Five Skills Parents Have That Non-Parents Don't Have

Thought I've only been a father for six months, I'm beginning to realize that parenthood is not just about raising a kid, it's about acquiring new skills.

In other words, parents are walking around with skills that non-parents don't even know exist.  

1. We Can Do Everything Faster

Everything.*  Seriously.

2.  We Can Do Everything Quieter

We move fast (see #1) but also, silently...so we don't wake the baby.  In other words, you become part ninja when you become a parent.

3. We Can Function on Less Sleep

I mean, a tiny amount of sleep.  It's even LESS for New Moms.  In fact, I don't have anything to complain about, and non-parents have less then nothing to complain about when it comes to sleep deprivation.  LESS THAN NOTHING!!1!

4. We Can Drink You Under the Table Any Day of the Week

I mean, Monday thru Friday, beginning around 6pm - the moment that baby goes to sleep.  Sometimes a little before.

5. We Get Important Things Done

Procrastination is for chumps and/or people without a kid.

When ten minutes frees up - holy shit, I have ten free minutes? - we get things done.  Unless we want to catch up on some extra sleep.

...

And so, if you needed another reason to have a baby, you now have five.

Have a kid.  Gain more skills.

Seriously.

-ND

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* Yes, that.  And that.  And even, that.

6 Month Birthday - Milestones

Happy six-month birthday to our boy!

Yes, that's not a real birthday.  But these six months sure feel like a real year!

To celebrate, at 6pm, New Mom, baby boy, and New Dad had a small scoop of ice cream, and sang "Happy Birthday."  New Mom and New Dad then ate the ice cream.   Baby had a couple of small, small tastes.  So small, he didn't recognize what a glorious thing he was missing out on.  Sorry, boy!

Some milestones that I remember from this past month:

1. Eating solid food daily... Guess he's already eating solid food, so maybe that's not a real milestone..

2. TWO teeth - the bottom front two.  They say those are usually the first two that come in.  "They" appear to be right in this case.

3. Sits upright!  Sort of.  When he's in his soft chair, or when you prop him up.

4. Flips over on both sides. But mostly the left.  Boy, does he love rolling to his left.

5.  Makes more talking-like sounds.

6. First trip to the library.

7.  Cries out of disappointment and anger.  New Mom reminded that he used to just cry when something was wrong.  Now, he cries when being put down, when a toy is taken away, or just when he's generally disappointed with the state of the world (my theory).

8.  Diapers, size 3.  Just now transitioning...

All in all, no dramatic milestones this month, but now that we have a 6-month old, he's definitely come a long way from being a newborn.

Except in sleeping, where he's better than he first was, but not as good as he's been.

Yes, that sounds like a Paul Simon song.  That was intentional.

-ND