grub's Journal: One year as a parent.

Rewind Life's TiVo back to June 13, 2006 1:10 AM

I awoke to Kim's shrill "Gord, we have to go to the hospital now!" Arriving at the hospital her water broke and the nurse said "You're going to have her today".

What?! There was still 22 days left! Are we ready for this?!

Fast forward the TiVo to 12:33 PM There's our little girl just out. We are parents, a whole different demographic group than we were just a minute before at 12:32. Holy shit. All the reading and planning can't prepare you for that. I felt amazed and helpless and proud and scared.

The hospital sent us home two days later. Huh? They trust us with this fragile little entity? Aren't the car seat straps too tight? No, they have to be snug. That idiot is tail-gating us. Hrm, no he's far enough back. Our first drive home as a family was a blur. I was beat from not sleeping well on the pull-out 'dad' chair they had in the room. Kim was understandably a bit rough.

Here in .ca you're allowed about a year off of work for parental leave to be split however you want. I took the first month and Kim overlapped with me. Most days she would slept in while I drank a Bodum full of freshly ground espresso beans, it was the only thing that kept me going. I'd stay up late with Anna so Kim could get her sleep at that end of the day. The month flew by, it was a complete blur of diapers, espresso, downloaded TV shows and watching little Anna. Just watching her sleep. Hours would go by as she slept in my lap. Those were some of the best moments of my life.

Fast forward the TiVo to yesterday Our little girl was one year old. They picked me up at work for lunch. Took some nice pictures at 12:33 which will soon be on Anna's website.

So a year of diapers, some crying, watching her grow, working on her 9th tooth, standing, trying to walk, bathing her, swimming with her, watching her eat by herself and picking her favourites off the tray first, dancing in spot to music (yes, she likes the beat of Motorhead and High On Fire, don't tell Kim!) A year of watching her personality flourish and of enjoying her infectious smile that always seems planted on her face. A year of can't-wait-to-get-home-and-see-the-family after work, of walking to the park with Anna in her wagon.

Happy Birthday Anna!
Pics to be here soon

Yay

[OctaneZ]

Congrats on not dropping her (from too high a height) in the first year!

Things you quickly realize

[nizo]

- That cute smile makes up for all the nasty diapers
- That you must save every outfit that fits, no matter how hideous (something has to be stored in the diaper bag for "natural disasters")
- The speed at which you age has now increased dramtically
- They grow up too fast