Most men do not expect much from their significant other on Valentine's Day, but this year my wife gave me the best gift a man could ask for; the gift of fatherhood. What my wife failed to mention in the lovely Hallmark Greeting card was the follow-on gift of 4 hours of sleep, 62 diaper changes, and the sweet lullabies of newborn screeching over the next 5 days. As an active duty Marine officer, I have had many sleepless nights on duty or flying combat missions, where stress and lack of sleep are commonplace. Furthermore, the Corps does a good job of preparing Marines for the stresses of combat to include lack of sleep, loud noises, and/or terrible smells with their "train like we fight" mentality. No amount of training and/or preparation prepared me for this past week. From the moment he entered this world and I became a dad, my world became a beautiful combat zone. Quiet calmness quickly turned to loud obnoxious cries for help. You think there would be enough ammunition to halt the enemy's advance but then the bottles go dry. You lost count of how many cries for the "MEDIC!" go unanswered as the dirty diaper machine gun hits you from every direction. The clock says 3:30am. Perfect, as always, the enemy hits you at the most inopportune times. Your calls for reinforcements also go unanswered as they are still recovering from the previous Battle of Labor. You are confused, lost, tired, scared, alone, and out of ammunition and ideas. You want to call "Surrender" but the Marine Corps taught you to never give up. Just as the fog of war is at its thickest; it happened. The loud cries for help lessened and the barrage of dirty diaper machine gun rounds stopped. The fog slowly began to clear and before long you can make out two very bright and sparkling circles. The circles are calming and beautiful. A sense of gratification and love starts to overwhelm the previous feelings of fear, anxiety, and confusion. The circles get brighter and eventually they open to a beautiful 22 inch, 7 lbs, 1 oz ray of sunshine. It is Baby Carter. The battle has ceased for now, but the war is far from over.
It's going to be a long campaign, could go on for years and years! It's the best socialogical experiment ever contrived. You'll know you've won in 18 years or so, and you'll enjoy the victory for the rest of your life!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
Grandfathers don't change diapers? Really? I'll have to remember that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful little boy! I remember when my kiddos were tiny babies and I was so tired I felt like crying all of the time and people would say "oh, they'll be sleeping through the night in 3-6 months" as though that was comfort - I would not survive another 60-90 days with sporadic sleep and my word, they were noisy! My oldest got his learner's permit this week and he wants to drive everywhere. I've aged more in the last 7 days than the last 16 years combined. Oh, I wish for one more night of him safely in my arms. It really, truly is the most difficult job on the planet. It's a wild ride, so hold on and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to what the future has to hold. I have a feeling Baby Carter will teach me a lot about being a dad and I hope to keep the posts enjoyable to read. Thank you for your post.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully written! My folks have been lobbying for grandchildren. I don't know if reading this blog will help or hinder their cause.
ReplyDeleteJoe I have to say, these posts are so amazing. The way you talk about fatherhood is so heartwarming!!! I cant wait to experience motherhood myself!
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