THANKS. (An Open Letter to Parents)

Archive, Fatherhood

My earliest memory is moving into the home I’d eventually grow up in. I was probably two, maybe three. I remember the kitchen counters being as tall as the Eiffel Tower and I remember the backyard was dirt.

That’s it. My earliest memory and that’s all I remember.

I don’t remember my mom or dad. I don’t remember diapers or teething. From age zero to age four, I don’t remember anything.

This is nothing shy of a tragedy. I understand that now. I understand that the hardest years of my parents’ life were the ones I don’t remember. At all.

So, Mom and Dad, accept this as a belated thank you. Because I understand now what you went through and it deserves recognition (albeit 32 years late).

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Spoiler Alert: Being a Father Doesn’t Change You

Archive, Fatherhood

Before having a child, I had a lot of questions.

What will she look like? 

Will she be healthy? 

How will my wife handle labor? 

Who will I become?

Dogs & Kids: Is it Fair to Compare?

Archive, Benson, Conception, Fatherhood, Pregnancy

I was always a little awkward around dogs. With their slobber and farts and fur loss. Always jumping and licking. Always staring at you with those helpless eyes. What did they want from me? I could never tell.

It’s a…Girl? When Gender Reveals Go Wrong.

Archive, Conception, Fatherhood, Man Stuff, Pregnancy

Gender reveals. It’s a pregnancy milestone. One that you spend countless hours wondering about. The ultrasound date nears, the anticipation grows. You make plans around it. A gender reveal party. A carefully crafted social media post. And however it happens, it all boils down to a singular moment. That moment you open the envelope. That moment you cut the gender cake or those colored balloons rise from out a big box. It’s a moment you can’t recreate. A moment that stays with you forever.

Yeah, it’s supposed to be like that. Except when it’s not. Take ours, for instance. Ours…malfunctioned.

Let me explain.

Gender Reveal

Archive, Conception, Fatherhood, Pregnancy
gender reveal

It’s a Girl.