Declan is nearly a week old today. Erin and I are surviving and quite enjoying parenthood. By most measures are sleeping way more than can reasonably be expected, but, of course, less than desired.

Some thoughts:

• My patience has gone through the roof.
• I’m more comfortable with my baby than I’ve been with anyone else’s. That feeling of confidence started the moment I set eyes on him.
• Everyone in the world has advice for you; sometimes solicited. Sometimes not.
• Everyone’s advice — including healthcare professionals’ — tends to conflict in minor or even major ways.
  • Speaking of advice, don’t look for advice on the internet
• I’m taking a lot of pictures. 474 in six days; 80 pictures a day. At this rate, by the time he graduates high school, there will be:
  • Half a million pictures
  • 4.25 terabytes of photos, assuming we never upgrade our camera
• Resisting spamming Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook with baby pictures nonstop is more difficult than I expected.
• Every new thing Declan does, and every new discovery of something that reminds me of Erin or myself, is a gift worth cherishing. Every day brings more of these gifts.
• Fatherhood is awesome.