“…And she grew,
and grew,
and grew!”
Cody's reaction upon finding out he was going to be a father.
-I was scared and nervous and also worried. I wasn't sure what to do and I felt I wasn't ready to be a dad. I didn't feel I was old enough, but on the same day the feeling of excitement set in. I thought about teaching my child how to skate, ride a bike, and thought about being able to play with my child. I thought about how I was going to have to rediscover everything in life, except this time I was going to be the one teaching and showing my child how and why things are the way they are.
Cody's thoughts about the baby's gender.
-At first I wanted a boy. The thought of having a girl horrified me because when she would grow up I would have to deal with boys liking her and wanting to date her. But the more I wanted a boy the more I felt it was going to be a girl in spite of that. As time went on I began to realize how much I might enjoy having a "Daddy's girl" because I enjoyed being around my younger cousin, Leah. I had fun helping her when she was little. Overall I just wanted my child to be healthy, boy or girl.
It's a BOY!
-I realized how excited I was about having a boy. I wanted to be able to do the same sort of things I did growing up with my son.
Cody's Reflection on 'The Day at the Hospital'.
-Being at the hospital was actually a fun experience. It felt like a holiday- For 26 hours the whole family was waiting for Elijah's arrival. We were all together. When he finally did come, I couldn't breathe. It was scary because the cord was wrapped around his neck and he wasn't breathing at first. I didn't know what to think. It was the scariest 26 seconds of my life. I was a little disappointed I didn't get to cut the cord, but I understand because the nurses had to take him immediately to ensure he was going to be okay.
Do you feel like a Dad?
-I don't really feel like a dad yet. I still feel too young to be a father, but mainly because I feel I have an unrealistic idea of what parenting is like. I've heard all of these horror stories of parenting, a screaming baby and sleepless nights. That isn't the case with Elijah. He sleeps through most of the night, he is a good baby and happy ALL the time. I'm not living those horror stories I've heard about. I feel like when he can actually call me 'Dada', the feeling will sink in.
What is your overall feeling about Parenthood?
-It has changed the way I think about everything. It isn't about me anymore. But overall, I feel happiness and much more responsibility than before. I have responsibility to not only provide for him financially but also morally. He is going to want to be just like me which is a lot of pressure. He makes me want to be a better person so he has a good role model and father.
-I was scared and nervous and also worried. I wasn't sure what to do and I felt I wasn't ready to be a dad. I didn't feel I was old enough, but on the same day the feeling of excitement set in. I thought about teaching my child how to skate, ride a bike, and thought about being able to play with my child. I thought about how I was going to have to rediscover everything in life, except this time I was going to be the one teaching and showing my child how and why things are the way they are.
Cody's thoughts about the baby's gender.
-At first I wanted a boy. The thought of having a girl horrified me because when she would grow up I would have to deal with boys liking her and wanting to date her. But the more I wanted a boy the more I felt it was going to be a girl in spite of that. As time went on I began to realize how much I might enjoy having a "Daddy's girl" because I enjoyed being around my younger cousin, Leah. I had fun helping her when she was little. Overall I just wanted my child to be healthy, boy or girl.
It's a BOY!
-I realized how excited I was about having a boy. I wanted to be able to do the same sort of things I did growing up with my son.
Cody's Reflection on 'The Day at the Hospital'.
-Being at the hospital was actually a fun experience. It felt like a holiday- For 26 hours the whole family was waiting for Elijah's arrival. We were all together. When he finally did come, I couldn't breathe. It was scary because the cord was wrapped around his neck and he wasn't breathing at first. I didn't know what to think. It was the scariest 26 seconds of my life. I was a little disappointed I didn't get to cut the cord, but I understand because the nurses had to take him immediately to ensure he was going to be okay.
Do you feel like a Dad?
-I don't really feel like a dad yet. I still feel too young to be a father, but mainly because I feel I have an unrealistic idea of what parenting is like. I've heard all of these horror stories of parenting, a screaming baby and sleepless nights. That isn't the case with Elijah. He sleeps through most of the night, he is a good baby and happy ALL the time. I'm not living those horror stories I've heard about. I feel like when he can actually call me 'Dada', the feeling will sink in.
What is your overall feeling about Parenthood?
-It has changed the way I think about everything. It isn't about me anymore. But overall, I feel happiness and much more responsibility than before. I have responsibility to not only provide for him financially but also morally. He is going to want to be just like me which is a lot of pressure. He makes me want to be a better person so he has a good role model and father.