Adventures in new fatherhood

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CreamyGoodness

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If you are worried that this is going to be one of those stereotypical threads posted by parents, then your fears are well founded.

I am so tired I could cry. There is an hour of my day I simply dont remember, I think I fell asleep with my eyes open for a while. I keep hearing myself or my wife saying things like "he only woke up once last night!" and "him waking up at 3am is way better than at 630am, this way I can get back to sleep"

If my wife, the downstairs neighbor, a barking dog, someone on the phone, anyone else woke me up this often I would resent them for it. SessionableGoodness gets a pass somehow.

If you think you can set up or break down a Graco Pack n' Play quicker than I can, $50 says you are mistaken.

My kid eats everything. He has an interesting eating style as well, that I havent seen in other babies. Bolt upright arms outstretched on either side of him with open palms. Think the giant statue of Christ in Brazil. As the spoon comes to him he opens wide and then leans forward, striking his puree of peas, blueberries, yams or whatever like a blonde-haired blue-eyed cobra.

Our nanny asked us if we would mind if she taught him Hindi as well as English. He's going to be the first man in our family on both sides to speak Hindi, and one of a very few in our family to speak a second language at all.

He looks just like my father-in-law. I love the guy, but do you know how weird it is to kiss a baby who looks just like your father-in-law?

Yesterday I had a 20 minute conversation with another parent about our kids's poop. I think this is the sort of thing kombat was talking about.

One of the two other babies in our nanny-share is scared of me. This is precisely what some of you probably would suspect. I was working from home and stepped into the kitchen to microwave my lunch and she saw me. Instant tears. When I came back after the microwave beeped to get my food the tears started again. What's particularly funny is the dirty look I could swear my son gave her.

The other baby in the nanny-share has a short list of things that could be wrong. If he isnt wet, hungry, tired or cold then all is right with the world, and he is smiling. I have known this little guy for about 2 months (maybe a little longer now that I think about it) and I already feel avuncular towards him.

The other day one of his criterions for crying was being met and he turned on the water works. Get this, my son first offered him his binky, and when that didnt work, he jammed his thumb in the other baby's mouth. He's very advanced, my son.

When I walk with SG in his dad pappoose or in the stroller in my neighborhood, Greek ladies who are over 70 years of age catcall me.

A german shepherd recently licked his foot (this is when it was warm enough for him to be outside without socks) he looked at the dog, and then looked at me as if to say "what on earth just happened?"

If you were directly or indirectly involved in the production of the odor-blocking diaper pail, the Boppy Pillow, the Bumbo, Nyland's Teething Tablets, or the Arctic BundleMe, I would like to extend to you my personal thanks and I want you to know I hold you dear in my heart.

Some nights, right before we put him down for the first time, he will put his cheek on my shoulder and hugs me when I pick him up. Good God.

I'm so tired.
 
It is an adventure isn't it? Ours are 3 & 1. We sometimes talk about having another. Just when I think that yeah we're gonna try, we have one of "those days". Pretty sure we're gonna stick with 2. I wouldn't trade it for anything but it sure is different.
 
Try having 6! It's a friggin' adventure. 5 boys & one daughter. In a little girl's eyes, daddy is GOD! How her 5-month old eyes gleamed when I danced around the living room in Cinci with her as I sang along with the Stone's Angie! ( named her Angela) Then they grow up & mommy & daughter tag-team you. Then she gives you the " I'm not your little girl anymore" rap. I swear to God, I turned into Archie Bunker (with Gloria) that instant. " Don't you never say that again! To me, you always be my little girl"! Then my middle son James, the friggin comedian that laughed his ass off everytime I hurt myself or got hacked off about something. Or when I'd go on a rant about something I was hacked about. It's like living with Bill Cosby. Then my youngest son who's taking after my wife's grandpa. That guy could lay a beat-down on a wookie & not break a sweat! His wedding band could fit over my big toe with room to spare! Matt is only 16, & he's 6' 2" & 237lbs. He's the heavyweight on his wrestling team. He's already commanding respect at school, but seems to be well liked. He also likes photography & writing screenplays. My family/ancestors have been creative folks, but wow.
At this point of my life, as a husband, father, mechanic, caregiver, add infinitum...I miss the babies. Cherish them now while you may. You never know what you teach them now will turn them into. It's kinda weird to see bits of each of us in each child as they develop & we get older. Hm...guess birthdays do that to ya? The old fortune teller lies dead on the floor. Nobody needs fortunes told anymore. That's what they say now...let's all drink to the death of a clown!
 
I hope you're right. Oldest will be 5 when our twins arrive in August :eek:

Need to make more beer and buy more scotch ASAP!!


Father of twins, now 8. The good news is the brain is a wonderful thing, you'll only remember the good parts, not the exhaustion and suffering.

Beer and Scotch are your friends.
 
My son is now almost 4, we adopted him and were there for his first breath... They grow up fast, get a high speed camera to catch the action, it goes by in a flash.

Sunday I brewed, my son was helping me dough in and add hops,moments before heating the strike water I heard a plunk, turned around to find a storm trooper in the kettle... He was taking a bath according to my son. Good times, just remember to keep smiling, kids can be taxing on ones emotions.
 
My son is now almost 4, we adopted him and were there for his first breath... They grow up fast, get a high speed camera to catch the action, it goes by in a flash.

Sunday I brewed, my son was helping me dough in and add hops,moments before heating the strike water I heard a plunk, turned around to find a storm trooper in the kettle... He was taking a bath according to my son. Good times, just remember to keep smiling, kids can be taxing on ones emotions.


Can't wait until I trust him enough not to permanently disfigure both of us on brew day. He's still an exploratory climber.
 
We have 5, three boys and two girls. Oldest is 11, youngest is 3. The boys are all very into helping when we brew! They have helped us bottle and helped me tear down the mini fridges to use for our kegerator.

We go back and forth between wanting them to stay little forever, and wondering when the heck they are going to turn 18 and move out!

I'll definitely take you up in that bet that I can put up/tear down a pack and play faster! 30 seconds, tops!!!

Congrats on your son! Enjoy!
 
30 seconds???? You sandbagging? We had one at grandmas, at other grandmas, at the cabin, at sister in laws, seemed nobody could set one up themselves, so I got to do it..... Endlessly
 
I can't imagine having my four year old bouncing around the garage while I am brewing, especially when the 220V is active or the flame is on. That's crazy. Therefore I am relegated to brewing in the middle of the night. Dedication.
 
I have a 5 year old and a 2 week old, both girls. It seemed like about a week ago the 5 year old was a newborn. The 5 year old is my brew partner. She dumps grains while I stir doughing in. The hop additions and whirlfloc belong to her also. I couldn't make beer without her.
 
Dude, you might have me on the pack and play - it's been a couple of years. But try to force it open when it's stuck and snap the little plastic piece that holds a leg in place - then I've got you every time. All day!

3,6,12 months. Those are the milestones. Every time you hit one, it gets easier. When you get your kid on cow's milk, it'll be a revelation, that I can promise you. Best of luck!
 
At 4 months, my daughter would sleep from 11pm to 4am. I figured as long as I could get 5 hours straight sleep, I could function the rest of the day on coffee: 20oz mochas with an extra shot of espresso.

Before that, she liked to wake up at 2:30am. I am not friendly at 2:30am.

The night I fell asleep bottle feeding her freaked me out. If she wasn't burped after every ounce, she would spit up. I fell asleep and she sucked down all 6oz I was feeding her. Then it all came right back out at me. My first thought when the cold formula woke me was "oh my god, she's dying!"
 
I think I am just coming out of fog that started nearly ten years ago with the birth of my first son. Two years later and again two years after that came son 2 and son 3. With son three now going on 6, things are starting to simmer down a bit. But I looked around and realized that now my house is destroyed.

I also have a beautiful daughter going on 21. She never caused me any stress until she was a teenager and tore my heart out. I got better.
 
I feel you on the sleep issue James. My son didn't sleep the night through until he was 18 months.

Nightmares run on my side of the family and it appears that's what was waking him up. My daughter had issues but they weren't as bad. Oddly enough the Nightmare issue only really expresses it in the men in my family but it includes sleep walking, talking in our sleep, etc. Whenever we have a new partner we have to warn them. My children aren't allowed to sleep in our bed as I'm afraid of hurting them.
 
For some reason whenever I hear anything about sleep walking.. I can't help but go to that scene from Step Brothers....
 
My daughter is 21 now, the best thing I did was spend loads of time with her while she was growing up, the teen years come too quick. You will not regret this time or care about the lost sleep- there will be time for that! I can still clearly recall her little body stretched out on my chest sleeping as a baby. The high school years are too much drama, heck too much drama still lives on! (damn tho the high school yearbook didn't post the photo of her filling beer bottles, she was about 6!). Enjoy, life changes quick so don't miss out, but you don't sound like you need that advice. :)
 
When my girl was little she always said, "Daddy, tell me a story about Bob." Bob was an imaginary character who was featured in a series of stories that I made up her. I figure I made up about 1500 stories about him. He had a pet pig and who was super smart and made them famous in the circus. A lot of the stories started with Bob getting a new job and ended with the pig making a huge mess.

She is 9 now and has her nose in a book most of the time, but when we get in car I still expect her to say, "Daddy, tell me a story about Bob."
 
Sorry to hear about your adventures, should have had a vasectomy like I did.

No thank you. I know a guy that had one of those and he can't have babies or nothing.

For some reason whenever I hear anything about sleep walking.. I can't help but go to that scene from Step Brothers....

You know the high pitched "Ahhhhh" they were doing? When my wife saw that part she was laughing so hard she was crying. She was all "It's like when your brother sleeps on the couch!".

When we drunk, are stressed, just super tired it gets worse.

My daughter is 21 now, the best thing I did was spend loads of time with her while she was growing up, the teen years come too quick. You will not regret this time or care about the lost sleep- there will be time for that! I can still clearly recall her little body stretched out on my chest sleeping as a baby. The high school years are too much drama, heck too much drama still lives on! (damn tho the high school yearbook didn't post the photo of her filling beer bottles, she was about 6!). Enjoy, life changes quick so don't miss out, but you don't sound like you need that advice. :)

I put my kids to bed everynight. I love it. My son in partiocular demands it. "Daddy night night.".

I tell him to call me Austin but he never listens....

Please explain what this means in 15 words or more.

Edit: Seriously, I Googled this phrase and got nothing.

Null = Void or pointless. I think he was teasing Creamy.
 
I still remember the time at the old house around the block when my daughter was 4. I got up one Saturday morning to make French toast for breakfast. She grabbed a spatula & dragged a chair over to the stove, saying, " Daddy, I help you"? An aw, shucks moment for sure...:rockin:
 
I make pancakes for my boys every Saturday, and they always, without fail, come and help. They love using the measuring cups and spoons and helping with the mixing. It's a pain in the ass, but they love it, and I know I'll miss it someday. (We do pancakes from scratch).
 
I have a little one due the end of May. We are at once excited and scared spitless.
Getting all the kiddie gear ready, the list is never ending.
I'm getting an induction rig for brewing, so hopefully I'll be able to brew once in a while without having to crank up the propane rig.
 
I have a little one due the end of May. We are at once excited and scared spitless.
Getting all the kiddie gear ready, the list is never ending.
I'm getting an induction rig for brewing, so hopefully I'll be able to brew once in a while without having to crank up the propane rig.

I'm right there with ya. Our little one is coming in beginning of June. :mug:I'm hoping she doesn't come early so I don't miss it. But looking into the all electric semi auto build thing now so I can brew easier and a little safer.:tank:
 
Speaking of adventures, holy crap this weekend.

Thursday or Friday I made some homemade hummus. My wife gives him a taste, and he makes it very clear he wants more... not a moment from now, now. So that was dinner Friday.

I'm at hackathon on Saturday and I get a call. Mind you, my wife HATES talking on the phone, so its always something at least vaguely important when she calls. "Hi, I'm trying not to freak out but he has hives all over the backs of his arms and legs, can you come home?"

Ok, sure.

Get home, he has these angry looking hives but he's playing on his mat, smiling at me, and just being himself. I check the net, and its basically telling me to give him a cool bath and make sure he doesn't have trouble breathing, which he does not. No big deal.

My wife wisely calls our pediatrician. "Do you have a car? If not call 911, but if you do, get him to the urgent care pediatric facility in Bayside. Have someone in the backseat monitor his breathing" Holy crap. My wife is the only one that drives in this family, and she's also freaking out. Wait a second... CREAMYGOODNESS has to be the cooler head here?! This is bad. So we drive 30 minutes on the Grand Central to Bayside and park in front of this really pretty facility right next to a Tony Roma's Italian Eatery.

By the time we get him to the doctor, of course, the hives are gone. The phone pics we have were helpful to Doctor Su (by the way... Dr. Su was pretty cute. Don't look at me like that.) We've risked a distracted head-on collision to be told to take 5mg of baby Benadryl if it comes back, plus SG is not even a little bit thrilled to have his temperature taken. He does, however, seem to like flirting with all the nurses, and Dr. Su. That's my boy.

We breathe a sigh of relief and take advantage of the huge suburbs-style grocery store in that mini-mall complex and head home... only to find he has soiled his clothes completely. Which he will continue to do throughout the weekend.

I'm spent... can only imagine how my wife feels.
 
Speaking of adventures, holy crap this weekend.

Thursday or Friday I made some homemade hummus. My wife gives him a taste, and he makes it very clear he wants more... not a moment from now, now. So that was dinner Friday.

I'm at hackathon on Saturday and I get a call. Mind you, my wife HATES talking on the phone, so its always something at least vaguely important when she calls. "Hi, I'm trying not to freak out but he has hives all over the backs of his arms and legs, can you come home?"

Ok, sure.

Get home, he has these angry looking hives but he's playing on his mat, smiling at me, and just being himself. I check the net, and its basically telling me to give him a cool bath and make sure he doesn't have trouble breathing, which he does not. No big deal.

My wife wisely calls our pediatrician. "Do you have a car? If not call 911, but if you do, get him to the urgent care pediatric facility in Bayside. Have someone in the backseat monitor his breathing" Holy crap. My wife is the only one that drives in this family, and she's also freaking out. Wait a second... CREAMYGOODNESS has to be the cooler head here?! This is bad. So we drive 30 minutes on the Grand Central to Bayside and park in front of this really pretty facility right next to a Tony Roma's Italian Eatery.

By the time we get him to the doctor, of course, the hives are gone. The phone pics we have were helpful to Doctor Su (by the way... Dr. Su was pretty cute. Don't look at me like that.) We've risked a distracted head-on collision to be told to take 5mg of baby Benadryl if it comes back, plus SG is not even a little bit thrilled to have his temperature taken. He does, however, seem to like flirting with all the nurses, and Dr. Su. That's my boy.

We breathe a sigh of relief and take advantage of the huge suburbs-style grocery store in that mini-mall complex and head home... only to find he has soiled his clothes completely. Which he will continue to do throughout the weekend.

I'm spent... can only imagine how my wife feels.

Benadryl first, ER/Urgent Care last. Babies are almost as resilent as beer. Almost. If he was having an aniphylactic (sp?) reaction, it would have been immediate and severe. He's just allergic to chikpeas, or anything else in the hummus. You'll get that narrowed down pretty quick. My daughter gets hives from food, all the time. She learned early that if she gets a rash, she needs Benadryl.
 
I have a four month old boy at home and I'm loving every second of it. He had his first trip on a plane last week and did great, no crying at all.
 
This reminds me I bought some chickpeas to make my own hummus. First time I had it I was not impressed. Very plain and boring. But I had some other stuff that was really good with the right junk mixed in.

And let me tell you, the fancy schmancy premixed stuff can be EXPENSIVE. Chickpeas are really cheap.
 
Yes, we keep benadryl in the diaper bag, car, and at home. I'd have an epinephrine injector (epi-pen) also just in case, if the government didn't massively over-regulate them. Haven't had any reactions yet fortunately.


For hummus, some good additions include (not all at once): frank's red hot sauce, garlic, tomato/basil, cored jalapenos.
 
Yes, we keep benadryl in the diaper bag, car, and at home. I'd have an epinephrine injector (epi-pen) also just in case, if the government didn't massively over-regulate them. Haven't had any reactions yet fortunately.


For hummus, some good additions include (not all at once): frank's red hot sauce, garlic, tomato/basil, cored jalapenos.

I had some with a bit of vinegar, and it really kicked the flavor up a notch. I'll be adding garlic and tomato and maybe some other things.

My kids have been allergy free so I'm thankful for that. Hay fever a bit which is normal for most people these days it seems.
 
I was just thinking roasted garlic might be good as well. Even though my kids are grown, they still act like children sometimes. So don't think you'll escape it eventually...you won't. That's when the fun really starts.
 
my brother-in-law makes a pretty mean hummus - at home, from scratch. I think I have the base recipe around someplace. The good thing about hummus is that you can put whatever you want in and it'll be good. I've had garlic versions, lemon, roasted red pepper, chili pepper, spiced versions and who knows how many others.
With our little guy (or girl..) on the way any time now, we'll have to start watching out for allergies and reactions. Heaven forbid he/she is allergic to dairy or anything like that - we love our cheese around here.
 
I remember, before I had kids, a friend telling me that he was extract stovetop brewing with his kid in a Moby or Ergo or something.

I thought to myself, "Damn, that's irresponsible. That kid could get hurt."

Two years later, I was doing the same thing, with the kid strapped to me, but 10 gal. all-grain outdoors on a NG burner (I was super careful, for the record, usually facing away from the kettle and reaching behind myself to add hops, etc).

Now, all that 2 year old kid wants to do is go into the basement and play "grain", which is scooping and shoveling base malts.

Mom actually wants me to have him around when I brew, so he can stir the mash, which he LOVES. "Jack, grain, yeah! Grain beer!" It's nerve-wracking, but 150F isn't too hot, and I spot him intensely.

The wife did a lot of reading on how to entertain/educate toddlers, and there's a concept called "sensory play", which involves playing with substances with different textures with hands, shovels, etc.

I never thought homebrewing would fit into that category, but here we are.

Aside, have you ever played with cornstarch mixed with water? It's crazy. Just don't dump it down the drain. Toddlers like it, too.

Can't wait to get the newborn into it, too.
 
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