The Good Life – March-April 2020

FATHERS | MR. FULL-TIME DAD
MR. FULL-TIME DAD 2.0
Dusting Off the Baby on Board Sticker
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON • PHOTO BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
For the regular readers of this column (hi Mom and Dad!),
the following announcement will come as no surprise by
the time this edition of “The Good Life” hits the stands.
Nevertheless, I have news: Macklin is getting a baby brother
sometime mid-summer. My apologies to the relatives and
in-laws who are just now finding out… I only had so much
patience for actual phone calls.
That’s right, folks, Mr. Full-Time Dad rides again in 2020!
It’s time to put the crib back together (hopefully just once
this time), dig out the onesies and wash some bottles —
life’s about to hurry up and slow way down, as I make
the transition back to my all-time favorite role as primary
caregiver.
Much has changed since “The Mack and Daddy Show”
debuted during the holiday season of 2015. Mack’s now
in full-time preschool, I’ve come out of early retirement
and we’re in a new house in a new neighborhood full of
unexplored parks and paths. My reaction to the positive
pregnancy test also changed… I did not go mute and there
were no tears of dread. I’m not sure who’s matured more,
me or Mack.
Some things, though, have remained the same in regards
to baby #2. My wife, Emily, and I put in as much, if not more
time contemplating the decision. We’re not ones to rush
into anything. It took us years to convince ourselves we
were ready for parenthood, and my borderline meltdown
of a reaction to the news then shows just how unprepared I
still felt. While I have settled the debate about my parenting
skills (in my mind, at least), deciding to try for a second
presented a whole new batch of questions.
Are we pushing our luck?
Macklin was a great baby. He started sleeping through the
night within weeks, almost never got sick, rarely threw up
and basically put himself to sleep whenever you laid him
down in his crib. As a toddler, he was a delight. His sense
of humor came out quick, he relished spending time with
mom and dad and adapted quickly to whatever changes
came along. Now, as a preschooler, he’s becoming an
absolutely beautiful human being. His vocabulary is rich
(thanks, NPR), his social skills are impressive and his daily
display of empathy is a constant source of pride.
In short, we’ve been blessed. Overwhelmingly so. Naturally,
my inclination towards pessimism constantly shouted
the question in my brain: are we pushing our luck if we
try for two? It’s hard for me to imagine a better parenting
experience than the one Mack has given us… so what’s
going to happen if our second child somehow doesn’t
match up?
I know that’s saying the quiet part out loud and it’s a
horrible thought to have to reckon with, but it’s the truth.
Overcoming that “what if” fear was hard for me, and if I’m
being honest I’m still not completely over it. But fear is a
lousy reason not to try.
2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com