Ah… my life before fatherhood. Even though it’s been just less than 3 months since little Colin joined our world, I believe all new parents would attest that the first few months seem much longer than they really are. You can read all the books you want (and I did), but adjusting to the new lifestyle filled with responsibilities and little sleep definitely was a challenge and experience that I’m still adjusting to. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made a night and day improvement compared to when I first started out and I’m much more confident in my overall dad skill set. However, I’m a firm believer that you should never settle and that there’s always room for improvement in all facets of your life and I’m going to continue to focus every single day on how to be the most caring and loving father possible. My life pre-baby has changed radically compared to my life post-baby, and here are a couple of ways it has since my handsome little man joined us on December 10th, 2015, at 9:30 a.m:

• It’s Not About Me Anymore: For 26 years and 86 days, all I had known was how to take care of numero uno. Granted, I took care of my beautiful wife by preparing dinner, cleaning up the house, and giving her unconditional love and support. Also, with Emily’s help we house trained our dog, Charlie (which was no walk in the park), in addition to feeding him and our cat, Chip, on a daily basis and giving them unconditional love and support. However, I had never been faced with the challenges of feeding, cleaning, burping, and consoling, among other needs, that newborns require. They quickly bestow on you that it’s not about you anymore and that whatever personal need or housekeeping task you’re trying to fulfill can wait until their needs are taken care of. You really understand quickly the concept of prioritizing, what’s it important, and what can wait till later.
• Life Has Slowed Down: I was always pretty good at living life in the moment and taking everything day by day. However, I believe it’s slowed down even more for me since Colin was born. There are times, such as when he’s smiling big for the camera or sleeping on my chest, that I just wish there was a remote with a pause button. Little things that would bug me before (traffic, weather, etc.) I hardly give a second thought to anymore. Furthermore, I reckon most parents would agree that while it’s exciting to watch your kids get bigger, there’s also a part of you that wants them to stay little and innocent forever.
• The Little Things That Make a Big Difference: I’m blessed in the fact that my in-laws reside less than a half-an-hour away from us and my immediate family less than 2 hours. Without their support, guidance, and mentoring, I couldn’t even fathom how much more challenging this life-changing experience would be for me. You can’t put into words how fortunate I’m to have the support system I do and to have the luxury of always having someone to watch Colin while I take Emily out to dinner and show her how much I appreciate what she does for Colin and I.
• Not Everything is Going to Go According to Plan (and That’s Okay): Adaptability is a quality that you either have, or a newborn will integrate into you relatively quickly. You must be flexible and ready to adapt to any situation that is set before you. Also, you must keep a calm demeanor and stay focused on resolving or fixing whatever the situation is. It’s true what they say – babies can sense your mood and they react accordingly. The more frustrated that you get, the more frustrated your baby will get.

Although life has changed dramatically since becoming a parent, I still live a fulfilled and rewarding life. I’ve always thought that life is what you put into it and that nothing should stop you from enjoying all the facets of it and being genuinely happy. I hope to continue enhancing my dad skills to the point of potentially one day being a (wait for it) “SUPER DAD!”

Thanks for reading!

– Chris