So today I am SUPER DUPER excited because T is guest blogging! I've always enjoyed his writing style and (don't tell him) his sense of humor. I hope you enjoy reading his post as much as I did. :)
Without further ado...
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This is for all the Bro-Daddy’s or whatever you want to call
yourself to feel cooler/tougher as a first time dad. You know whom I am talking about. The guy that secretly likes pushing the
stroller with his baby in there. The
same guy that knows deep down inside that his car looks a lot better with a car
seat in back. Don’t be alarmed, this is
a safe place, and I wrote this for you.
Cali is now 5 ½ months old.
Wow, I somehow survived 5 ½ months.
Before Cali I had zero experience with babies. ZERO. My only interaction came when my sister
brought her daughter home and if I were asked to hold her I would reluctantly
do it while keeping her an arms length away.
Nobody wants to be hit with that foreign milky substance of someone
else’s child. It’s gross if it isn’t
your own. Now I catch it in my hands
before it hits Cali’s clothes. With all
my enthusiasm and focus you would think I’m corralling chunky water from the
Fountain of Youth. Interesting turn of
events to say the least.
What I want to do is provide you with some things I’ve
learned over the last couple months.
Hopefully you can relate and maybe I can help alleviate some of your
concerns. First off we are going to play
a little game called NORMAL/NOT NORMAL. Here goes…
Normal: To feel like your heart is going to explode
with nervousness the first night you take your baby home. Your heart will also feel like it is going to
explode with love but that’s a different topic.
Not Normal: To
have no heart beat. Seriously, check
that out before you leave the hospital.
Normal: To sing and dance terribly with your baby in
your arms. My favorite song to butcher
is “Wagon Wheel”. I like to sing “Rock
me Daddy like a wagon wheel”. Insert
your own lyrics and hold nothing back.
Not Normal: To be a triple threat like Justin Timberlake
and perform for your child. Try not to
show up us less talented dads.
Normal: To stand over your baby’s crib and watch them
sleep. It’s also okay to make sure they
are breathing. With each sound Cali made
I was looking up like a Meerkat to make sure everything was okay.
Not Normal: To sleep like a rock while your baby grunts its way through the night. I had no idea such a sweet, little newborn baby could make so much noise.
Normal: This one is especially for me…to take 15 or
more minutes to change a diaper and dress your baby. You can’t rush perfection and those fat rolls
need cleaning!
Not Normal: To get the clothes on in one try. With all those wiggly, jiggly parts moving
I’ll get one leg in and when I try the other one the first leg comes out. I can get the arms in but those fingers are a
different story. Stubborn girl.
Normal: To feel like a fish out water. To feel inadequate. To feel intimidated by the connection the
baby and it’s mother have.
Not Normal: To let those fears keep you out of the
game. Jump in, all hands on deck! The only way to develop your own connection
with the baby is to be with the baby.
Sounds pretty self-explanatory.
Normal: To love that collection of fat rolls and
gurgling sounds more than you could have ever imagined. To melt with every smile sent your way. To love and appreciate your spouse/baby’s
mama on a completely different level. To
love the change and direction your life is taking. That should be the only NORMAL.
That’s the end of our first edition of NORMAL/NOT NORMAL. This is a
small snapshot of our first 6 months and some of the things I’ve learned as
daddy to Cali. Feel free to add/share
some of your own NORMAL/NOT NORMAL. We appreciate a good sense of humor.
