Background

            Picture it…Bath, Maine…August 3^rd, 1979; a baby is heard crying throughout the maternity ward.  I enter this world at 4:30 pm at eight pounds and twenty-two inches long; my mother weeps in joy as I am placed on her chest and fall contently back to sleep.  Yup, my first experience with child birth was my own; what a long day that was!  Since then, I have seen friends and relatives bring bundles of pooping and peeing joy into this world; Every kid with a personality of his/her own and every kid with a different story to tell.  I would like to say that I am real good with children.  I hold them, they poop and I give them back to their parents!  I hold them, they cry and I give them back to their parents!  They come to visit, I get a headache and they go back to their parents!  I “thought” that I had this kid care thing all figured out.  Nine months ago that all changed.  I can no longer give the screaming, pooping child back to his parents; I am the parent.  I am told that I was an evenly tempered baby; I didn’t cry a whole lot and slept through the night earlier than my brother did.  Can I get that lucky?  I don’t have the experience with children that some have when becoming parents.  I am thankful that my wife had watched her young cousins for most of their infant lives.  I am so glad that she knows what to do.  Everyone tries to pass on their own nuggets of wisdom as to what it takes to be a father; everyone tells you exactly what to expect.  I wish it was that simple!  My background is that I was a baby and have known some babies in my life.  I am a novice parent, a beginner to say the least.  My wife and I will find for ourselves what it takes to be parents.  I will find for myself what works to combat sleep deprivation, colic and the other challenges of parenthood.