The New Dad Blog Of The Day

So it all started about a year ago when my wife and I decided we would like to add to our family. The great part is, I am already Dad to my wife's 4 year old son. He and his Mom are the best thing ever in my life. What has cared the heck out of me are all the things people say to you when you are a parent of a newborn, of which I have never experienced. I met my son, when he was 9 months old. As my Dad has said to me, "son, that is close, but no cigar. You have no idea what you are in for"...great.

So back to the story, my wife and I have been trying to get pregnant and about 2 weeks before we moved to the area, we learned that we were pregnant. We were both excited, but I was a typical guy and did the typical guy thing and wasn't as outwardly expressive as I could (or should) have been. I was very excited, but I was also nervous as hell. I had all of these anxious emotions churning in my head, from happy to scared as hell.

Thankfully, I am not alone.

Here is what I have learned is normal:
1.) Will I be able to afford another mouth to feed.
- My wife and I had already talked about this. We knew we could, which is why we wanted to try. But then the fears remained.
2.) Would I be a good Dad to this little one? (we now know it is a girl and that has its own set of fears.)
- My wife has told me and my son shows me on a regular basis that I am a good Dad. My wife tells me all the time, that I am most favored parent and our son's hero. I fix everything for him from broken toys to boo-boos.
3.) Am I going to be a good Dad to a little girl is my latest fear.
- I am a boy and I know how we think. What will I do when she will want to date? Will I know what to do when she wants to play dress up, have tea parties and be a princess?
4.) My mortality.
- I am not old, but I will be older than most parents of newborns. What if I am not around for them when they need me most? I keep reassessing things because of it. My wife is amused, as she is younger than I am and she tells me not to worry. I thought about that when I was first called "Daddy" by my son and here is comes again.

In the end, I know most of the fears are unfounded, but I am kind of enjoying the exciting stress it brings.