Here’s a little anecdote about Jessi’a grandma that I wrote while we were driving to her funeral. I hope that people will celebrate the good times when I’m dead and gone. I’d like my funeral to be more of an after party – an after life party if you will 🙂

This may seem like an outsider’s perspective, as I have no blood relationship with Nancy Vandegrift. But my wife Jessi was close to her, and because of that I was able to get to know Nancy through their closeness.

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Research shows that humans like variety. But we also relish the routine. It’s sometimes good to have a regular schedule so we can “get into a groove.” This goes for children and adults alike. While I enjoy the occasional personal day off, sometimes I wish I could just escape the constant barrage of wind chill, blizzards, partially recognized holidays, influenza, and streptococcus that this season has wrought upon us.

Sometimes I just want a normal 5 day work week (or two) to get s#*t done.

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Imagine  a sleep deprived mother who has just managed to put an upset baby to sleep. A moment later, her husband comes home, bringing some rowdy friends. The careful soothing was for all-for-not, the baby is woken up.

I can’t say if I’ve done this before. But certainly every new parent, father or mother, has experienced the frustration of someone waking their baby too early. Sometimes you may accidentally wake the baby yourself. It is a guilty feeling, soon followed by regret and self-loathing.

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A quick Google of “when to have a baby” will turn up tons of articles written for women, by women. From Women’s Day and Parent’s magazine, they offer plenty of recommendations and reassurances to those who have had kids earlier and later in life. So why is there none written for men? Because we don’t need it. Or do we?

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When I started writing regularly, I thought much of my content would relate to what it’s like working at home, part time, with kids at home. My oldest has been in daycare for the last two years, so it’s been easy-street as far as working from home is concerned. This changed recently when my daughter was born, and more importantly, when my wife returned to work. So it’s time to revisit what it’s like having a newborn at home.

I’ve discussed sleep deprivation before in regards to the 24hr Website Challenge. Sleep is an important thing to me and I can’t stress this enough: nothing can prepare you for the sleep deprivation you’ll experience with a newborn baby.
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