I am more happpy than I am sad, I’ve had it better than my dad
This has been a very special week for me, and I think I am just now ready to recap and share the array of emotions I have felt.
As some of you may know I had a birthday on Monday. Its one of those special milestones as I have now cracked the shell on adulthood. On Monday I had the pleasure of turning 30 years old. 30 is a milestone year much like 18 and 21 in that it is often seen as the end of youth. There is no more justifying the 20-something attitude of “I’ll deal with that when i am older”, and as such many view it as the end of something special. Although many people asked me about this feeling it is just not how i see this milestone. I see 30 as the turning point that will bring all the wonderful goals I have been working towards. I spent my 20’s learning and working to establish myself in my career. I see my 30’s as the time where I can enjoy that hard work and start to leverage it to build the future where I dont have to count hours, and fight to pay bills. I see my 30’s as the opportunity to build the life I dream of for me and my family.
Speaking of family, this is a very important part of my special week. As I posted here when it happened, I became a Dad in December of last year. This month my little Ana turned 6 months old, and has now started to eat real food. But this weekend marked the event of my very first fathers day. My wife Carrie and I did not start our family on accident. We waited while we got our lives set up and then tried with all our might to get pregnant when the time came. It took about 9 months before we got the good news, and we have been excited about every day since. I have many nieces and nephews, and I have always had friends with kids. I love kids and was very excited to be a dad. People will always regale you with the horror stories associated with becoming parents. All the terrible things you could never imagine happening (unless you had ever been around kids). The things that surprised me about becoming a dad was how much my day changed. I used to get up in the morning and check blogs and news before I showered and then hurry to work to get whatever great code I had in my head out onto the computer. Then I would come home in hopes of grabbing some game time and hanging out with my wife. As a dad, i get up early so I can have just a couple minutes to watch Ana as she sleeps. I am still excited to work, but about half way through the day I really wish I could just go home and cuddle and play with her. When the whistle blows I rush home and do just that. Carrie and I used to spend our dinners and evening in front of the tv with laptops. Now we spend it in the kitchen having dinner and enjoying being a family. My quality of life and general happiness level have gone up more than I could ever have imagined.
Last week Carie showed me this video and I shared it with everyone at my B-Day party. Because I think its such a wonderful song that really points out all the good and the bad (and funny ) in being parents. But in the end its all about how much joy we have just doing the job. The last line of the song is about how he’s had it better than his dad, which at my party made mine spit beer 
So in honor of my first fathers day and turning 30 please take a couple minute to enjoy this video.
And if you want to catch up on how my little Ana is doing feel free to hit my wifes blog. She has an Ana category which has lots of pictures of her so its a quick way to get an update.
21 Jun 2007 Simeon
Dude. That is SO not fair. It’s only 8:13am and I’m already wanting to go back home to see my kids! Happy Father’s Day Sim!
Just wait until your 6 year old decides to make you breakfast in bed. You’d never guess that burnt toast smothered in jam and a glass of O.J. could taste so good!
Thanks Damon, It was a great weekend. As a father of 3 I know that song must be particularly true for you
Happy Fathers day right back at you!
happy belated first father’s day. it’s all so amazing, isn’t it?
that video is AWESOME. i can’t stop watching it. it does make you realize that all of the trials and tribulations (and there are many) are well worth it. as cliche as it sounds… they really do grow up too fast. my oldest just turned 5 earlier this month and i miss my "little" girl.
Hey Sim,
That is the coolest video. And congrats on everything. BTW, 30 isn’t that old, I’m 37 and still feel about 25 . . .
Happy belated Birthday and Father’s Day. Will turn 38 in November. My daughter turns 6 in December, though it feels like she’s 5 going on 25. Momma stays home, so there hasn’t been a real need for pre-school, but she starts Kindergarten in August. My mother says she’ll be teaching the class by week 2;) Tonight she pedaled her bike for the very first time, without any help from Daddy. Time does fly, really fast. Treasure each moment with her as if it’s your last.
Congrats on everything, Simeon. It was great meeting Ana and your wife at CFObjective - I hope you’re bringing them to CFUnited next week, I’d love to see how she’s changed (Ana, not your wife of course).
I know how you feel - my son Ishaan is 8 1/2 months old and is getting cuter and more like a little man every day. Already crawling, standing, cruising, and most recently trying to stand on his own. Somewhere in the 6-9 month range they start changing rapidly, so enjoy every minute of it that you can!
I’m not sure exactly when, but I’ll definitely bring Ish to the conference at least one day next week - hope he and Ana can meet.
Amen, Brother, amen!
Soon it will get to the point where you’ll be like, "What did we do before?" The only thing I can remember is Friday nights used to be Pub night with beers ’til they kicked us out. Now, Friday night is usually take-out, with me and the 3 year old singing in the car while getting food, him saying the blessing when we get home, and then cartoons ’til one or both of us pass out. LOL
Some will say I had it better before kids, and that’s just because they don’t have any. Drunken "I love you, man!" with a drinking buddy or sincere "I wuv you, Dad." from your loving child. I dunno about others, but the better choice is clear to me.
That video… too cool.
And, well, I suck, cuz I let your birthday go by without so much as a peep about it. I am a crappy friend… but, that aside, all I can really say is:
Happy birthday, old man.
Happy fathers’ day, new dad.
Thanks for the video, my friend.
Your kid(s) (eventually! and the 4-legged ones too) and your wife are lucky to have you…