Welcome!

Titling this post "Welcome!" feels a little unnecessary since it suggests there is an audience that I am greeting. Nevertheless, I thought it important to have a small introduction to myself and the situation that lead to me beginning this endeavor.

I am 27, and I live in the borough of Queens, with my girlfriend, and two cats, in a one bedroom apartment. About 11 months ago I learned that my girlfriend of three years had become pregnant. While this pregnancy wasn't planned, we certainly could have done more to avoid it if either of us wanted. But our mutual desire to have a family, our confidence in each other as parents, and our willingness to proceed with open minds and hearts, made us more than certain that while things could always be more perfect, the time to give it a go was now.

My daughter was born February 26th at Long Island College Hospital. She weighed a little over 8 pounds, and measures, 19 1/4 inches. Both at the top percentiles for girls, not that I am bragging. I intended to begin documenting my experiences as a young parent shortly after I learned I was going to become a father, but sadly I wasn't able to get my self organized until now, with my daughter turning 3 weeks at 9:41 pm today.

Despite not getting an earlier start the objective remains the same. As the first among my group of friends to become a father, I found myself short on trusted advice on fatherhood. The internet was even less helpful. The signal to noise ration on the issues young parents face is ridiculous; every one has an idea, but sifting through those ideas can be more stressful than the issue its self. So I thought that I might be able to offer my experience, with as much honesty, and sincerity as possible, hoping that it might be helpful to my friends, family, and other young parents, especially fathers who find comfort in knowing they are not alone.

I hope that anyone who reads this understands that the honesty and sincerity will undoubtedly come with frustrations, contradictions, and back peddling which I have learned are qualities all new parents possess.