What Will Day 1 Be Like?

I was wondering this morning exactly what it will feel like once the baby actually arrives. You hear people describe it - but I'm sure it's something that you just can't understand until it's happened. I'm wondering how I'll handle it. In a lot of ways I still feel like a little kid myself. Am I actually allowed to take care of a little miniature human? And am I qualified?

Then, I realize I'm 35 (yeesh). My brother already had all 4 daughters by the time he was my age. When my dad was my age, my brother and I were 11 and 8 for crying out loud. I really can't imagine that. I mean, I remember my dad back then. To think I can remember my dad when he was younger than I am now is a strange thing. He sure seemed to know what he was doing. My kid will look at me sitting around, typing on a computer in my shorts and wonder what he/she got themself into. I think maybe men matured earlier back then. When my Dad was 20-21, he was half way around the world fighting a war. When I was 20-21 I was goofing of in Introduction to Business class, playing video games, and eating 99 cent cheeseburgers at midnight.

The whole thought process makes you take inventory. I'm not all that worried about being a decent parent. But you have to ask yourself if you have all those skills you need, all the knowledge you need to be a really good parent. The kind that can drop their kid off at college 18 years later and know that they've given them the best possible preparation for life.

Somebody remind me to ask my parents if they knew all of this stuff when they started, or if they made it up as they went along. I mean, they had to figure it all out at some point for me to turn out as good as I have..... : )