Nix - that's a wonderful memory! Same deal with me--I remember crying holding my son and cutting the cord. Also remember the whacked out female Russian anesthesiologist revealing the sex to me: "You want to know sex? OK, I tell you--it is boy." (thickest Russian accent you've ever heard). LOL! Going out to the waiting area and telling the whole family was awesome too! Best day of my life, man..

Crush said it -- it's going by like lightning. Treasure every moment!

lol @enyseeds

Married off my 24 year old son this winter and my baby girl just graduated college. Little Nalodette will be joining the media as an on air reporter for an NBC affiliate on the East coast.
I miss my kids at those various ages. No regrets, I spend a lot of time at home, traveled minimally and was always involved day to day. They drive you crazy at the time but those moments that make you smile are what you remember and take with you always. Happy to have them as independent, engaged in their lives, and well adjusted adults moving forward. got one 90 minutes away, and the other 3 hours. This weekend we will all get to the beach house with significant others and enjoy 3 days of time together. It gets harder as they are busier and have their own lives, including own recreational time they need outside the family.

Kids are like expiration on milk bottles, stay too long and it gets sour. Im lucky both went off to school and did well enough to launch well. That's all good, but when I walk by the pictures of them at various young ages its easy to get melancholy about time passed and how precious this life is. Im 55, still a lot left in the tank and left to experience, but the greatest role in life has been that as a parent and husband. Its not for everyone so I don't advocate as such.

My kids did not become professional athletes although they both excelled at their respected sports and we fulfilled our goal of it being an activity to keep them out of trouble and growth of self esteem. The plaques and awards are all boxed up now as the benchmarks changed. Now they have their own domiciles and walls to fill.

Parenthood is a long journey with many stops and infinite destinations. My advice is to spend as much time "being there" as you can. Eat as many meals together. The best moments are never planned, they just evolve. Sometimes at dinner a child will get sick and vomit. If your there, you can comfort them, help clean up, and provide the needs to cure. If your there, the conversation might turn silly and your all laughing your heads off creating a great meal. Its never about food, its about routine and the growth your culture. Oh, and never argue at the table. Just manage it so its done afterwards. The dinner table is a place of refuge and a place of peaceful gathering. If its a place for confrontation you'll lose.

WWCD.......What would clint do? My Movie hero growing up was Clint Eastwood. Clint would never yell or lose his cool. As a parent, if you yell, your losing. There are many techniques to help with this and books on it. Uncle Nalod didn't write the book, but I read them. In time you develop your own values and as long as you and partner are on the same page, life is easier. When not, work to get there.