My Fatherhood Journey

I saw this Prompt, in the Motherhood Community. This gives dads a chance to talk about some of their experiences in their journey, and I figured today would be the best day of all to write something like that and create my entry.

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I woke up to this little gift today, it being my first Father's Day. It's a nice frame, with a picture of me and Kaleb, taken a few hours after he was born, and while I was over 24hrs without sleep. I counted it, that night when I finally slept, it was over 36hrs.

I also got this nice little hamper, which has a baby Yoda glass, keyrings, and a chocolate bar in it, as well as some of those heart-shaped chalk sweets.

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Hearing The News
I was excited upon hearing last August that my partner was pregnant and gave her a hug straight away as she told me the news. I've always wanted kids but knew I'd never plan for something like that, considering it is such a big life-changing event in someone's life.

We were ready to go and see a friend's band playing in my town, and I was out in the back garden with a friend and my dad having a beer, while I waited for my partner to arrive. She called me into my room away from the others when she got here, and to be honest, as soon as that happened, I knew, she didn't have to say anything. I think she was a bit flustered and didn't know how to tell me, so she kind of just blurted it out, and I was really happy when I heard the news.

The two of us still went down to the gig and nobody noticed that she was only drinking 7-up.

I was so excited that I told my parents and sister that weekend, and they were thrilled, and then the two of us headed to her hometown to tell her parents and brother, who were also thrilled.

Myself and my partner have been together since we were 19 and our families all get along, so there was no fear of being chased down the road by a shotgun-wielding maniac. After so many years together, I think everyone was waiting for either a baby or marriage to come along eventually.

Funny enough, my partner always wanted a baby before she was 30, and our boy arrived 1 month before she hit the big 3. 0.

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Scans
The first time we saw him was amazing. Actually putting an image of the little bump growing in her stomach was a surreal experience, to say the least. Especially seeing him kick and move.

It made it real, especially hearing a little heartbeat, which was 161 bpm, and we were delighted to hear that all was normal and well.

Here he is at the 12 weeks scan, this was the first time seeing him, and we were amazed by it. The technology of these scan machines amazes me.

Here's the little gymnast at his 20-week scan, this was when we learned the gender. Although, we wanted to be surprised at the reveal we had planned, so asked to have it written on a card for us.

Here's a 3D scan we got at 34 weeks, and it is crazy how accurate it got. This is pretty much how he looked when he was born. He covered his face, and the lady was poking my partner's stomach to make him move, and we saw his arm moving with each poke. Sadly, he was stubborn, so we went and got lunch. By the time we arrived back he wasn't covering his face and we got this picture, among others.

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Gender Reveal and Baby Shower
I had said the entire time that he was going to be a little boy, not that it mattered to me, I was happy with either gender so long as it was happy and healthy. But, we popped the balloon surrounded by family and friends, and blue confetti stuff came out.

A few months later we had a baby shower, and received so many cute little outfits and gifts, ensuring that the baby was going to be spoilt rotten before he was even born.

On my side of the family, I'm the first to have a child out of all my cousins, so of course it was a big deal for everyone. Every baby is a big deal of course, but considering he is the first of the new generation made it more so.

Here's A Post From When I First Announced The Pregnancy on Here.

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The Birth
My partner's water broke at around 12:15 AM on the 9th of April, as we were watching an episode of the Orval, which we had just gotten into. It was 12:25 AM and we made it to the hospital by 1:10 AM.

I instantly started to shake, and it just didn't seem real to me. I was prepared mentally for it, or so I thought, but when it actually came, I panicked, but did my best not to let her know I was panicking.

We were being walked through everything and looked after, while she was - at this stage - having really bad contractions, and all I could do was rub her back, and say, "everything will be okay." I felt like a pair of glasses on a blind man.

Luckily, the staff were great and the midwife had everything under control. After an epidural, my partner was pain-free and at 9 that morning, the labour started. At 10:35 he was here, and we gave him his name. It was a toss-up between Elliot and Kaleb, and the first thing I saw was his mischievous little eyes.

Two hours into his being with us, my partner said we have to choose one. I suggested Kaleb, since it was a stronger name and seemed to match his face.

I remember when I first held him, he let out a little cry and I rocked him while talking to him and instantly he stopped, and just stared at me. I know they say they can't see properly for the first few weeks, but with him, it was like he was actually looking at me.

Here's a post I wrote about, The Big Day! - a gruesome horror story, written by a petrified father. It's the real-life account of what I had to go through, while my partner selfishly laid in bed. - I got a slap for writing that... worth it.

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2 Months Later
He is the best thing to ever happen to us, me, or any of the family. Everyone loves him, and among our family and friends there is a little Kaleb fan club, the kid is famous and I laugh every time me or my partner get talking to someone we haven't seen in a while, and the first thing they say is, "How's the baby?" haha, we're pretty much invisible, but don't care.

Kaleb let out his first laugh the other day, and it was heartwarming. He smiles at the two of us when we sing stupid songs or mess around. Really, having him is so easy, and those moments of fear and panic during the pregnancy don't make sense now.

It's the best thing either of us has ever done, and being able to see him grow and develop every day is amazing. Obviously, just small things at the moment, but him giving his first smile - which wasn't wind - was amazing. His first laugh, the first time he started following us around the room with his eyes, the first time he turned when he heard our voice, and the first time he squeezed my finger, only minutes after he was born are all uncomparable to anything else in my life up until now.

Having a child is amazing, and both of us are making the most of it now, because before we know it, he'll be saying his first word, taking his first step, and then starting school. 9 months flew past, and now these 2 months have too, time flies in general.

Here's one from now my partner took, as I was writing this post. He always seems to do this kind of stuff with his hands, it's like he's plotting world domination.

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My Hopes
I hope he gets into music, not even the stuff myself or his mum likes, but something that he really enjoys. Who knows, by the time he's in his teens there'll probably be some new genre, like Psychedelic Jazz-Step, and the kids will probably love it. They won't want to hear the geezers talking about the old music.

I'd like to see him being creative, in any way, whether it's art, playing music, writing, or all of the above meshed into one. I just think creativity is a great skill, and having a hobby to turn to in those downtimes is important, and can help people out of a rut; I know it has for me.

Another thing I hope for is that he has good friends, the same as I do. I've known a lot of my mates since school, and I think it's important to have these relationships with people you've known from childhood to adulthood. I hope whoever he hangs out with is a good crowd - if he's into music or art of some kind, I'm sure the people he hangs out with, will be of a similar mind.

Also, I'm not going to be some control freak; if he and his mates get into mischief when they're older, I'm not going to try and stop them. I'd rather know that they're safe, and would rather raise him in a way that he knows he could come to me with any problem or issue, instead of being afraid of getting given out to or in trouble if he tells me stuff or asks for advice. I know he'll have manners and respect, and so long as he isn't a little bollox, it's all good. Nothing wrong with a bit of harmless fun when you're young.

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Here are two other posts, in which I update how he's coming along. I really like these little monthly updates, as it's almost like a digital baby book that I'll be able to show him and read back myself.

I think it's cool to keep record of it, as I'll always be able to read exactly what my thoughts were in that particular time period.

Four Weeks of Parenthood.

Two Months of Parenthood.