WordPress did a funny thing the other day. It wished me a happy anniversary. I was confused. It’s not my anniversary until May! And then it hit me. They were wishing me a happy third anniversary for this blog. I’ve been doing this for three years?! I guess that shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering Sophia will be three tomorrow. WAIT, I’ve been a dad for three years?! THAT is the most shocking revelation I’ve had lately! In that spirit, I’m about to take you down the path of reminiscing and musing about the last three years of my life. Buckle up.

Look at that picture on the right. That’s Sophia at 4-months old. To put that in perspective, Maddie is 6-months old right now. So much has changed since Sophia was born (including my ever fluctuating weight, but that’s another story…), including our house, jobs, and of course, children.

A month before Sophia was born, I lost my job. At the time, it was a shot to the gut. I was worried about how I was going to be able to take care of my family with no job and a baby on the way in a matter of six weeks. Well, what I didn’t realize then was that it was going to give me the opportunity to do something I never thought I’d do–be a stay-at-home dad. Those six months that I stayed home with Sophia were pretty amazing. I spent every day getting to bond with my first daughter and, really, getting to learn what being a dad was all about. I got my share of funny looks when I told people I stayed home with Sophia, but I didn’t care. I loved my time at home.

Three years ago, I had no idea how much my life was going to change with a kid, let alone with two of them. Our social life has decreased to almost none, but the fun we have has increased. Instead of spending our nights hitting the bars, we spend them reading books, watching silly kids movies, and rolling around the floor wrestling, or letting Sophia use us as a jungle gym. I love it. Are there times when I want a break? Of course. After all, there’s only so much time you can spend laying in a toddler bed with your body contorted like a pretzel.

Witnessing all the firsts as they happened has been incredible. The first time Sophia rolled over, stood up, took her first steps, said her first words, and started repeating every word we say. And now, with Maddie, waiting for her to reach all the same milestones is great. She hasn’t hit too many yet, unless you count having the biggest cheeks a baby has ever had. But, we are watching her personality start to come out now. I can already tell she is going to have a big personality, just like her sister.

There’s something that changes in you when you become a parent. Something that you can’t describe. If you had told me a few months before we had Sophia that I would be a dad blogger and a dad podcaster, I’d have probably laughed. Having kids changes your perspective on life and how you see the world around you. What I used to think was okay, I now see differently. It doesn’t matter what it is, chances are that I have a different view on it now than I did before I had kids. My girls have taught me more about love, more about being a man, and more about sacrifice.

There have been plenty of struggles over the last three years, as well. I mean, let’s be honest, being a parent isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. It can be trying, frustrating, exhausting, and downright scary at times. But, the highs are so much higher than the lows and that is what makes having kids worth it.

I wish I could re-count all the memories that have happened over the last three years. I really do. I guess that’s why I have this blog, to remember everything I could have forgotten. Take a look back at some of my old posts if you want to relive them with me. Take for instance that time Sophia pooped all over my lap. Or, how Christmas has changed since we’ve had kids. How kids repeat everything you say. And, how I felt when we found out we would be having a second child.

And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the original posts for each of my girls: Sophia’s arrival and Maddie’s arrival.

I hope you enjoyed this stroll down memory lane with me. Please feel free to share your memories of your early years with your kids, or of your memories with my kids. For more, check me out on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!