Brilliant dad feature week 42
This week the Brilliant Dad Feature is Wade Keller and he is a first time dad and also a stay at home dad. His wife, Erica, and himself had their first son, Flynn this April. They both cannot believe how much he has changed their lives and both cannot imagine a life without him in it.
Wade says, “The blog, First Time Dad, is designed to share my experiences about raising my son. I have worked from home for a little over 6 years now and it has provided me with an amazing opportunity to see my son grow and develop.”
Wade says, “The blog, First Time Dad, is designed to share my experiences about raising my son. I have worked from home for a little over 6 years now and it has provided me with an amazing opportunity to see my son grow and develop.”
Thank you very much to Wade for taking part in The Brilliant Dad Feature
1. Have you always wanted to be a dad?
I think deep down inside I always wanted to be a dad, but it took me a while to realise it. I was 41 when my son was born so I waited until later in life to have my first child.
2. How did you feel when your children were born ?
My wife and I did all that we could to make sure that we were as prepared for the birthing process as possible.What we were not prepared for was the sheer joy that we felt when we finally got to meet him. It is such an emotionally draining experience that I know for me it didn’t fully sink in until after we got home from the hospital that we were now responsible for his well being and I knew right then and there that there we will be times where we make sacrifices, but that he would never be without the unconditional love from his mum and me.
3. What have been your most rewarding experiences so far as a Dad ?
As I mentioned previously, I am a stay at home dad and this opportunity has opened my eyes to just how fast that they mature both physically and mentally. Flynn has just started to roll over both directions now with minimal effort. He had rolled over from time to time in the past, but just the other day I was making dinner and my wife had him on our play mat in the living room while folding laundry and he rolled over 3 or 4 times in just a matter of minutes. He now rolls over all the time, even while sleeping, and we have had to make the necessary adjustments to our routines to accommodate. Seeing developments such as these are by far the most rewarding experiences for me.
4. What are some of funniest moments to have happened to you as a dad?
There is one specific funny moment for me that stands out above any other. It happened a few weeks ago, but we were watching a bit of television after dinner and right before we started his bedtime routine I was holding him while in my chair. I looked at him and I let out a burp, it being right after dinner and all. It wasn’t two seconds later that he burped right back at me and then gave me this smile like he knew what he was doing. I started to laugh and he let out one of those ear piercing shrieks of joy that babies make. Not the most glamourous funny moment, but one that I will always remember!
5. Have there been any situations with your children that you have found difficult to cope with?
To summarise the story my son had a pyloric stenosis. There is a muscle at the bottom of your stomach that allows food to pass through into your intestines. When the muscle is too thick it does not allow for food to pass through. Well when you don’t know he isn’t getting the nutrients that he needs and is vomiting and loses weight instead of gaining weight it is a scary time as a parent. Luckily our doctor was great and after trying several approaches to get him adding weight she referred us to a wonderful children’s hospital where he was diagnosed, had surgery and was back home in 3 days time. The effects of the surgery were immediate and he has fully recovered.
6. What are your dreams and hopes for your children?
I think my hopes and dreams for my son are just like any fathers. I want Flynn to grow up knowing that he is loved and that he is allowed to explore and grow into a thoughtful, considerate, loving man who accepts everyone for who they are. I want Flynn to know that it is okay to fail as long as he did so with maximum effort and learns from it. I want him to fight for what he believes in and to not be afraid to speak up when you see something that you know is not right. Most importantly I want him to be happy!
