Campbellodeon

Those of you who know me, know that I have three sons (ages: 8, 4, 2).

 

Does the title make sense now?

 

Go ahead, take a minute and think about it.

 

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Got it?

 

Good.

 

Mrs. Campbellodeon told me last night that we will be having another child.  I found myself unable to stop smiling.  There is a generations-old feeling of pride that comes with knowing you have fathered a child.  A feeling that cannot be explained, but must be experienced. Yes, there is a certain amount of stress that goes along with having a child: health concerns, financial concerns, time concerns, etc.  But for all the things I worry about, I don’t worry about those things.  I believe that children are a blessing, the greatest blessing that exists in the world.  Because I feel that way, all the worries described above are somewhat alleviated.

 

To be honest, I am glad to hear this news because we had been talking about having another child for quite a while.  Mrs. Campbellodeon had been talking about wanting to get pregnant at a particular time so the baby would be born at a particular time, etc..  Operating within parameters such as those is simply not our style.

 

Son #1 was born April 15, 1997.  Mrs. Campbellodeon and I were married September 6, 1996.  That math is slightly more difficult than the earlier problem, but you should still be able to figure it out.  I still wonder how the conversation will go with Son #1 when he figures out how to do the math.  There I was: one month past my 20th birthday, married for less than a year, and I am a father.  I literally felt like I knew nothing about anything.  I didn’t know how to be a husband or a father, and here I was being both.  What made it more difficult was the fact that Mrs. Campbellodeon seemed to be have been born to be a mother and a wife.  She excelled at both roles and still does.  Let’s just say that the first couple of years of our marriage were “tough” as I tried to grow up at what seemed like the speed of light.

 

Fast forward to April of 2000 - I have graduated from Auburn with my degree in Computer Science that I scraped, clawed, fought, and pleaded to earn.  I have started my first job with Sapient Corporation.  Mrs. Campbellodeon, Son #1, and I are on our own for the first time in our lives (out of school, in our own apartment, paying our own bills, not living in the same zip code as both our families).  It was truly a time for celebration and what better way to celebrate than to conceive another child.

 

Son #2 was born January 26, 2001.  He will always be thought of as our celebration baby.  He was our reward for growing up.  I don’t remember having the feelings of ineptitude that accompanied my first foray into fatherhood.  I remember thinking that I could actually handle the responsibility this time and that I had finally earned the honor that comes with being a father, after being so completely humbled by my first experience.

 

It’s funny what you remember: I won’t forget the fact that Sapient gave me two weeks of paid leave when Son #2 was born - they called it “paternity leave”.  It is difficult to appreciate if you don’t have children, but having those two weeks that didn’t count against my vacation balance were wonderful.  I have never heard of another company with a similar policy.  Unfortunately, soon after the birth of Son #2 I felt like I had to prove my worth to my employer.  I took a travel assignment beginning with a week in London and then 16 consecutive weeks in Pineville, North Carolina (suburb of Charlotte) only coming home on the weekends.  The project may have bought me some time at the company or I may have been safe regardless.  Nevertheless, I can never get that time back with Son #2.  Four months of bath times, tuck ins, and all the other moments that don’t have a name but happen and are no less memorable or important.

 

Fast forward to September of 2002 - We have been living in our first house for just over two years.  I have just started my second job.  Son #1 is in his first year of public school and Son #2 is toddling all over the place.  Seems like just as good a time as any to have another child, at least that’s what we thought.

 

Son #3 was born June 6, 2003.  We knew that we wanted more than two, we knew we didn’t want to put four years between #2 and #3, and we weren’t doing anything to prevent such an event.  Mrs. Campbellodeon was induced with #3, which was different.  Granny Campbellodeon came up to stay with #1 and #2.  Mrs. Campbellodeon and I checked into the hospital at 6 am.  They started the I.V. drip and we waited.  It was the most romantic time we had had as a couple in a long time.

 

Fast forward to August of 2005 - Here we go again.