A baby-driven life

I know all babies are different, but for me, taking care of a newborn is the easy part. I'm not saying there aren't some confusing moments and afternoons of screaming that make you want to pull your hair out. But a baby's needs are pretty simple. He needs to eat, sleep and excrete, along with some developmental play time like reading and singing. (I recently penned a Grammy-worthy tune titled "Liam and Daddy Looking in the Mirror." Look for it on shelves come Christmas.)

The hard part is taking care of a baby while still doing all the other things I should be doing, like being a good husband to my wife, getting stories turned in by their deadlines, studying for an upcoming church officer examination, staying in touch with friends, practicing hospitality, leading a Bible study, listening to albums I need to review, scheduling interviews, feeding Louie, taking a shower, etc. I guess the definition of "father" will continually change throughout my life. Right now, since I can't really instill any values in my son yet, fatherhood feels mostly like juggling and prioritizing. It's not a romantic concept, and you won't see it on any Hallmark cards, but it's true so far. And whenever I try to undertake all this using only my own strength I fail miserably. Fatherhood has been humbling in many ways, but especially spiritually.

Still, the one thing everyone told me about fatherhood beforehand is still pretty much true: Despite the constant struggle to keep my head above water, I wouldn't trade it for anything. At three months, Liam can only make two or three sounds/gurgles, but I laugh more every day than I ever did pre-baby, and when he does something as simple as roll over for the first time, I've never felt so proud. I guess that's a bit Hallmarkish. Apologies. I guess fatherhood has made me more mushy, too.

Postscript: I have a newfound respect for single parents. There should be a monthly cash reward for each month completed with sanity intact. I don't know how those folks do it.