Some good news!

[Pete]

Since 2020 has been such a crap year for pretty much everything and everyone, I figured I'd announce some good news for a change.

I'll be having my first kid in February. Well, my wife will be doing the actual birthing, but I helped!

It's absolutely exciting and mildly terrifying, but I really can't wait.

[Taco-Calamitous]

Wow, congratulations, dude! I'm sure you'll be fine. I've watched friends and family go through raising children, and it looks like a pain in the ass much of the time, but I don't think any of them would trade their kids for anything.

[nix]

Congrats Mr Pete!

[Pete]

Thanks guys!

Everything is going well so far, thankfully. The biggest pain in the ass is that the electrician we hired is taking his sweet time to run some wire to install a ceiling fan. We want the fan installed so we can get better lighting and ultimately pick a paint color, plus y'know, cooling the room. Once the fan is installed, I can paint the room and then assemble the crib and dresser, which are currently in boxes.

Its absolutely ridiculous how much crap a baby needs, but I'm happy to pick out a ton of STEM toys and stuff so I can encourage him to not be an English major in the future. It was a huge accomplishment for my family to have someone go to and graduate from college. My hope is to have my son do better and have a better life than the pretty good one I have for myself.

I'm also pretty toasty right now. Eggnog with rum and bourbon will do that. Three glasses will definitely do it.

[Pete]

For anyone who's interested, baby boy was born on Wednesday Feb 10! He and the wife are both doing great!

Sleep is sort of a thing

[Yoko]

Congrats, Pete!

Sleep will quickly stop being a thing soon enough, but there might be ways to manage that.

My colleague and his wife were blessed with twins last December. They mentioned it was rough at the start, and the wife brought up the idea to kinda take shifts for feedings and whatever. The goal was to give the other person a break rather than burn them both out.

Eventually you two will find your groove. I have faith you'll make a fine father.

[Pete]

I've seen so many different shades of green poop. I didn't even know some colors existed. Quite frankly, I'm impressed.

Otherwise, things are going well!

[Yoko]

Glad to hear that!

[Taco-Calamitous]

Glad to hear that!

About green poop?

[Yoko]

About green poop?

Yeah, totally. It means they're healthy or something.

Aren't you glad, too?

[Pete]

Well now that you're all asking about poop.

The first few poops look kinda yellow and gritty. Almost like you had a diet entirely of cashews and popcorn for a few days, mostly because of amniotic fluid.

Then it changes color for a brownish poop as the remnants of the fluid mix with the green of the formula poops.

Formula poops are various shades of green and are like a warm milkshake in consistency.

Now factor in a wiggling, screaming baby. Things get messy.

Wouldn't trade him for anything though.

[Yoko]

Thanks for explaining that. I feel much better with that kinda knowledge.

How's the wife keeping? Was she able to take the year off from work?

[Pete]

She's doing great. She's great with the baby and finally able to stay driving again and generally doing things. She also just got her second dose of the rona vaccine, so she's itching to start doing things like we did before the world went crazy.

A year off? You silly Canadians and your logical and fair practices.

She gets eight weeks off through her job, and is allowed another six weeks off from her union, so she'll have to go back to work in May. Luckily she's a teacher, and gets the summer off. I'll wind up taking paid family leave for the time she goes back until her summer break.

She actually worked until literally her due date, because she's been working from home and teaching remotely since last March.

[Meier Link]

Pics or it didnt happen and I am not talking about poop.

[Taco-Calamitous]

Yeah, totally. It means they're healthy or something.

Aren't you glad, too?

When you put it that way, yeah.

Hope all's well in Peteland still with the babby and all.

[Musashiden]

Well this is a hell of a thing to come back to find out

Congrats man

[RamesesII]

Belated gratz , happy and healthy and still going strong I hope

[HUNK]

Super late as well but big congrats Pater Familius!

An NCO I had told me: "No one's ever really ready for having kids." Based on things you've advised me about and insights you have I'm sure you're an excellent dad.

Massive congratulations though, its a huge step in life for sure

[Pete]

Thanks man!

Your NCO couldn't be more right. I knew it was going to be a huge change, but wow.

Little guy is almost a year old, which is even more mind blowing. It feels like just yesterday that my wife told me she was pregnant. When I made the comment that he's officially been out in the world longer than he's been in my wife, she started crying because time is flying.

I wouldn't change a thing. Except for maybe getting hand foot and mouth disease from him. That absolutely sucked.