I cried when both of my sons were born. That crippling, hunched over almost fall to your knees cry of relief. It wasn't happiness or sadness, it was just an exhale of emotion that had been bottled up and contained through 9-months of worry that burst out of me like a volcano finally releasing to the pressure from inside.
The waiting was over.
Except it wasn't over, it was just beginning.
I created my site, DadCAMP, as a dedication to what it means to be a Dad. It's about compromise, it's about fear, it's about leadership, it's about learning. It's about patience, it's about play, it's about participation, it's about being last on the list.
It's also about taking time to reflect on the mileage you've covered and the road still ahead. Because every day life with your kids is just beginning.
Here's a list I wrote in June 2007. 11 Cool Things About Newborns, in case you had forgotten.
1. babies can hold their breath a really long time
2. everybody, deep down, means well
3. dirty diapers aren’t that dirty when your own son is the dirtier
4. the "miracle" part in the "miracle of life" is that women survive and want to do it again
5. sleep is a luxury, not a right
6. a baby's vomit is the fastest way to stop an argument and bring peace
7. people who run around showing off pictures of their children aren't crazy, the baby is their equivalent to the latest movie you saw or restaurant you ate at
8. babies have more outfits than Imelda Marcos had shoes because they need them
9. all you really need is 2 good hours of sleep
10. one smile erases a week of sleepless nights
11. 8 days old is a pretty cool age
Today I will take my son to a pond to go fishing for the first time. 4-years ago I was just amazed he could breathe on his own.
Happy Father's Day everyone.
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