#3 The First Contraction: The Narrow Passage Into Parenthood
WHAT IS MORE ADULT than having your own kid?
What is more exhilarating, terrifying, anxieting…
From the first moment you see THAT stick (then pee on four more to make sure) or open a card to read Pooh Bear say, Piglet and I are soooo excited that you’re gonna be a Dad – the countdown begins.
And not your New Years Eve with Dick Clark kind of countdown.
No it’s nine months of thinking, worrying, wondering whose nose she’ll have, learning new ways to breathe when you thought you had breathing pretty well covered, and buying a room full of tiny things you have no idea how to use but are VERY confident you need. All to prepare for that moment that is unpreparable.
The Cusp of a New Parent
When that moment came for my wife and I five weeks ago, I grabbed two things – my camera and chips and salsa. (You’ll have to watch the video to understand).
This is NOT a birthing video (I wouldn’t do that to you) . No this a video that every new parent, hopeful parent, and person with eyes needs to watch – about THAT moment that forever changes everything.
For your viewing pleasure here is the most personal, exciting, entertaining, scary and honest video I have ever done, with an ending you might not expect…
After watching The First Contraction, watch what happens next in the Last Contraction.
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: MARK SUMMERS, HOW WE MISS THEE
“On your mark, get set, GO….!!!” Remember those beautiful words that kicked off every episode of Double Dare? Oh Mark Summers. Oh Family Double Dare. Oh “Physical Challenges” with your carrying a cup of water in your mouth as your mom blasted you with a milk-like substance.
I think we all dreamed the dream of one day being on Family Double Dare – mainly so that you could lavish your dad’s head with green slime and not be grounded. If you, or someone you know, was a contestant on the show, oh-my-double-dare how I would love to hear your story.
Thank you to Joy Eggerich @joyeggerichs for sharing with me the Mark Summers-Grown-Up-Love that you see on the right. I always knew Mark Summers and myself where linked in some mysterious way, so it’s nice to see it confirmed.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK FROM ALL GROAN UP
On the All Groan Up Chalkboard Question: Gen-Y-Do We Give A Crappity-Crap?, Megan (@Energy Careerist) replied with this comment on her favorite aspect of this 20something generation.
“My absolute FAVORITE thing about this generation is our ability and tendency for collaborative learning and acting. I find myself jumping up and down inside when I see my peers interact, collaborate, and partner to get things accomplished. Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps has its perks – but finding others who are excited about those very same bootstraps and tapping into their expertise to help meet a common goal is awesome!”
GROAN UP VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Gym Class Gone Right
If you are not yet familiar with the stylings of the band Temper Trap, well you should be. If for nothing else than the Groan-Uply-Amazing video below. Remember those epic runs in gym class as you daydreamed about your 6th grade crush who you were desperately in love with and sure you were going to marry? Nothing epitomizes that feeling better than the video below – choreographed middle-school dance moves and fireworks included (please do yourself a Friday favor and watch until the end).
Is it wrong that some of us still cringe at the thought of being called the “A” word? Oh no you didn’t just call me an Adult.
I’m 27, married, with a new baby girl. And yet, I still feel like I’m growing up. I know I’m dangerously straddling some unspoken, cultural fence here. That before too long I’ll be the guy “real grown-ups” talk about in hushed, official sounding tones while lying in their mahogany, king size beds.
“I can’t believe Paul. Someone needs to tell him it’s time to grow up.”
“Yes, when is he going to act his age?”
“Exactly. Now please turn on C-SPAN and pour me a glass of port.”
ACT YOUR AGE
Now if I was 95 years old and failed to act accordingly, I would be an article in the local newspaper and neighbors would be asking me, How do you do it? with pen and paper poised to take notes.
Instead, concerned family friends are calling my parents and asking them – in relation to rearing a 27 year old child, how do you do it? (C’mon. Leave my parents out of this).
But I’ll ask the same question; how do we do it? How do we act our age? It’s a number, right? There are reasons why math and drama classes don’t join forces. We’re not asked to act the hypotenuse, so why are we asked to act our age?
If someone has the age dictionary that defines the parameters for 23, or 26, or 29 I’m all hairy, grown-up ears…
GROWING OR GROWN?
Is my longing to stay growing instead of grown, right? Is it smart to dig my feet in, refusing to cross the grown up line like a mule across a stream? Or am I just being that – a stubborn ass?
Well let me call in some other opinions, those smarter than I.
“With age come the inner, the higher life. Who would be forever young, to dwell always in externals?” Elizabeth Stanton
Well I must admit, I have no idea what the heck Ms. Stanton is saying here, which my lack of understanding, is probably proving her assessment quite accurate.
Then there’s Albert Einstein, who was pretty smart, I’m pretty sure, and he once told a friend,
“People like you and I, though mortal of course like everyone else, do not grow old no matter how long we live…[We] never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
But then you have the Apostle Paul of the Bible who told people to:
“Stop thinking like children…in your thinking be adults!” Apostle Paul
But then in the same Bible, there’s this guy named Jesus who kind of was, or is, a big deal and he said:
“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Jesus
Okay, so you take adulthood, I’ll take heaven. Seems like a good trade to me.
WHO’S RIGHT?
Why does Jesus say we must become children, while the Apostle Paul tells us to stop?
Why do some say life gets better with age like a fine wine? Then you have Rod Stewart singing Forever Young?
Sure some argue against the teachings of Jesus, but how does one argue against the stylings of Rod Stewart?
This is getting confusing.
Do we need to grow up or stay down? Or maybe it’s both? An ancient German proverb says, “To remain young while growing old is the highest blessing.” Well the Germans have never been wrong before, so maybe they’re on to something.
So what do we let get wrinkly and what do we lather in anti-aging cream? What matures and what stays fresh?
Maybe we need to possess an intrinsic paradox of both – the growing and grown.
What do you think?
Are you growing or grown?
Or both?
Is ADULT a four letter word?
Watch below the video version of this post with some extra commentary, plus a cameo appearance from THE Rod Stewart as we sing Forever Young together!
This week’s Chalkboard Question is: “What’s your favorite aspect of becoming All Groan Up?”
The comment of the week for last week’s question on what TV character you wanted to be growing up goes to Jocelyn! The three of those characters combined together would’ve been a pretty kick-a combo. Definitely Prom Queen material.
There’s definitely some serious perks to growing up. No more curfew. No sharing your car with your two younger sisters. No homework assignment due tomorrow that you start at 10 pm the night before.
So you tell me in the comments below, what’s your
favorite aspect of growing up? It’s the Chalkboard
In the first video of the series The First Contraction, it all seemed to be going better than planned – a calm wife, a husband with chips and salsa, and a smooth transition to the hospital. That was until they heard the words that no hopeful parent wants to hear. If you did not get the chance to watch The First Contraction, see why it was viewed over 240 times in three days. Also stay tuned for two more videos in the series.
So how did it turn out? Well here it is below – The Last Contraction.
I’ve never cried before when editing my own video. I can’t say that anymore.
