As I was digging deep into Google to put together the “Real Dan Pearce” post, I found not just one, but two past blogs that I once started, wrote a few entries, and then for some reason stopped. Funny thing is, I had completely forgotten that either one of them ever existed. So, this week I thought I’d share some of those blog posts with you (some have been slightly edited).
The Joys of Fatherhood:
After five years of marital bliss, I can finally add the title of Daddy to my résumé. My wife and I adopted a baby boy 2 ½ weeks ago and I couldn’t be happier. The joys of fatherhood are so wildly immeasurable, I couldn’t have imagined. I understand what it’s like to love your child so much you’d do anything for him, and so protective that I would end anybody who tried to harm him. You can hear people express these sentiments, but you can’t understand until you yourself are a father.
And, with incredible joy, comes incredible entertainment. You hear stories, but how can you prepare for the gut-wrenching laughter that follows the unpredictable splendors of infancy? Such splendors must be tackled one at a time:
Dodging: The undiscovered ballet talent that lies within each new father. It’s amazing how light on the feet one becomes when going around doorways, banisters, and door frames. Gotta protect that soft-spot!
Deflecting: The act of using your hand or some other object to redirect the unexpected pee stream toward the table while changing diapers. A new trick for Dad’s who aren’t expecting to suddenly be shot in the face.
Love: What it takes to open your eyes after the baby starts crying for the sixth time in one night.
Communication: My wife and I asking each other “is it your turn” until one of us falls asleep and the last one standing takes care of the baby.
Eating: A luxury of life that was once taken for granted, but can still be enjoyed in rare circumstances.
A full night’s rest: Shutting your eyes for three minutes at a time for two hours a day.
Pride: The occasional expressions, “What a BIG BOY” and “Good one!” when your baby burps or farts.
Exercise: Lifting the baby carrier in and out of the car.
Lifestyle Upgrade: Making the switch to a minivan.
The one thing I didn’t expect was that these things would leave me truly happy and in most cases laughing. Being a dad is fun, even if it’s hard work. I recommend it to anybody who can stand putting a thermometer up their little guys’ keester and having poop shoot all over you.
Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing
Originally posted on another, forgotten blog.
PS. I’d love to hear your comments and your own different definitions!
My husband is a long-haul truck driver. He found himself almost saying "good burp!" to another trucker at a truck stop while our 5 year old was an infant.
I linked back to you in a short post I wrote yesterday : Dads being Daddies at http://randerings.blogspot.com/2011/04/dads-being...
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Awww, cute lil' baby Noah! More, more! lol
When I became a mom I thought it was the cutest thing to watch my baby poo (I mean literally coming out, no diaper). I'm so in love with everything about my boys.
haha- funny,but i get it! my favorite is sweet but smelly baby farts! LOL
Joy: Having a child say, "I love you, mommy/daddy" or "you are the best mommy/daddy in the world" for no reason other than that it was on their heart in that moment!
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Single gal without kids, but I totally loved this post! And dang, what a cute, fat baby Noah was!
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This is obviously the seminal post from which SDL found its genesis. 2 1/2 weeks and you were already laughing with the wonderment of fatherhood. Great post, Dan. This is where it all started, I'm sure!
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Haha. I love the definitions of Communication, Full Night's Rest, & Exercise...Those made me laugh b/c I know what you mean!
I also had to laugh about poop shooting all over.It made me think of when my son,Jonah (now almost 2 y/o), was a couple of weeks old [sorry if it's annoying that this is really long].
Jonah woke up (at probably 2-something in the morning) & I was still trying to fall asleep - so I was really tired,& moving a little slow.& My husband,Matt, was asleep next to me & he was sleeping SO good...
Well, I got Jonah out of his bassinet & he had just eaten about 10-20 minutes before then, so I knew he wasn't hungry,& I decided maybe he was uncomfortable & needed a diaper change b/c it was a little wet. So I laid him on the bed in front of me & began changing him there instead of taking him into the other room & putting him on the changing station. He let out a little poot when I lifted his legs to wipe him & I started talking to him "Oh, do you feel better now?...I bet you do..." & then he pooted again, but it made me *gasp* a little. My *gasp* made Matt shoot up out of bed,asking "What's wrong?" [...I tried yelling his name,clapping my hands a few times as loud as I could in front of his face, shook him,& poked him a little before that to wake him up & he didn't move, but my little *gasp* made him jump up in a hurry??!!] Jonah's little poot shot poop all across my side of the bed,on my lap, a little on the floor,& onto my nightstand by the bed. While I was wiping up Jonah, Matt was trying to clean up the mess for me but he was laughing at me,too b/c I had stopped & was crying, "No, you've got to get up early to go to work...it's my mess.I'll do it." Then, while Matt was cleaning up the mess, I lifted Jonah's legs again to wipe his bottom one more time to make sure I got everything...& he pooted again - but pooped on my hand too. I was really crying then,but now I just laugh about it.
My definition of exercise is slightly different. It's carrying the car seat up three flights of stairs, like I got to do with my first.
Now it's different, however . . . we're only one flight of stairs up now, but I have two older kids (4 and 2) to chase up and down while I'm hauling the car seat up or down.
I haven't yet had that experience. My wife and I haven't been blessed with a little one yet. But I'm sure I'll learn very quickly about all the things you mentioned. Thanks for sharing.
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Everyone used to comment about how i lost weight so quickly after having a baby and i used to joke that if you bounced as much as i did and eat as little as i did, you would lose weight too. (my child had to be bounced... ALOT).
You need a like button, I don't have much to say other than I like this lol.
"Love: What it takes to open your eyes after the baby starts crying for the sixth time in one night."
That is an amazing sentiment. Seriously, I have a thing for collecting various definitions of "love" and that one just stopped me in my tracks. I went back and reread it several times because it's just... stunning.
indeed! :) agreed! Nicely done, Dan.
Great post Dan. I wish every man out there took fatherhood the same way you do. Noah is one lucky kid.
I love this post, and today actually got to write yet another post about my babies today. Being a parent compares to NOTHING. It is truly something that cannot be understood unless you are one. It is the hardest most time consuming and tiring job I have ever done, but I would not trade it for anything.
As far as definitions, I no longer have my own. Definitions come from my kids now. Such as "ignoying" (as my son says it) which, in his eyes, is what his sissy is. Or ingraser: the end of a pencil that gets rid of your mistakes.
They are such an amazing part of our lives. Enjoy every minute while it lasts, because it doesn't last long.
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I just have to say that is the cutest picture of Noah I've seen so far!! What a little chunk!! :)
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I think your definitions are perfect! :)
stay at home dad to twin (one y/o) daughters:
I don't know about the deflecting streams of pee, but I got all that other stuff covered!. . .loving this (and all) post! Cheers!
ps~ and starting to fall in love with my 'manney-van' too.
LOL, this is so cute! Ahhhh, brings back many fond memories of my own. Except the whole losing sleep thing. That was no fun when mine were little.
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What a wonderful post! I can completely relate. Well, except for the pee in your face. I have 2 girls. :-)
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Oh sweet fancy Moses. I am almost 8 weeks pregnant now and am being faced daily with terrifying sensations (24/7 nausea, anyone?) and fears about everything that is to come. Now I can add having to use a rectal thermometer on my child to that list. Thanks for giving me something new to completely freak me out. o.0
This is an awesome post. Times goes by so fast and just reading this brings back memories of watching my husband (and some of my own Pee experiences!) with our son. Thanks for the smile this morning.
I needed this one today. My one-yr-old is still sleeping after being up 4 times for over an hour each last night. My husband is now at the fire academy, hopefully not putting anyone in danger due to lack of sleep. I'm taking no pay so I can let my little man sleep in. That's what we do. They are our priorities. I would typically bitch about this, but my friend lost her 5 yr-old this weekend while waiting for a heart transplant. My priorities have slapped me in my bratty face. Thanks for the post.
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wonderful post :) all of my friends have kids and we can't wait to have our own! it is always so interesting to go back and read something at a different time of your life. ah how life changes and how fast it goes!
Wow, some men just "get" it. Thanks for being such a great dad Dan.
Peace!
Great post! My oldest is 10 and it's easy to forget how things were in the beginning. I should go back and look at my old blog for inspiration. :)
what a cutie! Can you believe everything you both have learned since writing that post? (and all the new happinesses that come along with it)
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I love looking back and reading about who I was in diary entries a couple of years back. It's amazing to see how I've grown. What a lovely post you wrote.
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Awesome, Dan =)
The origin beginning of Single Dad Laughing
This is why I think of love as an action. It's not about just "being in love"-- it's about doing these selfless things that show you truly care about a person.
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The things we do for love! Noah was such a cute, roley-poley baby!
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wow! Am I the first to comment??????? Boy, am I special. I love this post, Dan! It truly sums up the feelings I felt almost 6 years ago when my hubby and I adopted our son, Austin. It is amazing to look back at videos and pictures and think about what an awesome kid he is turning out to be! It's amazing to think that in 6 months, he will be a first grader. I can't believe he will be 6 on June 7th! Where did the time go? Keep looking for old posts, Dan. This was some of your best work. Hope you and Noah have a day full of "awesomeness"!