wonderful husband for someone one day." Remarked Kathleen one day as Harry washed the dishes. "He's so polite and considerate, exactly what a girl looks for."
"Are you saying I'm not a perfect husband?" I joked as I tickled her tummy playfully.
"I never said that... and besides, you're brothers so you're bound to be alike." She defended and then sauntered off to the bathroom.
"He'll make a wonderful husband for someone one day." Remarked Kathleen one day as Harry washed the dishes. "He's so polite and considerate, exactly what a girl looks for."
"Are you saying I'm not a perfect husband?" I joked as I tickled her tummy playfully.
"I never said that... and besides, you're brothers so you're bound to be alike." She defended and then sauntered off to the bathroom.