Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Day 1 - The Golden Ticket

As you all know by now, yesterday was my last day at work, thus making today my first full day as a SAHD.  Oh what a day it has been!

To begin, let me talk about how nervous I was going into today.  What if I did something wrong?  What if my son missed his mom too much?  What if I was overwhelmingly bored?  What if, after one day, I determined I just could not handle it and realized I made a huge mistake quitting my job?  What if, what if, what if???  Well, after one day, my fears are largely relieved.

My son woke up just after my wife left for work (check out her new blog), around 7:15.  Thankfully, he calmly played in his crib for a few minutes while I brushed my teeth and otherwise got ready for the day.  I then fed him some breakfast and took him on a walk around our apartment complex.  By 10:00 a.m., he was exhausted, and ready for a nap.  He then proceeded to sleep for TWO HOURS.  Thankfully, I sure do enjoy the Price is Right. 

By the time my son woke up, the day was half over, and I was rolling.  I then had an attorney friend over for lunch, and the baby enjoyed the attention.  The day was going great.

Feeling much more confident, the baby and I went out to run some errands, and that was when it hit me:  Having a baby with you, especially a cute and friendly one, is like having a Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory... on steroids.

One of our stops was the U.S. Cellular store.  While I readily admit U.S. Cellular generally does a great job, especially in customer service, the service on this visit was amazing.  Although I only needed a slight bill adjustment and small modification to my phone, I had FOUR customer service representatives helping me.  They opened doors, they smiled and entertained the baby, and most importantly, they somewhat ignored other customers while I was there (ok, maybe not ignored, but I guarantee you they were not giving those customers the same service I was receiving).  It was like I was a rockstar and they were my groupies. In the past, I've noticed people being extra nice when I am out with my wife and child, but it is not quite the same when we are all out together.  The treatment today was simply incredible.

After we returned home, my son fell asleep for another TWO HOUR nap, and by the time he woke up, my wife was on her way home.  I had more energy this evening than I have had in years, and so we went for a jog as a family.  It was a great way to end a great first day. 

All in all, I really enjoyed the day, and it made me confident I can do this again.  I know not all days will be this easy, and some will be downright challenging, but I am more confident than ever that I can handle this for awhile longer.

I think tomorrow the baby and I will visit a bank.  In light of our treatment at U.S. Cellular today, I'm hoping they will just throw money at us.  It never hurts to try, right?

P.S.  Do not, and I repeat, do not take your child out for a walk, even at 9:00 a.m., without sunscreen.  If you do, your wife will come home in the evening and wonder why your child's cheeks are cherry-colored.

P.P.S.  Do fathers really know best?  The Today Show thinks so.

2 comments:

  1. Way to go! Can't wait to hear about all of your adventures. And we'd love to see the three of you the next time you're in Chicago!

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  2. Good deal. You've got your feet wet now, you know that social services isn't going to show up just because you are in charge. Now supercharge it! You have the unique opportunity to do anything that you want, most days.

    Go to an art museum. The kid won't care, he'll just be happy to go out. And chances are he'll like all the colors. You get some mental stimulation and he gets to go on an adventure. That and you get to try your skills at "Dear god don't touch that!"

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