The Love of the Father [BabyDaddy Day 30]

"So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." -Jesus

With Obi in my life, I feel like I understand our Heavenly Father's love so much more. Obi can poop his socks, scream for hours, and one smile is all it takes for me to forget all of it. I don't desire anything bad for him. I want only good things for him. How much more, indeed, does our Heavenly Father want good things for us. 

Anything he does, fascinates me. I long for a deep relationship with him. I long for a friendship with him where we communicate with words instead of cries. I long to share all my joys and passions with him. I long to change the world with him. 

My greatest joy will be seeing him experience great joy. We have so many misconceptions concerning our Heavenly Father. He's angry. He's ready to pour out His wrath at a moment's notice. I'm so glad Jesus taught us to address our God in Heaven as Father. What I'm feeling raised to the level of God can be nothing less than extravagant, graceful beautiful love. However,  I realize my feelings for Obi are nothing compared to God's feelings for us--for you. 

I understand a little more why God has every hair on our heads counted. I understand a little more why God lavishes us with amazing gifts. These are things I want to do for Obadiah--it's just part of being a father. 

This child is a gift if only for the chance to see another perspective of the love of God, my Father. 

My feelings for Obi breed so much security in me that God loves us more than we realize. 

- Pradeepan

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It takes a village [BabyDaddy Day 29]

Sitting on the couch with my wife while a friend cleans our house is very uncomfortable. Watching others fold my underwear is more uncomfortable. Having my, recovering from c-section, wife take care of me while I'm sick four days in bed is even more uncomfortable.

Receiving love is uncomfortable. Many times, I felt embarassed, emasculated and guilty. 

As a pastor, I'm used to loving others. Receiving love from our friends, family and perfect strangers these past 6 weeks is one of the most beautiful and humbling things I've ever experienced. I kept thinking, I should be able to take care of myself. 

However, I wasn't strong enough to handle this past month. I needed help and help came. 

• Friends and family spent weeks and nights with us so we could sleep
• We didn't prepare our own food for over a month 
• Moms, with their own children, came to our house
• Free babysitting
• We got so many gifts
• We got several letters and calls of encouragement
• People read my blog
• People pretended to like my blog

It truly took a village to get us this far. 

Thank you everyone for your kindness and generosity. We couldn't have done this without you. 

Amreitha and I are more able to love Obi because you've loved us. 

Keeping me Active [BabyDaddy Day 28]

Babies are nature's free weights. 

Whereas I used to be sore after holding a baby 30 minutes, I can carry him for hours without breaking a sweat now. Three days ago, I brought him to the mall and forgot a stroller. I carried him around, and watched my muscles grow--my body is going from glory to glory. 

Before Obi, I could be as lazy as I wanted. I could watch movie marathons, read books all day, and other human activities. These days it almost takes more work to be lazy. Watching Netflix now means pausing the show at least every 4 minutes. You just kind of keep pushing through hoping you don't collapse--always moving, always wondering what to do next. As soon as I sit down, I'm up again.

• Obi likes being lifted up and down continually for great lengths of time. 
• Obi loves it when I walk around with him (this is great for my fitbit pedometer)
• Obi loves it when I am tired and getting more and more exhausted and hating life

A great benefit is all these activities are great for fitness. Having a child is keeping me young and healthy. Yesterday, I walked 13,000 steps.

Now instead of paying for my planet fitness membership and not exercising at all with it, I'm paying for my membership and getting exercise at home. 

Parents, have you found ways to be lazy while taking care of a baby? 

Projectile Vomit [BabyDaddy Day 27]

Yesterday, I held Obi upside down and he peed on both of us. My prayer is this is not a taste of things to come (not that I tasted it) in the realm of vomit.  

In public, I hold Obi facing away from me. Why? Because I don't want him to spit up on me. I especially don't want him to projectile vomit on me. 

Wherever I rest his face, the burp rag disappears and a white milky wet stain appears. I fear how he may level up into projectile vomit territory. 

Now, if I face him, get him in a nice outfit or hold him upside-down, I'm afraid of what he's going to produce. I fear my son. I'm already imagining holding him upside down, playing airplane with my mouth open and receiving his food like a baby bird. 

When and if that day comes, I don't know how to train him to stop.

Spitting in his face?

Making him eat whatever he spits up?

Rubbing his nose in it? 

Obi, just be a spitting image of me instead of spitting on my image, so I don't have do anything weird. Thanks. 

What's your spit up or vomit baby story? Leave a comment--that's half the fun of this blog!

Dad Brain [BabyDaddy Day 26]

I've heard of mommy brain. Running around forgetting things, saying words out of order, crying at a moments notice--mommy brain. 

I did not, however, know about daddy brain.

Today, I took 5 trips to buy food for Easter lunch. Round 1 meant going to 3 different groceries stores. During this time, Obadiah got a little fussy, and I tried my best to calm him down (see the blog about being embarrassed about my son). I hate grocery shopping--add a crying baby to the mix and it's pretty horrible. 

Finally, I get home and I realize I only bought 1 out of the 9 things I needed. 

I go back to the grocery stores, forget more stuff. Turn around, buy more stuff. Realize I can't get it at the store I'm at, so I go to another grocery store and can't find everything I need. 

By the end of the night, it got so bad, I ended up making my own pomegranate molasses at 10pm--daddy brain.

I feel like my brain is not fully functioning during the one time in my life i've been entrusted to take care of an entirely vulnerable human life. I feel like I'm thinking slow as molasses and tonight proved it. 

Have you had mommy or daddy brain before?

Diaper Blowout [BabyDaddy Day 25]

There's no good way to clean poop out of socks--another lesson I never wanted to learn. 

Who poops so hard socks get dirty? My son.

We took Obi to the mall after attending a good friday service today. Wearing our church best, Obi and I looked exceptionally good. Even in front of my wife, female strangers literally swooned. 

More for Obi than me. 

All the time girls swooned over him, he had a little smirk on his face. In the midst of a new environment, chaotic noise and bright lights, Obi seemed calm--a little too calm.

The calmness turned to crying and crying turned to crapping his pants (and socks).

For the first time, I took Obi to the family bathroom and placed him on the changing table. I opened his diaper, and witnessed a grieving amount of poop. 

It was everywhere. Leaking through his diaper, in and down the pant legs, filling his socks. I even smelled it in his hair. 

Obi spent the rest of his time at the mall without pants. 

Have your kids ever had significant poops?