For those late-night television fans who missed Monday’s news, evening talk show host David Letterman became a father. Tuesday’s show was filled with gleeful remarks and pictures of his new son.
On Christmas of last year, I received a similar blessing with the birth of my daughter, Ryan Elizabeth. Despite being in school, with all the course overloads and notorious shortage of funds, I would not trade the experience for anything else.
At 10 months, she is almost walking. It seems like only yesterday that I was rushing to grab the camcorder to capture her first rolling over.
Familiar now are cabinet locks and socket covers-children, it seems, are terribly curious. Babbles and giggles have been replaced with semi-understandable words. Da-Da was her first word, much to my wife’s dismay.
In years past, I have heard parents speak of the joy of unconditional love that a child brings. The emotional response she invokes in me when I walk through the door after a long day at school is indescribable. In a moment, all the day’s deadlines and projects find a way to disappear-if only temporarily.
As she learns the concept of sharing, she feeds me unimaginable combinations of meats, fruits and vegetables that Gerber has packaged into neat little jars.
Attempts to nap on the couch now result in ear tugs and eye prods as she vies for my attention. And despite its counter-intuitive nature, there are no greater experiences in all the world.
That is not to say being parent, husband and student is without hardships. Due to postponing the illustrious career, funds are not what they could be.
Consequently, my wife works as well, requiring careful coordination of activities. Sometimes baby-handoffs are as much contact as we are able to have for days on end. So far, we’ve avoided day care. This may not last forever.
Likewise, the idea of a “night on the town” is a distant memory. With grandparents living in either Vicksburg or Memphis, babysitters are few.
The sleep deprivation takes a bit of getting used to. Though not as bad as most would have you believe, 3 a.m. feedings can and do occur. Thankfully, you never quite wake up so it’s only a foggy memory come morning.
I realize that most of my readership is a world away from being ready to have children. Eleven months ago I felt the same. Now, as my daughter approaches her first birthday, I am amazed by the skills that I have learned in such a short time.
My ability to manage my time and juggle multiple projects is worlds from where it was a year ago. Likewise, my organizational and argument skills have grown immensely. Ever try to talk your way out of changing a dirty diaper?
Only now have I begun to grasp my levels of emotional and spiritual growth.
Perhaps the wonder and awe I feel as a parent will pass. The “Terrible Twos” are barely 12 months away-not to mention our plan to have more children, though not for a little while.
Maybe one day I will not be so sensitive to every smile, gurgle and whimper. Until then, I will relish fatherhood to the fullest. I continue to learn more from it each day.
Joshua Welch is a graduate student in industrial engineering. He can be reached at [email protected].