Rachel and I have one child, Spencer who turned One
yesterday. Spencer Horton Daubenmire was
born on 9/23/11 at 7:11 AM. I remember
thinking I would always remember the time he was born because I’ve always liked
slushies at the 7 Eleven Convenience store chain. I also remember looking at a tiny little baby
and not knowing what comes next. He was
lying there while the Nurses were weighing him, checking his vitals, and all
those things and I was just clueless about what my next move should be.
The next couple of hours went by in a blur as Spencer was
introduced to his Grandparents and friends that came by. My first moment with Spencer came when Rachel
had to use the restroom and Spencer’s body temp had fallen. I was told to remove my shirt to have skin on
skin contact with him to warm him up. That was
the first time I’d ever held a newborn.
It was suddenly very real to me that this child was ours and everything
was going to change.
The hospital was a good experience for us but I was shocked
at how easily they let us leave with this little baby. They just let us walk out, no identification
was checked, no one walked us to the door.
I don’t know what I expected but I didn’t expect it to be so easy. We brought him home and life as I knew it had
definitely ended.
Before Spencer, Rachel and I watched a lot of football and
traveled to many games. I think we’ve
been to two since his arrival and we’re rarely able to catch a full game. Before Spencer our weekends consisted of
finding something fun to do somewhere and it wasn’t uncommon for us to drive
4-5 hours just to get started. Now our fun
starts at 7:00 AM every morning, no matter when we decide to go to bed and the
fun rarely entails drives as Spencer doesn’t seem to be a fan of cars just
yet.
I’ve always been a bit of a germaphobe. Don’t like other peoples funk. Spencer has redefined funk. I have come into close contact with every
imaginable type of bodily fluid the child can create. He’s peed on me, my furniture, bed, and walls. He’s crapped on my hand, chest, and
couch. I’ve has crap on my hands, face,
and toes. I’ve had his drool in my eye,
and his nasty food covered hands in my mouth.
He doesn’t seem to care about whether I think it is gross or not.
Before Spencer, babies were someone else’s problem. I have always enjoyed young children starting
around 2 and probably going until they’re 10 or so. I enjoy making them laugh and seeing them
smile. Under 2 and I didn’t have much
use for them. Now, I’m fascinated by the
development you can see almost daily. We
recently had the chance to see Spencer around a 10 month old, two twelve month
old’s and a two year old. It was very
cool to see the differences between these little ones.
One year ago, I had never even considered changing a diaper,
wiped a child’s nose, been drooled on, or fed a baby a bottle. I had no idea of how special a child’s smile
could make you feel nor did I know what was meant by a Parent’s love of a
child. I had no clue how much fun or how
much joy a little boy could bring. I always said Rachel could take care of him until Spencer turned two and after he could communicate I'd get involved. Guess I was wrong.
I
often say I wouldn’t have ordered Spencer but I sure wouldn’t give him
back. I find myself looking forward to
him being a little older so he can be more of an active participant. I also find myself looking forward to Spencer
as a one year old driving his Mother crazy… as for me, I’ll be laughing inside
as I teach the little guy what’s acceptable and what’s not.
For those of you who know me well and what my childhood was
like, I look forward to experiencing
childhood the way it was meant to be. I
will be guilty of protecting his innocence and letting a “Boy be a Boy”. Spencer will be loved, protected, spoiled, and disiplined. I love being his Dad and can't wait to see him grow up.
As a side note, I am sure there is at least one Clemson fan taking a look at this post so I must comment on the Seminole Victory this past Saturday night. Spencer, Rachel, and I really enjoyed the game! It was really nice being on the right side of the scoreboard for a change. GO NOLES!!!!!
