The joys of fatherhood

They never talk about it in books or TV shows but it seems to me that the joys of fatherhood are rarely spoken about and very important.
Daddy gets to sleep through the night because mommy feels guilty that he has to go to work in the morning and on weekends daddy gets to choose when to take care of the kid- oh, I am tired I will take care of her tomorrow morning but can you feed her now. Daddy gets to feed her with bottles whenever he decides she is hungry ( what that decision is based on is a mystery since he spends an average of 2 -3 hours a day with her), but when it comes to washing the dirty bottles Daddy all of a sudden has no clue how to do it. All of a sudden washing a 4 oz bottle and a nipple is much harder than, let's see building California closets out of nowhere, putting up shelves and running cable wires all around the apartment. Funny how ona can graduate with a Law degree from Harvard but can't figure out how to stick a soaped brush into a bottle and wash out the left over milk. Daddies gets to choose when to change the diaper and can put together car seats and wipe warmers but emptying the diaper ginnie is out of question. Daddies get to give you all the advice on how you are overpumping, when she is hungry, when you should let her sleep and how you should put on a schedule so that she can sleep through the night but when it comes to actually helping you they are nowhere to be found. No wait, I know where Daddy is- he is in bed watching a rerun of Desparate housewives while you are giving baby a bath, and cleaning up the mess after that and feeding her and calming her down and putting her to sleep. And God forbid you intrude on his quiet time by running the hairdryer so that she is calm enough to eat without chewing off your nipple. Daddies get to go work and come home to ask did you take a picture of her today? while you are struggling to put a onsie over her screaming head. Why do I need a picture of her - I look at her all day long and I share the most precious moments with her.
and you know what when she finally calms down and relaxes her little body against my chest and drifts off into deep blissful sleep I don't care any more that i am cold, angry, sleep deprived, hungry or that i haven't been able to go to the bathroom or have a sip of water for the last 4 hours. All that matters then is that i am here for her and that she is content and the satisfaction I get from that feeling, i wouldn't give that feeling away for all the sleep in the world. When she drools on my chest and giggles in her sleep that's when i get all the "thank you" i need for the countless hours of not sleeping, anger, hunger and frustration. And you know what, Daddy, I wouldn't give that up for the pitiful 3 hours you spend with her that she is awake. I wouldn't swap it for the luxury of watching TV or going out and talking to adults or having a life. No, I pity you because you will never know that bliss and it's your choice and your loss. I don't need to have a life, I gave life.

E