My best friend and his wife recently found out that they will be welcoming their first child into the world this spring. At his invitation I sent him the following thoughts about fatherhood, having endured loved it through nine years and four kids. The remarks have been edited to remove personal information. #1 – Congratulations! [...]

I was beaming with the pride that only a new father can feel. After a week of worrying, during which my wife, Bethany, had been hospitalized with pregnancy-induced hypertension, our son was finally here, a month early, kicking and screaming and flailing his tiny body around. An aide asked for his name. “Isaac,” I grinned. [...]