Looks like I gone and done it this time...

[Thor Von Clemson]

So I was sitting at Dave and Buster's for our company work party. My boss took the operations department out for lunch because of good performance, and he gave us a half day off... I was pretty stoked, and although I would have liked to have gone somewhere else, we ended up going to Dave and Buster's.

After a meeting with the rest of the Ops department, we ate lunch and decided to play some games. I tried many games, including Madden 08 against my boss, House of the Dead 4 (we all played in this one... it was quite fun until those damn Zombies starting eating us...), and some tennis game in which I wooped everyone's butt.

I was in a pretty good mood..It was a great way to end the week. Work was going well, I am almost done with another semester of school, I finally got back into guitar playing a style of music I can play without get frustrated, and life was good...

Back to tennis; I was pretty confident in my arcade tennis skillz after beating everyone so I decided to try my band in a tournament against the computer. I kicked the first guy's butt and thats when the fun started...

My wife called me. I was not planning on answering any calls but I hit the talk button and I did not want to hang up on her so I decided to talk to her. She was hysterical.. She told me that she decided to take one of those pee on the stick tests because of some symptoms she'd been recently having that I have apparently been oblivious to. When the first one came back positive, she took another one which turned positive right away. Her friend, who is a nurse, was on her way to our house because they were going to go shopping. Her nurse friend explained that the tests that she took are the same ones they use in the hospital. My wife then called and spoke with another nurse who basically said the same things. I told her to buy another test of a different brand and to wait until I got home to take it.

I scurried home as fast as I could and she was waiting for me in the driveway. We ran inside, she took the test, and soon after it came back positive... at this point I started freaking out. I understand how one of those tests could be wrong but three??

So thats it... in 9 months it looks like we will have a little one. I am basically thinking to myself, "what do I do now"? It was something we were not necessarily preventing so I was thinking it would happen any day but man I am still in shock. Its amazing how fast your priorities change. My dad told me I can't do everything in one night and I really need to relax and enjoy it; taking it ne day at a time. I worry about stuff a lot but I have been more worrysome inthe last 24 hours than I think I've ever been. That is something I will have to work on.

We went out last night for dinner and talked about it a lot. We both make decent money but she makes A LOT more than I do. We were planning on finishing our basement, buying big flashy tv's, etc but now every penny that we were going to spend is going into savings for when my wife is not working. I am not too concerned about money at this point as long as I work at my current job.

I... just.. man I am just in shock.. What do I do? I am very excited but I am completely overwhelmed.

Thanks for listening.

[neilli]

First off congratulations!

Secondly: If she earns "A LOT more" than you do, why not have her go back to work after the maternity leave finishes, and you look after the kid? Or both of you work part time if that's an option....

[Thor Von Clemson]

I get the benefits from my job so I would need to stay at my current position. I am going to school and I will get the majority of it done before the baby is born but we may have 6-12 months where I need to finish my schooling. Once I am done, with my job experience and my schooling she is not going to have to work at all if she does not want to. She probably still do so but thats her decision. It might be good for her to get out of the house.

We basically need to set aside funds for at least a few months of her not working... honestly right now it is not a big deal to me.

[~K~]

1) Congrat's big time
2) Relax and breathe, it's a lifelong commitment and while it can be tough it's very rewarding. The bottom line is everything happens over time and not just in the moment like you're currently feeling
3) Enjoy it because it the broad sense of terms 18 yrs seems to go quickly
4) Understand that you will be fine, as a parent you don't always have all the answers but trust me, you'll do what needs to be done it just seems to fall into place and you make it work..

I had my daughter at the age of 19. Hardly equipped to handle being an adult let alone a parent. The bottom line is that I made it work. It wasn't always easy but it was worth it... now I have a beautiful grandaughter.


Again congrats .. you'll be fine

[IrfaanSE801]

Congrats man! I'm sorry, I have no real advice to give because I'm not even close to being in that same situation, but it's a great thing. With the way things seem to be going it sounds like everything is going to be ok and all. Good luck to you guys!

[Argos]

But the real question is: did you win the tennis tournament?

[Thor Von Clemson]

oh crap I completely forgot...

After womping the first opponent and having my wife call me, I completely lost focus on the tennis tournament and totally got schooled by the second opponent..

[danastas]

If only I'd known that having a kid was this much fn, I would have tried to have one sooner. I'm 39 and my kid turned 1 this summer. It's great. Congratulations, and make sure you catch up on sleep before the kid's born. Those first 6 months are a bear. But then it's gravy.

[Bengal]

Congrats!

Don't sweat it. It's more fun than you can imagine right now...

[emperor_black]

Dont worry man, I freaked out too when my wife became pregnant. Now, I am more than happy to see my kid running around me every day. Its worth all the pain it takes to raise a child.

[fett]

I guess it is to late to suggest you keep it your pocket. Congrats.

[shreddermon]

If you both make decent money, don't sweat the coin. Sounds like you're just overwhelmed by the thought of it all. If you think that's bad, wait to you experience the infant stage with crying, no sleep, poop, and so on.

Seriously, having kids is the coolest thing we can experience as human beings. Bar none. Stop worrying too much about the future, and take it one day at a time. I know that's easier said than done, but really try to just focus on the moment and not get too wrapped up in "the plans" for what's to come. You can't plan for everything, and it will all work out in the end anyway.

Congrats!

[Shawn Lutz]

Congratulations! Havng a child certainly puts life into perspective. All your priorities change for the better. Being a father is the single most rewarding thing and at the same the most nerve wrecking thing known to man

As Kev said, really enjoy it because as cliche as it sounds they really do grow up way too fast. My oldest boy is now 13 will start 8th grade soon...time flys when you are having fun

being a worry wort will make you a good father. I worry about my sons all the time. I'm not over protected, as long as they stay on the straight and narrow I give them all the freedom they need and as long as i know where they are at, who they are with and what they'll be doing and they have their cell phones with them.

Also dont worry too much about money...your kid wont care how much you have just as long as you are together. We made the decision that once we had kids we'd tough it out and my wife would be a stay at home mom while I work. If my wife could mak what I make I woudl be a stay at home dad. Put you children first in everything you do

[Spivonious]

Congrats man!!! Don't sweat it; my nephew and niece are the greatest kids on the planet, even if my niece hates men (she's 2 and gives every man except her father the death glare). You already have the right ideas - save money where you can and you'll be fine.