Exclusive Interview - A 4 Month Old's Thoughts on the GOP Debate

So with this post I am deviating away from the norm of writing about my son and am instead interviewing my son on his thoughts about the recent Republican debate. Our apologies for it being a couple days late, we kept having to reschedule around nap time. Keep in mind that he is only four months old, so his political views may not be as developed as some of you out there. I asked him about the candidates and here were his exact words:

Trump: "First off, you have to hand it to a guy who still tries to pull off the comb over. I like to have goals for myself. My new goal after the debate is to behave better by the age of 3, than Donald Trump currently behaves himself. I believe this to be a very reachable goal for myself. I imagine my whining may rival Trump's at moments in my life, but at least I will have being a toddler in my favor. Also, give credit to Trump for the best quote of the evening, 'What I say is what I say.' Amen.'"

Christie: "Did the man lay in a tanning bed too long before the debate? I wasn't aware a human could look orange. That was a nice touch though, talking about all the people he's hugged. I'm sure he meant every one of them. No way he did it so he could later bring it up in a political debate so that he could make himself look good. Who would ever do something just for show to look good?"

Bush: "The man's name is Jeb. I think that pretty much sums it up. He was in Florida for a few years though so he might be able to rival Christie's orange glow given enough time."

Carson: "I know Dad that this is your favorite candidate, but is putting a brain surgeon in the White House really the best idea? I mean it would totally destroy the joke, 'Being the President isn't brain surgery'.... Because with Carson it might be! It's not a good joke, but still, you couldn't make it anymore. If I was going to go out on a limb here, my guess is that he has a slight smarts edge over Jeb, ever so slight."

Paul: "You have to applaud a grown man who still has a perm. That's just an excellent show of effort with not much show of style.But hey, as long as he keeps the government off my diaper-phone, I can live with the curls."

Rubio: "Marco Polo is one of my favorite games to play in the pool.... That was my thought about Marco....Polo."

Kasich: "Two things, who is he?? And with me still having no teeth, this name is nearly impossible to say."

Huckabee: "The man was the Governor of Arkansas, not a whole lot I can say at this point that will help his case any."

Cruz: "Ever heard of Florida-Georgia Line? They have a song called Cruz."

Walker: "I know he is from up north, which means every person is the South is like, 'I'll pass'."

As you can tell, nap time started creeping up on us toward the end of the interview. Oh well, babies and their schedules. As you can also tell, my four month old doesn't take politics too seriously.

Welcome to the mind of a four month old.

Somewhat Unexpected Happenings

Well, it's been a couple of months since I've posted anything. Nate looks like he has doubled in size, so good for him, that won't always be acceptable, so he should enjoy it while he can. So what are some things that have happened that I wasn't totally prepared for? Plenty.

1) The child spews liquid like a sprinkler at a summer birthday party. I mean, after a bottle, be careful not to shake him because you will pay dearly for it. I guess he always feels better afterwards, which is good. I hope he grows out of this stage, because you hit a point in life, where spewing your meal after eating too much, is no longer "cute." Nobody is going to walk up to me at the Mexican restaurant and say, "Poor Baby", because I spit up my chips and salsa all over myself. Enjoy it while it lasts buddy.

2) People told me my days of peaceful, sleep filled nights were over. I didn't believe all I heard, it couldn't be that bad..... I'm tired. I'm tired and I don't even get up at nights to feed or change him. The kid needs to learn how to sleep 8 hours straight. We would be more than happy to teach him this valuable skill.

3) I don't have a weak stomach. I am not a very squeamish person. But I was changing a diaper the other day, and I about couldn't make it through the process. Have you ever smelled something that just made the back of your eyelids burn? It's a tremendous sensation, you should try. Just let me know when you want to experience this, and we'll feed Nate some applesauce.

4) On a more serious note, it's hard to fathom just how much I love that kid. He always seems to be smiling (mostly), I can't wait to get home every day to see him, and Ashley too of course. I can't even really remember what life was like before Nate, I do remember it was quieter. But I wouldn't trade this for anything.

Light to a Child

Have you ever been driving down a dark road, by yourself? Even for those of us who aren't afraid of the dark, it can be slightly unsettling to say the least. Many a time at night I have rounded a bend in the road only to have a deer standing in front of me. Darkness brings uncertainty. Darkness amplifies our fears.

Lately, I have been noticing that whenever I hold Nate, he wants to be where he can see a light. At night when we go to bed, he is calmer when there is a light on for him to look at. The light is comforting for him. Light brings joy, light brings relief, light is something we all find comfort in.

Jesus also said, 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5 14-16 NKJV) If we don't shine our light to those in the darkness, how will they ever find the comfort that comes from the light? If our light is hidden, why continue to let others live in the dark, where nothing good is?

I'm reminded of Matthew chapter 18 and verses 2 through 4 where Jesus said, "2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (NKJV) To make this personal, to enter Heaven, I have to become like Nate. If you have children of you own, insert your own child's name. A little child is who God wants us all to be like. 

I know Nate, Lord willing, will grow up. He will learn what sin is, he will sin, he will become accountable for his actions. But I pray that he will have enough of an affect on me now, while he is that little child, so that when he does reach accountability, I can show him what it means to live as a little child before God. Yes, he must grow, physically and spiritually, just like us all. But, we must remember to remain that little child. 

Nate, you can't even talk yet, but you continue to teach me more and more every day. Nathaniel, you truly are a gift from God. 

The Hidden Talent of the Giant among... Most Babies

Well, Nate is now past the two week old stage. His two week check-up was good, slightly traumatic for Ashley and I since he had to get his tongue clipped, but all good other than that. The doctor said Nate is in the 90th percentile in length, they just grow up so fast don't they? He was pretty much average in all the other measurements so I don't feel the need to mention them. But in length, he's a giant among babies.... Or at least among 90% of all babies.

Of course as he grows older, I won't care about his height as much, until he either 1) grows to my height or 2) grows to be about 7 feet tall. Then we may be looking into basketball a little more. But until then, he can stay little as long as possible.

As I sit here and type this, he's sitting in his rocker next to me and 'm pretty sure he's working on a dirty diaper. Not positive, but it would not surprise me because this kid is a machine. I never would have thought a person this small could have that much stuff in them. He seems to have a hidden talent, that's not so secret anymore.

While he's in here I usually sit and watch baseball, if I'm watching anything. Maybe in a few years he will be able to sit here and enjoy watching baseball with me. Or, maybe he will still be taking naps during baseball games. Or even more likely, I will be napping. But for now, baseball seems to be a great nap generator....

Sleep good little guy, won't be much longer til the next diaper change gets that little temper of yours going again. Maybe Momma will do it.

Home at Last!

Well it's been a rather busy, somewhat sleepless week, but we are home! Strangely enough, I like sleeping at home in my own bed better than the couch in the hospital, but maybe that's just me. Nate also enjoys sleeping in our bed better as well.

Sleep schedules have apparently changed, I hear some noise every once and a while at night, but I just roll back over and go back to sleep. (Just Kidding) I'm sure once we settle back into a normal routine sleep may improve ever so slightly.

Just so you are all aware, Nate is an eating, pooping machine. I can hardly believe that such a little human being and consume so much and dirty so many diapers so quickly. I have yet to be pooped on, but the list of those of us unscathed is quickly dwindling. My time is coming soon I'm sure.

We are very thankful that Ashley's parents have been able to spend the week with us. I think my gray hair would have started much sooner if they were not able to be here. Pappaw and GiGi as Nate will hopefully grow to know them. GiGi has taken the blunt of the diaper changing mishaps, but maybe that's how Nate shows his affections.

We are very glad to be home with our whole family! Nate enjoys his rocker quite a bit, when nobody is holding him, which isn't very often. He will probably be spoiled.

Finally.... Nate is here!

Words cannot express the level of relief and joy I felt when I heard Nate cry as they removed him by C-Section. I wouldn't say that I was worried, but it was the knowledge that the two people I love most in this world were about to undergo a surgical procedure, which always has it's risks. Thankfully, it wasn't an emergency, but still, it was surgery. The whole process was difficult for me because I wanted to be able to do something to help. There wasn't anything I could do, outside of prayers, that would help. Sitting by and waiting is a very hard thing to do. I am so thankful to God that Ashley and Nate both came out of it safe and sound.

On the plus side, I did not pass out at the C-Section. I just chose not to look because, "Why risk it?" I figured I had made it this far without feeling lightheaded, I didn't want to fall out in the floor right at the finish line.

Nate arrived at 9:54 PM weighing in at 8 pounds and measuring 21 inches long. The weight and measurements for Ashley and I are unimportant to this article and therefore will be withheld until further notice.

Nate, we love you very much. You were well worth the wait, we hope to give you everything we can to help you become the man God wants you to be. After all, you are a gift to us from God, and we love you with all our hearts.

Just for reference purposes, I have currently changed not one, but TWO dirty diapers. Just for the record.

Nathaniel Reeves Steward: What's in Your Name

For my son,

Nathaniel Reeves Steward, long name for a little guy. We decided just to call you Nate when you're little but who knows, you may never outgrow it for your Mom and I. More important to me than your nickname, I want you to know what is in your name. By that I mean, your name is something to be proud of, I just want you to know what it means and why we chose it.

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold."
Proverbs 22:1

Nathaniel: To be honest, I think your mom just really liked this name so that's what we decided to name you. But I looked it up and it means, "Gift of God." Son, you have been given to us by God as a gift. We are blessed to be able to love you, raise you, and to prepare you to serve God because after all, you are His. God has seen fit to bring you into our lives at this time and that is something that I am truly thankful for. Never forget that you are a gift given by God Himself, I pray you will always live you life with this in mind.

Reeves: This one is a little harder to talk about. I had a cousin growing up who was just a few months older than me. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, we would always be outside playing football, begging someone to come play with us, because after all, it's hard to play football with two people. He was always smaller than I was but he was a lot faster. Man, that Reeves could run, if he burnt me deep, there was no way I was going to catch him. One day, my Mom told me that Reeves was really sick. I couldn't believe it because Reeves and I were practically the same age, we weren't supposed to have this happen to us. I saw Reeves quite a few more times but I could tell he didn't feel good anymore. Sadly, when I believe we were around 11 or 12 years old, Reeves passed away. Reeves was so young, he wasn't supposed to get sick like this. We named you for Reeves because I have never forgotten about him. Always remember that we live to honor God, but also so that we remember our loved ones who have gone on before us.

Steward: I hope you are proud of the last name you will have. I have always done my best to live up to it and I couldn't ask for a better family to be a part of. To be a Steward means you are honest with others and yourself. It means you will look out for others. It means you will do whatever it takes to help someone else in need. Be a humble servant, not only to God, but also to the people around you. That's what a Steward is, a servant. I don't expect big great things from you in your life, I don't expect you to be really important, or to be a holder of enormous wealth. What I do expect, and  hope you come to expect from yourself, is to be willing to serve others. It is very often, not easy. We don't do it for the praise of others, but we do it for the glory of God.

So Nate, I hope maybe one day, when you can read, that you can read this and let it sink in. I am still learning all of these things myself. Maybe as I continue to learn, I can help show you some things that will help you learn quicker than I did. Can't wait to see you son.

Baby Birthing Class: Night Two

Night two of birthing class was not NEARLY as eventful as night one, sorry to disappoint all of you. We did get to learn about some wonderful things though, such as all the drug options Ashley will have available to her. Sadly, there are no drugs for the father.

One of the options available is an epidural, which is basically a large needle (which we will get to shortly) is inserted into the fluid in the spine and helps her to deal with pain. As lovely as I'm sure this is to witness, I am not looking forward to seeing it happen.

The needle..... Where to begin. Have you ever watched Animal Planet? Have you ever noticed when they have to capture an animal, what they use to put it to sleep? The word of the day: Tranquilizer Dart. That's basically what this is. Now, I seriously doubt they are going to sneak up on Ashley and pop her in the back with a tranquilizer, but you get the idea of the size of the needle. I'm sure all of you who don't like needles are as comfortable as can be right now. You are most welcome.

Just as a side note, I googled images for an epidural needle to add here. I don't advise looking that up. Most unpleasant sights in your near future if you do.

It was a good class and informative and I'm sure Ashley and I will be able to take what we learned and use it. Ashley mentioned to me yesterday that this is the month that Nate could make his grand appearance. He could, or he could wait around another month or so. She doesn't like that as much though. But I'm sure that he will show up when he is ready..... We are sure ready for him to be here!

Baby Birthing Class: Night 1

Tonight was the first night of our birthing classes, in case you're wondering, no, this wasn't my idea. It was.... an interesting experience to say the least. I wasn't really sure what to expect going in, but I quickly learned some things that I would say are burned into my brain.

Speaking of something being burned into your brain, try this out:

Ah, the joys of learning how to become a mother.... I mean father! All kidding aside, I couldn't imagine walking around like this all the time for months. It really helps me appreciate being a male.

Some things we learned were common sense, like if fluids start to leak, it's time to head to the hospital. I generally try to follow this advice in my own personal day-to-day life so that made sense. There were quite a few other things as well but I will spare you the details.

We got to take a test of random pregnancy facts, I believe we made a solid 20%. Which the couple sitting next to us made them same, so at least we will fail together. We did positively identify what a bed pan looks like so if there is ever a situation where you need a bed pan identified, I'm your man.

Then we got to watch a lovely video about the labor and delivery process. I went into tonight never having witnessed a birth, I have now seen four. I think they could go ahead and hand me the diploma for this class because there wasn't much left out.

Tonight also made me aware of my primary job in this process, time keeper and cheerleader. I feel fairly confident about my role thus far. But after next week's class, my confidence may begin to sway.

Overall, I can't wait for Nate to get here. We've been waiting for what seems like forever now, but I guess he will show up on his own time. But I hope it's soon, Mama is starting to get a bit cranky at times..... Hurry up Nate! Your parents can't wait to meet you!

First Thoughts

When my wife, my beautiful, incredibly intelligent wife Ashley, although she did marry me so the intelligence part is debatable at times...... Anyway, when she told me that we were going to have a baby, I didn't really know what to say. I mean I was thrilled of course, but I also thought, "Am I actually old enough to be a dad?" I mean, at the ripe old age of 23, I was still on my 15th year of college. Only 5 actual years, but it felt like 15 years.

I still don't really know what to really think about becoming a dad. I usually try and prepare myself on how I will react in a certain situation. But having no experience as a dad, I have nothing to pull from to prepare myself for being a father. So, because of my inexperience with this situation, I have caused my wife to believe there must be something wrong with me.

Let me explain by using a few examples. Last night, my wife and I were asleep and I felt her hitting me on my arm. I woke with a start and instantly starting asking, "What's wrong? What's wrong??" My wife just says, "I rolled over." I replied, "Didn't you hit my arm to wake me up?" I believe her reply was, "My bad." Once my heart rate dropped back to normal levels, I went back to sleep. Apparently, I have become an easily excited, paranoid person since I became a dad. My wife can't get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without me waking up and asking if she's alright.

But Ashley's favorite story to tell is about Braxton Hicks. For those of you who are clueless like me, Braxton Hicks are the name of contractions that basically prepare the woman's body to pop out a baby. So now with your new found knowledge we can continue the story.

We are driving in the car and I heard Ashley say something about Braxton Hicks contractions. Now, at first, the only word I heard was contractions. And I thought, "This is it. This is your moment. Don't panic, just keep driving." Then I thought wait a minute.... And I asked my wife, "Who is Braxton Hicks? I thought we were calling the baby Nathaniel? You're just going to confuse the poor kid." Needless to say, I may never live that one down.

I have plenty to learn and I'm sure I will have plenty of stories along the way. I don't want to forget about anything because they only grow up once. Hopefully I can learn along the way as well...... But not too much, then I might have to start changing diapers or something.