Fatherhood Changes

I told my friend the other day to hurry up and have kids so we'd have more to talk about. It's not sad, but it's true.
I had my first kid back in April and it's changed me. It already seems like a lifetime ago. I can hardly picture myself without a kid anymore.
I always laughed at the people that only talks about their kids and now I'm one of them. I find myself gravitating toward people with kids just because we now have common stories to tell. And I'm actually interested in their stories about their kids. I'm that guy who brings the Christmas card pictures into work and shows everyone. Hell, I brought the picture in of her getting tubes in her ears. Who wants to see that? Other parents, that's who.
My sense of humor has evolved as well. The other day my daughter was crawling away. I called her name and tried to coax her back towards me. She stopped, turned around, gave me a sly grin and then turned and crawled with a new found determination and speed. Like she had a chance of getting away. I swear I nearly gave myself a headache I laughed so hard and for so long.
Having kids makes you think about things you never dreamed of before. I constantly look back on my own childhood now. I have this new found disdain for my father who never really took an interest in parenting. I look at my daughter and wonder if he felt about me the way I feel for her. Did it just wear thin or did he never have it?
I also have this new found admiration for my mother and what she went through to raise us. Suddenly her sacrifices seem so much greater and so understandable at the same time.
I worry about things like mortgages, life insurance, dental plans and college funds. But I also go to work everyday with a new found sense of purpose.
I don't get to hang out with friends or piddle in the garage as much as I used to, but I do have a steady appointment of playtime on the floor every Saturday morning. It's not a bad trade.
I told a prospective parent at work the other day that the worst thing about being a parent is not getting enough sleep, but the best thing is everything else. That about sums it up.