Guest Blog: Dad’s P.O.V.

Hello, Dad2Miles, a.k.a. “C.” here. I just returned from a four-day conference for work. No, it was not forever but my wife was acting like I was leaving her to reunite with my secret “other family” in Tallahassee. Before I left she was asking me questions like “What happens if the plane goes down? What will happen to Miles and me if you get killed?” Out of frustration I replied, “Well, for starters you guys get to live, while I’m apparently doomed to a fiery death.”

Don’t get me wrong. I love my job and occasionally I have to travel for work, but sometimes I think my wife has a distorted view of reality. So I thought I’d give you a brief glimpse from Dad’s point of view, which I think is important to telling the whole story.

Oh, and by the way -- as it turned out, my wife’s visions of me gallivanting on a tropical beach somewhere with blonde bikini-clad sales professionals was pretty off-base. The reality of the situation was that I had to go to Albany for a sales conference during the height of the heaviest snowstorm of the season. A train, a plane, an automobile and 15 hours later I arrived. I won’t bore you with the details of my horrible trip as I’d rather use this rare opportunity to share with you A Day in the Life of Dad2Miles.

I’ll begin by stating that I, too, love being with our son, and contrary to the tone of this blog at times, I enjoy taking care of Miles. I am hoping maybe a play-by-play of a typical day from my POV might help people understand what a Dad like me goes through.

12:30 a.m.: Dad wakes up fearing for his life as sleeping Mom frantically attempts to push him off the bed. The baby is not currently in our bed, however, making it impossible for Dad to have rolled over onto baby. Dad’s cry for help awakens the baby.

12:45 a.m.: Dad goes to baby’s room to rock him back to sleep. Dad’s heart rate returns to normal and he falls asleep in baby’s room with baby on chest.

2:30 a.m.: Dad places sleeping baby back in crib and attempts to return to bed. Dad finds that Mom has now commandeered entire bed. Dad, dejected, retreats to guest bed.

7:45 a.m.: Dad is awakened by daylight and the sight of squinting Mom who is holding wet crying baby while telling him that he is going to be late for work. Dad takes wet crying baby and scrambles to get ready for work. Dad strategically places baby in high chair with some cereal to finger while Dad gets dressed.

7:55 a.m.: Dad returns the changed and fed baby to Mom in bed as he attempts to exit the house in disheveled clothes. Sleep deprived, frazzled wife pleads for Dad to take the day off; Dad ignores pleas and is able to escape the house.

10:30 a.m.: Dad receives phone call at work from Mom with yelling baby in background. She is wondering why he hasn’t called to check in yet. Dad has no acceptable excuse.

11:30 a.m.: Dad receives second phone call from Mom at home, this time it’s an emergency. Mom needs help and medical advice as baby has just successfully peed in his own face. Dad calms down Mom and assures her that men have been doing similar things for hundreds of years and that baby will be OK.

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Drained from his day, Dad races home, sees baby being held out of the front door as he comes up the walk. Dad takes baby, plays with baby, feeds baby and puts baby to bed.

11:00 p.m.: Dad joins Mom in bed. He ties bed sheet around his waist to anchor himself in for another night.