A long absence

So it has been quite awhile since I published some thoughts on here and my apologies for the delay. I have had a wonderful life change with the birth of my son in December. Life has not been the same since. I find I have no time to do anything but take care of him and that is just fine with me. Feeding, changing diapers and burping is all consuming with a newborn and lack of sleep for the past three months has given me a new perspective on life.
1. Why do babies not come with instruction manuals?
Everything else in this world does so why not infants? Humans have been creating new life and yet no one has put together a comprehensive book. You would think the doctor would say, here is your new child and a complete instruction manual so you know exactly what to do at the right time...yeah right! Guessing is part of the fun and I suppose the learning experience is what makes us better parents.
2. The push gift
I'll admit I never heard of this until I started speaking with some colleagues after my wife and her mother mentioned it to me. Buying a gift for giving birth? What is next? However, when I watched the effort my wife went through and all the pain, bloating, etc. I was in full agreement a push gift is necessary. For the upcoming father, this gift is not optional if you ever want to try making another baby.
3. Crying
Okay this one is probably the hardest to deal with and will require the most patience. Since newborns cannot say "hey dad, my diaper is dirty and I am hungry, can you take care of this stat?" new parents need to learn their own child's' behavior and needs. For the most part a newborn eats every two hours and requires a changing at every feeding. When they want or need something they cry and the trick is to learn which cry requires a specific solution. We have it down now where a steady cry is "I am hungry" (and this is no surprise given I was the same way as a child), a softer cry is "my diaper is wet, can you change this now please?" and a blood curling cry is "holy crap I have a huge freakin gas bubble so you better burp me now if you ever want to have some peace and quiet as well as retain your hearing".
4. Diapers
Newborns go through diapers rapidly and keeping up with the correct sizes is a must. Nothing worse than having the wrong size diaper on your child and having to clean him from head to toe because of faulty equipment. And the stink...let me tell you I assumed with him having breast milk his poo would not stink. Boy was I wrong. He puts his old man to shame! The only place in the house where I was king and now I have to give up my throne. I can't wait till he starts eating real food. I guess I will have to wear a gas mask for the next two years.

Bottom line: I would not trade any of the above and look forward to being a Dad every day.