Oh yeah...

[SCacalaki]

While on the topic of big changes like re-fi, it looks like I'll be a dad in November. 

[Brinker]

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!First time?

Brinker

[otismalibu]

Does your wife know?

Here's hoping for a healthy monkey and delivery date that doesn't cause you to miss any Steelers action.

[vinman3]

Congratulations SC! That is awesome news. You will love being a Dad.

[SCacalaki]

Thanks guys!

1st one

Yeah, just hoping all the toes/fingers are there, etc.

Didn't even think about it taking me out of action for Steelers' season.  DVR.

I'm concerned about paying for daytime childcare once my wife goes back to work.  Her work has a daycare on-site but it's $1400/month...which may be how it is everywhere.  What we could do is that she could find a new job and I could stay at home.  She's currently a post-doc and could get a "real job" and make in salary what the two of us make together now.  Couldn't do that if she quit her job and I continued to work. 

And we've talked about moving out of B'more, as neither of us is tied by anything other than our jobs. 

Maybe back south to Atlanta/CDC or something like that.

A lot to think about.

[jonzr]

Congratulations SC!  Start the college fund now.

[Brinker]

Give Charlotte NC a try...heavy northern influence...still a big city...housing value is still great...lots of Stiller fans...only six hour drive tot the burgh'.

Brinker

I'm concerned about paying for daytime childcare once my wife goes back to work.  Her work has a daycare on-site but it's $1400/month...which may be how it is everywhere

What about a nanny?  Couldn't be more than $50.00-$75.00 a day X 20 days =$1000.00-$1500.00 per month.

Just a thought

[vinman3]

Congratulations SC!  Start the college fund now.

+10000000000

Put that money away and start it now. It will pay off in the end.

$1400/month ouch!

We pay $440, even the infant room was $700/month. Can't imagine having to pay that much.

I would be all for being a kept man SCac! Watching Oprah, eating bon bons, and keeping up with Days of Our Lives...Heaven! Ok, seriously, I would absolutely be a stay at home Dad...would do it in a second if I could (and not for Oprah, bon bons, and Days of Our Lives). Best of luck to you and the missus.

[Big Virgil]

Congrats Scac.  It's time for the Mrs. to get in the game.  If need be, she can get a paper route too.  She'd probably only be sleeping at 3:00 a.m. anyway!!!!

 

[aj_law]

Congrats, man!  Welcome to the club.  Always nice to know that your boys can swim!

[Finnegans Wake]

Congrats to you and the missus!  The beginning of a new adventure.

Keep us updated!

[jonzr]

It might be fun to have a kid that I could kick around
A little me to fill up with my thoughts
A little me or he or she to fill up with my dreams
A way of saying life is not a loss

[Puma170]

Congrats!  I have to tell you with less than two weeks of fatherhood under my belt, it is tough (and I am sure that it will get tougher) but it is totally worth it...

PUMA

[Merman1983]

Congrats, man.

[leighclay]

Congrats SC!!
I have no idea about kids, except for the nephew, and he's awesome.
Based on that, I'd highly recommend having kids.

Except for the whole pregnancy and labor thing...
 B)

[SCacalaki]

Thanks everyone!

Always nice to know that your boys can swim!

That was one of my first thoughts when I found out.  We had only been trying for a month and I wasn't sure how long it would take as my wife had been on the pill for 10+ years prior to December.

Definitely right re: the college tuitiion.  If we continue to live in B'more, the kid will go to private school as schools here in the city are reminiscent of "The Wire"

Yep, $1400/mth for daycare at Johns Hopkins.  Someone talked about an au pair but I think my wife and I enjoy our privacy too much.  We'll see what happens. 

[Big Virgil]

OK - I have to say it.

$1400 per mo at Johns Hopkins is like saying I can't buy a car anywhere for less than $100,000.  Well, I looked at every Porshe dealership on the east coast, but just just can't afford a car.

I'm sure J.H. would provide a top-notch day care program, but my guess is you can definitely find quality care for $100 less per week.

I'm just sayin.

[otismalibu]

Ten years ago, we paid $90/week in a Twin Cities suburb. Lovely Egyptian woman, who only had a small number of kids. Good deal.
A guy that works for the Mrs. is paying around $200-225/week here in metro-east STL.

I'd keep looking. Anthony Hopkins wouldn't charge that much and I've heard he's top notch.

[vinman3]

I'd keep looking. Anthony Hopkins wouldn't charge that much and I've heard he's top notch.

Hello Clarice.

[msdmnr2002]

Congrats SC!  Another one of those "my life will never be the same" moments.  But it's a great one.

As any parent here can tell you, you're in for a million ups and downs over the next couple of decades.  Just remember to take time to remember the good stuff.

$1400/month does seem pretty high, though it's been about six years since we were doing the all day long care thing.  Although the convenience of child care at work is pretty nice.

[Big Virgil]

It is extra extra convenient when it is at work for the Mrs. 

That means dad gets out of dropping off or picking up.  "Gee honey, I would really like to do that, but since you are going there already, I'm just going to catch up on some Flintstones.

[Big Virgil]

Ten years ago, we paid $90/week in a Twin Cities suburb. Lovely Egyptian woman, who only had a small number of kids. Good deal.

I could see 90 per week in a small town with low cost of living.  Otherwise, here, $90 per week would have yielded a steel crib in a dark basement.

11 years ago, we paid 600 per mo for an infant.  It was a new private day care, but was actually less than some of the chain places here like Kindercare and Children's World.  When we had the 2nd one we were going to pull them out and go some place cheaper, that wasn't as nice, so the owner matched the price of the other place to get us to stay.   

When the oldest was getting ready to start Kindergarten, and the other one was 4 ish, I think it was up to $1450 per month.  I think when school started, if our oldest would have been staying there instead of going to K, it was going up to $1600.  It was borderline criminal.