Advice from the Dads.

Rockfish is doing it right ..his kid shares PBJ sandwiches 

Aww, thanks
Henry really likes his Uncle Vic
and for some reason he really digs Uncle Aerial as well, though he doesn't buy the "uncle" part 

Plenty of good advice. Your life will definitely change. Poop status reports will become a regular topic of conversations. As others have said, it's all about patience, being there, and letting him or her know you care. When they won't stop crying or have a tantrum, you just have to take deep breaths and remain calm. Sometimes that is not easy. When you come home tired from work they will immediately want you to play hide and seek or to read them a book. This little person is basically YOU with an empty slate. You are forming everything they will become. You play hide and seek for the 50th time with the same exact hiding spots and are amazed at how much joy they find in being with you. What happens between you and your child in the early years can't be replicated or replaced, whereas you can always find another day to go fishing. It's taxing, but even better than fishing.

A simple but important reminder especially as they get a little older, don't forget you'll be teaching by example, always, 100% of the time. 

Congrats on the little one, and thanks for the memories that this thread has brought up.

Well mama is 24 hours into a so far uneventful labor and is holding strong.

They're trying to speed up the process and it seems to be working, slowly but surely.

I just keep letting her know we got this and making her comfortable.

Gadddd dayum!  Get some shuteye and chow whenever you can, like right now.  you gonna need it!  hang in there

Get ready for one of the most wonderful, miraculous things you will ever have happen in your lives!  I have two boys.  14 and 8.  I will never forget the incredible love that filled me when I saw my sons born.  It still fills me.  You will be fine.  I was scared, still am as they grow, learn, and change.  But the love we are gifted when our children are born carries us and makes us strong for them.
 
Lots of wise advice in this thread.  Don't forget to read it again in a few weeks.  Maybe print a copy to share with your boy when he is older.  It's a great example of the good you want for him and your family.  It also serves to show the good people who are out here in the world to help.

Finally, I think all will agree, "Welcome to the madness" isn't just for kayak fishing, most likely came from a couple of new parents!! Enjoy the ride!

After 36 hours mama finally decided to take the pain meds.

She's resting now, hopefully have a baby today!

I'm lucky to have such a badass woman as the mother of my child.

I hope all turned out well, welcome to the Awesome Dads Club!!

72 hours later he was born.

He had some trouble breathing after birth. They made the call to transport him to the nicu immediately and I had to follow the nurses with the baby and leave my lady behind. I've never felt so distraught in my life.

I felt helpless, and was trying my best to hold it together. How I did, I'll never know. I just kept talking to him, and once he was stable just rubbed his little head.

He is doing very well now. If all the rest of his tests go well, he'll come home tomorrow.

Little Elijah
8lbs 4oz
Born 8/17 at 3:27pm

Scariest and happiest day of my life.

Yay!!!

congrats bro, from a nicu dad.  Watch out on the bottle feeding, tho.  Those bottles/nips are optimized for fluid delivery and outperform mom's natural apparatus.  Once on the bottle, its like damn near impossible to him back on the boobies.  at least that was my kid's experience.

have them walk you through that before you consent to bottle feed in the NICU.  I regretted it big time, but hopefully no such probs for lil Elijah

Nice!

I spent 3 days in the NICU with my youngest.  btdt, you could never tell now.  Congrats papa!

Luckily our doctor is a cool guy and is letting mama breastfeed.

We tried supplementing with formulw and he just threw it up so that's that

Great news.

Congrats!!!
Thats a beautiful boy there!