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2003-04-16 - 10:03 a.m.

god money

Today is another doctor appointment. We're now into the "every two weeks" phase of the pregnancy. Every other Wednesday, we'll be at the doctor's office.

What's great about this is the fact that, despite having just started a new job, they don't mind me going to all these appointments. In fact, they were the ones to bring it up in one of the interviews. At the end of the first (of three) interview, I told them that one thing they might want to know is that my wife is pregnant. Not that they wouldn't want to hire me because of it (that's illegal), but just to help them prepare for some of the requests for time that I will need. In the third interview they told me "no problem, take what you need". They had even remembered the due date (from the first interview, two weeks prior) and calculated my eligibility for time off. It seems there is a 6 month waiting period, or trial phase. Upon the completion of 6 months of employment, I will be eligible to begin taking vacation time. Yes, 6 months is a longer time than normal. And yes, Amanda will be giving birth prior to my eligibility date. My boss mentioned this in the third interview and told me not to let that deter me from taking the job; they were prepared to work something out with me. I about fell out of the chair. It's been at least 16 months since I worked for a company that remembered I have a life outside of my job. That I can't ask my wife to put a cork in it until I can actually be there for the birth and have some vacation time. A real company, with real benefits who knows that I am a real person with real life events. I was beginning to think I had dreamed the whole thing.

Amanda spent a good bit of time yesterday searching for potential day care places for the boy. Yes, we're placing him in day care. At this point, anyone who falls into the Dr. Laura category should have stopped reading. Now that it's just the rest of us, I'll continue. I won't deny that if circumstances were perfect, either Amanda or I would stay home with our child at least until school age. But circumstances are not perfect. And until I get a job that pays enough or we win the lottery, we will both work. Back to the point: day care is expensive. If I had any hopes of a new car in the near future, they're gone now. Another thing that makes the pregnancy more real to me.

I spent some time searching for places for us to call yesterday. In my research I went to some of the "dad" related blogs and journals that I have come across in the past. I did this in the hopes of finding tips or alternatives to traditional day care. Didn't find any. But I did find that there are many fathers out there who share my goal of being part of my child's life. There are so many dads out there who have chosen to play an active role in the life of their child(ren), and have few or no regrets for having done so. I'm adding some of these sites to my "whatiread" page when I get the chance. They're worth reading, and may prove to be a great resource for ideas and reinforcement.

That's about it for now...

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duh - 2008-09-15

hi mac - 2006-12-12

corporate whore - 2006-11-03

new - 2006-10-05

elvis costello sings for you - 2006-09-27


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