New Parents

[Cherokeekid88]

So my wife and I have been going at it now for almost 5 months since our first little girl was born and I have to say that having a child is the most exhausting, terrifying, rewarding, and fun thing that I have ever experienced, but boy am I tired. I have a week of vacation coming up at the end of October where little one will still be going to daycare that week so daddy can catch on some "me" time. Thinking about going to the range a couple days, watching some movies, and getting some stuff done around the house and just relaxing and try to catch up on some sleep. This will be my first break since she was born and I am really looking forward to it, but I guarantee that I will end up picking her up early from daycare to spend time with her....
It's so crazy how something like having a child can make you sit back and think "Wow, my parents were right all this time". I always took the things my parents said to my brother and I growing up as just things parents said, but now that I am one, it all makes since.

Here's to all the parents out there!

 

[CasterTroy]

......try to catch up on some sleep

My son didn't sleep thru the night until he was 4-1/2 (colic, night terrors....etc)

We had our daughter when he had just turned 4

My daughter didn't sleep thru the night until she was almost 3 (spoiled)

So for 7 years.....I didn't get a good nights sleep

Good luck!

 

[BigClay]

My son didn't sleep thru the night until he was 4-1/2 (colic, night terrors....etc)

We had our daughter when he had just turned 4

My daughter didn't sleep thru the night until she was almost 3 (spoiled)

So for 7 years.....I didn't get a good nights sleep

Good luck!

Same here except I am going on 8... and still counting...

 

[GotWood]

Mine is 17 now but she slept great as a baby, has never been a problem or burden .I was smart and stopped at that point. I won!

 

[Chris_Keziah]

I consider myself lucky as my son has slept through the night (for the most part) since he was born and I really haven't lost much sleep outside of him waking up early and being wound up tighter than a banjo string. Only 2 or 3 occasions I was up during the middle of the night, I'm sure my wife has a different opinion.

 

[RatLabGuy]

It's so crazy how something like having a child can make you sit back and think "Wow, my parents were right all this time". I always took the things my parents said to my brother and I growing up as just things parents said, but now that I am one, it all makes since.

Here's to all the parents out there!

My parents used to tell me when I was a kid, "You deserve everything you're going to get from your kids."
Now I look back and think, holy hell I owe them a big apology.

BTW, if you think this is fun, wait until puberty. That's a whole new world of challenge.

My son didn't sleep thru the night until he was 4-1/2 (colic, night terrors....etc)

We had our daughter when he had just turned 4

My daughter didn't sleep thru the night until she was almost 3 (spoiled)

So for 7 years.....I didn't get a good nights sleep

Good luck!

Our kids are spaced 5.5 years apart. I know this is unusually long. Life was... complicated in the interim
With the common 2-4 year age gap, I often wonder what is going through parents' heads, when they are dealing with potty training, tantrums, sleepless nights, picky eating... and they look at one another and say, "Boy, I can't wait to get to do this again! Lets get busy!"

 

[CasterTroy]

I often wonder what is going through parents' heads, when they are dealing with potty training, tantrums, sleepless nights, picky eating... and they look at one another and say, "Boy, I can't wait to get to do this again! Lets get busy!"

Put it this way....my wife wanted another BAD....I felt differently. She got me hammered and had her way with me

I wouldn't have it any other way, but at the time, I DID want at least a few nights sleep before rinse/repeat

 

[RatLabGuy]

Put it this way....my wife wanted another BAD....I felt differently. She got me hammered and had her way with me

I wouldn't have it any other way, but at the time, I DID want at least a few nights sleep before rinse/repeat

Isn't it amazing who really is, ultimately in control of that decision.

 

[rcalexander105]

Been there, man! Hopefully getting towards the end of my shitty nights sleep.

My kids sleep through the night okay...some nights are better than others. My 6 year old does fine, and he's to the point where he'll actually sleep in a bit on the weekends (I'm talking like 9am max though). My 2 year old has his moments...some nights he sleeps great (all through the night w/out a peep). But then there's others when I wake up w/ a foot to the ribs/head at 2am b/c he's climbed in the bed with us at some point throughout the night (we really need to upgrade to a king size).

What's really great, which you likely will experience at some point, is waking up from a dead sleep to their blank stares a foot from your face and a "Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom / can I have some water / etc.". Yea, have fun getting back to sleep good after that one!

 

[C.Berry]

It’s good clean fun... we’re going on 6 weeks no sleep, I just tell him he’ll make up for it in the garage wrenching on something till sun comes up tho! Lol

 

[C.Berry]

Put it this way....my wife wanted another BAD....I felt differently. She got me hammered and had her way with me

I wouldn't have it any other way, but at the time, I DID want at least a few nights sleep before rinse/repeat

That’s just wrong in so many ways, but funny as shit!!!

 

[UTfball68]

I've said it before, I'll say it again...first 3-4 months, I went through the parenting motions. I knew I was supposed to love/protect/etc my daughter...but had zero connection, if that makes sense. To the point that I thought there was something psychologically wrong with me and started looking for a shrink. Then boom, the inability to live without her hit me like a ton of bricks. I attribute it to quitting my job and spending 4-5 months raising her. I'd take her everywhere if I could, but my wife reminds me that 'me' and 'wife' time is still needed. That little girl has me wrapped like no tomorrow. Little girl number 2 will be here some time in the next 4 weeks. Two things worry me 1) that I'm going to have the same 'connection' issue and 2) what if I don't like this one as much.

I often wonder what is going through parents' heads, when they are dealing with potty training, tantrums, sleepless nights, picky eating... and they look at one another and say, "Boy, I can't wait to get to do this again! Lets get busy!"

Stress consolidation...haha. Ours will be 18.5ish months apart, and for us came down to the fact that it's really not that difficult at this point. If they're unhappy...there are really only 4-5 things it could be. Sleep, I usually only get 4hrs anyway, so I take pre-2am, my wife goes to bed at 10 and takes post 2am, then we're both up by 6-7am. Picky eating is simple, they get what they get, they'll eat it eventually. Potty training, the only difficult part is she thinks it's cool and wants to sit on the toilet just to do it some times. I know I know...I have all the answers, but my experience with kids is all you have to really do is pay attention. If you're more preoccupied with your phone or television or work or whatever else may be 'more important', yeah...you'll get a tantrum when they want to be played with or read to or an accident while potty training because you didn't notice the 'I have to pee/poop' signs or not understand that particular kid likes to eat fruits then proteins then grains and not have them be mixed, otherwise they won't eat it and throw it on the floor. Kids have a reason for the way they're acting, whether it's silly or not is moot.

 

[Cherokeekid88]

My wife is also wanting another child already. I was never big into kids growing up, but as I got older I knew I wanted one, just couldn't think of a time when it would work into our life... well my wife came to me last February and said "I am no longer taking birth control, so good luck!" sure enough, 7 months later....she got me!

I do dread the teenage years, I am going to start saving now, so that I can build a little tool shed for me to hang out in when the time comes.

I will tell you though, I have never thought about another human as much as I do my daughter.

 

[Cherokeekid88]

I also just have a soft spot now for anyone who is getting ready to have a child (So congrats @UTfball68) especially if it is their 1st. A couple that we are good friends with announced that they were pregnant and I about lost it. There is just something about a little person that you are your significant other have created. I find myself sometimes staring at my daughter sleeping or playing or whatever it is that she's doing and just think about how much I love her and would do anything for her.

 

[89wrangler]

All I have to say is enjoy every single minute, even the ones you think are bad (up at night, ect) You will look back and then wonder how could it have all gone by so fast. It starts with them turning over in crib, then crawling, then walking , then talking, then starting school, then teenager, then driving, then Prom, then college, then marriage, then grand kids and you look back and say where they hell did time it go! You cant get it back. Wish I could have/would have spent more time enjoying the "hard stuff" . We have raised 4 wonderful daughters (all within 5 years of one another), luckily my wife was a stay a home mom after the second child was born, so that worked out really well to balance out the late nights and such. I give 90% of the credit for our kids success to my wife. I may be worthy of 10%, when it came to the discipline part, up to 15% when they started driving and I had to keep the cars going. I think raising kids is as good or bad as one makes it to be. I think the best thing is to always involve your kids it what you are doing right from the beginning. Whether is watching TV, playing games, camping, fishing, cleaning house, vacation, shopping, out to eat, visiting friends, yard work , ect. as I see this as a major key to being a "family". Have known folks who avoid all of those because it is hard or an inconvenience and I just don't get that. (not saying a night on the town alone once in a while is not warranted!). As you are finding out, the "older you get the smarter your parents get".

 

[Cherokeekid88]

All I have to say is enjoy every single minute, even the ones you think are bad (up at night, ect) You will look back and then wonder how could it have all gone by so fast. It starts with them turning over in crib, then crawling, then walking , then talking, then starting school, then teenager, then driving, then Prom, then college, then marriage, then grand kids and you look back and say where they hell did time it go! You cant get it back. Wish I could have/would have spent more time enjoying the "hard stuff" . We have raised 4 wonderful daughters (all within 5 years of one another), luckily my wife was a stay a home mom after the second child was born, so that worked out really well to balance out the late nights and such. I give 90% of the credit for our kids success to my wife. I may be worthy of 10%, when it came to the discipline part, up to 15% when they started driving and I had to keep the cars going. I think raising kids is as good or bad as one makes it to be. I think the best thing is to always involve your kids it what you are doing right from the beginning. Whether is watching TV, playing games, camping, fishing, cleaning house, vacation, shopping, out to eat, visiting friends, yard work , ect. as I see this as a major key to being a "family". Have known folks who avoid all of those because it is hard or an inconvenience and I just don't get that. (not saying a night on the town alone once in a while is not warranted!). As you are finding out, the "older you get the smarter your parents get".

I am learning this. There are times where I am just sitting with her and I think about all the stuff I'd like to be doing at that moment and I usually just say to myself " 5 more minutes, because later, I'll wish that I had taken that extra time"

Even through all the cries and sleepless nights, the best parts of my days are talking to her in the morning when she wakes up and when I get home from work and see her smile when she sees me.

 

[VortecJeep]

...With the common 2-4 year age gap, I often wonder what is going through parents' heads, when they are dealing with potty training, tantrums, sleepless nights, picky eating... and they look at one another and say, "Boy, I can't wait to get to do this again! Lets get busy!"

We looked at each and said we want another one, but don't want to go thru all that again, so we adopted a 7 year old. Thinking we were pretty smart, that we could avoid all the stuff you mentioned. Wow we were wrong. It turns out, kids in foster care can be really messed up. The first 3 years with our baby was a cake walk compared to the first 3 years with our 7 year old (now 10 year old).

 

[UTfball68]

And that look is what it’s all about...

 

[drkelly]

I often wonder what is going through parents' heads, when they are dealing with potty training, tantrums, sleepless nights, picky eating... and they look at one another and say, "Boy, I can't wait to get to do this again! Lets get busy!"

That is one of a few reasons why we only have one child.

 

[Cherokeekid88]

I think I just want one child. My wife on the other hand would be pregnant yesterday if she could. I wouldn't mind having another one but I am perfectly happy with our little Calvary. I am constantly being told that being an only child makes you a spoiled brat, I just don't know if I believe that.

 

[RatLabGuy]

I think I just want one child. My wife on the other hand would be pregnant yesterday if she could. I wouldn't mind having another one but I am perfectly happy with our little Calvary. I am constantly being told that being an only child makes you a spoiled brat, I just don't know if I believe that.

Its funny how people think they are happy enough already, and then they have another kid and discover a whole new bundle of joy and then later say, "wow, look what I would have missed out on."

re: spoiled brat... well, that depends on the parenting style, it can certainly be avoided, and there are plenty of complete litters of kids that are all spoiled brats, again due to poor parenting.
But it's unquestionable that having siblings creates more struggles and experiences that become opportunities for learning than not.

On a different note, there is also the issue of the sheer math of passing on your gene pool and culture. You need 2 just to stay afloat... your one little girl is going to be grossly outnumbered by the like of @shawn and Cyd's teaming mass of children. Who has more voting power in 20 years?

 

[jeepinmatt]

On a different note, there is also the issue of the sheer math of passing on your gene pool and culture. You need 2 just to stay afloat... your one little girl is going to be grossly outnumbered by the like of @shawn and Cyd's teaming mass of children. Who has more voting power in 20 years?

The dumbasses who outbreed "us" 3:1 and live off the government!

 

[UTfball68]

The dumbasses who outbreed "us" 3:1 and live off the government!

Token Idiocracy post...

 

[trailhugger]

... your one little girl is going to be grossly outnumbered by the like of @shawn and Cyd's teaming mass of children. Who has more voting power in 20 years?

Somebody's gotta make the bulletproof tigers.

 

[C.Berry]

He heard his moms say I couldn’t go work on the burb today... his reaction was about like mine!