Our son will be 3 in just over a month. This past Halloween and Christmas were the best yet. Old enough to show his personality so that you know just what costume is perfect for them, and old enough to rip open presents on his own. This season has been awesome.

Congrats... I'm a dad of 14 and 11 year old boys. Love it, best part of life. Two pieces of advice.

1.) Be present, if possible be present and involved.
2.) My wife has a saying she picked up somewhere... "We are raising adults not kids." Enjoy the present stage of life and always be preparing them for the next.

Bonus: Diapers for the first month are horrid!! You've been warned.

Here's advice from a woman.


Don't ever forget to take time to listen and do things with your child, no matter how busy you are. Keep the communication lines open so your child can talk to you about anything. Never let work come between you and your child, no matter what. Boys and girls both need daddy in their life.

:clap:

There is a new center to your universe.

Congrats! Be there for them, guide them, help them. You'll know what to do.

This! Cars, toys...all can be taken away, lost, forgotten. The Time will always be remembered.

Actually I am a bit jealous. When the day arrives and he comes into your life, endorphins kick in and it is the HIGHEST HIGH you will ever experience. I wish I could have put that stuff in a bottle with my 2 kids.

There are few memories that you keep for a life time. This is one of them if not the best.

Jealous!!!!!!~!

My advice is try to Relax.
Your job is to help keep mom calm. Keep your composure, the stiff lip and let her know it's alright. give her the attention you might want to give your phone or the tv....and enjoy the ride. I'd also rest up this week because you're about to be tired for a year. If you had a great male role model(dad) then do what he did that made him great. If you had a shit male role model, break that cycle and be what you needed to get you where you are today.

From here on out you have one job in life....your personal things are secondary priorities. You won't fully understand what I mean until you've got some slime on your arm in 10 days.

Enjoy it.

So much this. Compliment her. Tell her she's doing a good job. Encourage her. Tell her you love her. Make sure she's comfortable. Do what she tells you to do.

Do NOT make empty promises. Don't tell her that you'll do all of the dishes for a year unless you plan to follow through. She will remember...lol.

ROFL i'm glad to read this post.

Also....better grab some extra lube...you're going to need to for a year......YOU are going to need it for a year.


Also...prepare yourself now for hormonal avalanches ranging from laughing to irrational bawling and anger and weeping. Just be ready for it and accept it all as your fault and don't fight with her about her hormonal insanity.

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FYP

Just become a Dad last September. I have all kinds of thoughts on this, but the one thing I can't stress enough:

On the day of birth, be prepared for ANYTHING. If you've taken classes or read books, it's almost certain that none of what you have prepared for will actually happen. Just take it all in stride and BE STRONG for your wife/SO. Do absolutely whatever you need to make sure she is as relaxed/comfortable as possible.

And once little guy has arrived, just know that you will experience what true, unconditional love is for the first time in your life. It's a high like no other.

Have a son that is 11. Best thing to ever happen to me.

After a few years of debate, my wife and I decided not to become parents, and I've really embraced the "kind of weird uncle" role.