Check-up: 3 1/2 Years

It's that elusive non-existent date - February 30th! Which means, it's our half year anniversary again. I swear time is speeding since bringing this baby on board.

Note to self: Take more pictures of the three of us. This is literally all I have and it's not great.

As always, Dan and I do these little relationship check-ups every 6 months and answer the same set of questions (we answer separately so similarities are coincidental). I edited the questions to focus more on parenthood as opposed to strictly married life. Well, because, baby indeed changes everything and it's really impossible to talk about our relationship now without including our new roles as parents.

See our previous check-ups here:
6 months
1 year
18 months
2 years
2 1/2 years
3 years 

3 1/2 years:

1) What is your favorite memory of the last six months?

Dan:  Getting to bring Kippy and Stephanie to meet family in Kansas at Thanksgiving
Steph: Celebrating the holiday season with a baby 

2) What is your favorite part of parenthood so far?

Dan:  Watching Kippy learn and discover new things and new toys. 
Steph: Having a partner to share all the joys and frustrations. 

3) Something you weren't expecting about parenthood.

Dan: How big of a production it is to simply leave the apartment.  
Steph: How exhausting it is and at the end of the day you just want to put the baby to bed and take a break but within an hour I crave to hold him or interact with him and have to stop myself from waking him up. 

4) Something you are pleasantly surprised by about parenthood.

Dan: I wonderful it feels to hold a baby everyday.
Steph: How much it ages you. I feel so old now. 

5) Something you learned about your partner after becoming a parent.

Dan: That she is so strong and has the ability to not give up even when she sleep deprived and figuring out how to be a mom.  
Steph: How much he likes stacking things and building towers. That whole lego phase in a few years is going to be a lot of fun for Dan...and maybe Kippy too. 

6) Something to to work on as a parent and a partner

Dan: As a parent work on my ability to feed Kippy food and not make a mess.  As a partner encouraging Stephanie more and being more romantic.
Steph: Prioritizing Dan.

7) Something to look forward to.

Dan: Spring and Summer as a family of 3 and the adventures we will get to have.
Steph: Witnessing more milestones

8) Favorite thing about your partner right now.

Dan: Her new hair cut.  It looks great.
Steph: How much he gives to me every single day. Especially when I don't deserve it.