Being A First Time Dad

If you’re anything like me, you’re confused and frightened in staring fatherhood in the face for the first time. You’ve got a whole lot of time to do nothing but wonder what the next few months and years are going to bring. Am I going to lose sleep, is this going to be a lot of work, is this going to drive me nuts, is it going to take away from quality (wink wink) time with the Mrs.…

The answers, yes, yes, yes, yes…it’ll be harder than you’ll ever believe.

The kicker is…you’ll mind it all so much less than you’ll ever imagine.

You’re going to have to learn to live on a few hours sleep, you’re going to have to get drool, and spit, and food, and feces all over you.

Jump right in, promise yourself and promise your kid that you’re in with both feet. That moment you stare your child in the eyes for the first time will change you. You’ll suddenly want to do anything for the little one, and the smallest things they do will make your day.

It’s worth it, all of it, and just about any Dad will tell you the same. The instincts kick in real quick as soon as you hold them. I should know, I almost put an OR doctor through a wall because I thought he was being too rough with my daughter while he was cleaning her up. I literally dropped my arm back to swing at this doctor, and I’m pretty close to a dedicated pacifist.

I didn’t hit the guy, and luckily I spent my first night as a Dad on an uncomfortable couch rather than a jail cell. Win #1!