It is true that life definitely changes when you have a baby. Prior to actually birthing your baby you are showered with items you need, prepare the nursery, talk to your family about welcoming your new little one, and begin to mentally prepare yourself (and husband) as you try to imagine how life will change.
Prior to our son being born I would ask my husband if he was ready for Gardner's arrival. His response was, "Not really, but I guess I can't stop it now." He always has a sense of humor. He wasn't wrong, baby Gardner was going to arrive whether or not he was ready. That response was the best I was going to get from Jerry. I don't think that any parent is ever prepared, especially not for your first child, and Jerry and I were no exception.
When I finally went to the hospital to give birth to Gardner, Jerry was calm and collected. He was very supportive during delivery. It wasn't until later that I found out the truth when he confessed:
“You were pushing, and I still wasn’t ready to be a dad. I was terrified!”
How could that be possible? Here I am pushing out a baby, bringing life to this world, and in his mind, he's thinking, "I'm not ready for this." He better get ready quick because the time had come!
Moms and dads alike have this fear I think. The difference with my husband? He's not afraid to tell you, and I think parents everywhere can appreciate his sentiment. As usual, it makes for a good blog post.
We are about 5 weeks from due date for the birth of our little girl. I asked Jerry recently if he's ready for baby number 2. This time his response was much more confident. "Definitely," he said, "I know it will be different, but I have a better idea of what life with a baby will be like. I feel much more prepared than this time around."
Thank goodness for that!