Baby Beast: An Open Letter to My Little Beast On the Way

179 beats per minute.

Sounds like my heart rate during the half marathon I ran in 1 hour 27 minutes a few years back. However, this hear rate means a lot, lot more to me than some race.

There’s a Baby Beast on it’s way to the Damron family and we couldn’t be more thrilled.

On Thursday, we officially passed the scary first trimester and the baby’s heart was thumping like no other.

One of Those Moments

It was planned. When I say “it”, I mean the 5 centimeter long dumpling in my wife’s inners that I am currently calling Baby Beast. My wife and I had a plan and we executed perfectly 😉 .

With that said, the moment you find out you are going to be a dad is one of the greatest moments of your life. For other dads out there, you already know. For those that might in the future, you will find out one day.

We have about 6 more weeks until we find out if we are going to be having tough-as-nails guy beast or a prim-and-proper lady beast so the real fun starts then.

At this point though, I don’t care one bit if it is male, female, or wildebeest. As long as it can race me to the end of the block and back in a few years, I am good.

Becoming a dad has changed my entire outlook on life and how I am approaching it. I am still the same person before, but the focus that moment brought to my life will always hold a special place in me.

 

Now What

Since July 3rd, our lives have been a whirlwind trying to answer the almighty question of, “Now what?!” Not in a bad way, but in a well-I-guess-we-have-to-find-out-which-of-the-15-different-diaper-options-is-best kind of way.

We have started buying a few baby things just for fun, but the heart of all of our life changes lies in preparing for the baby beyond onesies and diaper genies. We have locked down a new home in the Mile High city of Denver, Colorado and are now going through the actual “buying” process. Our bid was accepted, but there are inspections, appraisals and lots of other things my realtor is managing.

What this also means is snow-shovel workouts, literal mile high runs, and lots and lots of outdoors exploration. My workouts will immediately become a lot better than 110 degree pass-out runs in Phoenix. Needless to say I am excited.

Another big item we are looking to lock down before the baby is a newer car that is safer and more reliable. Our current car is wonderful, but certainly soon-to-be my high mileage baby while the wife rides in semi-style.

Am I the First to Know?

Kinda, but not really.

Ali Damron and I found out we were pregnant July 3rd and besides family and some friends, we have kept it on the DL (for my kid to come: DL is what the cool kids say instead of down low…look, I’m already teaching the Baby Beast). After this article, I have a feeling a few more people are going to know.

In the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts and words of encouragement . My wife definitely could use them with her usual fit abs becoming a dormitory for 1 (no twins were seen…THANK GOD!).

Sympathy Weight, You Have Met Your Match

Mommy Beast has gained a whole 3 pounds (aka nothing really). She is absolutely the most full she has ever been one minute and the next I am headed to Chipotle for the 6th time in a week. I easily could be huge right now and, honestly, there have been a few stretches that I haven’t been a Beast. With that said, I have stayed in the same fitness range as usual and am currently working back towards extreme Beast levels.

Sympathy weight is a struggle for many. As most couples tend to eat together and lounge together, the more one does it, the pull becomes stronger for the other. Trust me, the pull is very strong. But I push on. The workouts are awesome stress relievers and help counter the sympathy pounds.

Frequently Asked Questions I’m Already Getting

What are you going to do about (fill in the blank)?

This one is endless. Honestly, it just makes me laugh. Ali and I are both fairly “chill” folks. We don’t demand a lot and don’t need a lot. We figure out a way to get everything we need.

Are we probably forgetting a ton of stuff? Absolutely, but it all works out in the end. Stress just brings about more stress and the Beast Family (first time I’ve said that…AWESOME!) is ready to roll with the punches and fight on.

Are you scared to death?

Nope. I am pumped.

I can tell I am starting to have all of the concerns that most new parents do, but in the end, I know everything will work out. Being scared would just get in the way.

How’s Mommy Beast Doing?

Ali is a champ.

This first trimester was killer. The emotional and physical tolls were astronomical. I don’t know how women voluntarily accept the punishment of going through pregnancy. I couldn’t do it.

Her moods and general feeling are seeming to turn the corner over the last week which we both hope continues 😉 .

My Open Letter to My Baby Beast

The following is something I hope my Baby Beast reads one day in the far-ahead future.

I wanted to write this for the slight chance that I happen to die crossing the finish line in an Ironman or surfing 20 footers in Bali. It’s also a selfish way of bringing more focus to becoming a dad and what I want to do to make my little Beast’s life the best it can be.

 _______________________

To My Little Beast –

The day I found out you were going to be entering my world, I knew my life would only be better from that day forward.

I am writing this letter to you so that I can share what I have learned in my short 28 years on this little blue dot in the universe. It is not a telling of what should or shouldn’t be done. It is a look into what I have learned and what you can to from life.

Life is an opportunity. It is a chance to do great things. It is something that many of us often take for granted. I want you to know that your mom and I want to provide you with every opportunity to do great things. If you ever need a helping hand to achieve something that is difficult, challenging, or so crazy that everyone else doubts you, we will be here to help. You have one chance to make this the most amazing life you will ever have. Might as well take advantage of every opportunity presented to you.

Know that you can always achieve more with less. Simplify everything and happiness is guaranteed. The things that have brought the most joy to my life have been direct results from simplifying the chaos around me. If ever there is a time of frustration, confusion and need for clarity, eliminate everything but the essential and you will probably regain control of life. Less is a tool that can be applied to any and everything you do so feel free to apply accordingly.

I have done great things in my life that cost nothing more than the gift your grandparents gave me, which is my physical being. I have tested my limits through physical feats, general fitness, and healthy dietary practice. I am not here to tell you what you can or can’t do with your body. I am here to share with you that your body can bring about happiness that no one can take from you. People can take your money. They can take your possessions. They can take a lot. However, they cannot take away the body you produce through effort. If you see the body as something different, I would be ever grateful that you accomplish one thing as a favor to me. Run one 26.2 mile marathon in your life. If you complete that, I will know you have pushed your body to the precipice. Whether you decide to treat your body as a work of art from there forward, I have absolutely no qualms as I know you have at least felt what I have felt at that finish line.

Screw politics. Screw division. Screw us-versus-them mentality. My first 20 years of life were filled of competition and it wasn’t until after I discovered healthy competition that I finally became happy. That doesn’t mean you don’t join a team and compete. It just means that you try to distance competition outside of competition. On the court, track, field, battle it out with the rest of the Beasts, but the second the competition is over, step away from the emotional pull it brings.

Every morning that you wake, try to think of one awesome thing you can do that day. That can be as small as helping mom make lunch or as big as giving a ton of money to someone in dire straits. The more days you do something awesome, the more memories you create for yourself and for others.

Don’t be afraid to feel emotions. Some of the moments that I have cried have been the most connected to who I am. Enjoy life with emotion. If you can feel anything, whether happy or sad, depressed or overjoyed, frustrated or fulfilled, you are probably living life right.

Focus your goals on accomplishments that no one can take away from you. I have climbed many mountains, crossed many finish lines, and scared the hell out of myself many a times and each of those memories will never be taken from me. Your goals are your own so try to limit outside forces effecting or validating your results.

Lastly, I want to share two stories with you.

When I was 21, I went to this far away land called Australia. I had never been overseas and rarely pushed myself from my comfort zone. I set this up to be the trip of a lifetime and it was just that.

The beginning of my journey saw me visit the island of Tasmania. We were staying at this small hunter’s cabin in the middle of a valley on some farmer’s land. It was small, cozy and simple. On my first night, I left the group in the small cabin and headed outside. About 15 miles in every direction rose mountainside that blocked out all light from the man-made world. It was pitch black. I had never been so consumed by nothing. I walked about a  half mile from the small cabin and stumbled upon this giant boulder sunken 3/4’s in the ground. I don’t know how in the world this rock got to that place, but I felt like it was placed there just for me. I spent an hour on that rock that first night staring up at the sky with absolutely nothing around. The stars seemed to outshine the darkness of the sky. At that moment in time, I felt more at peace than I had ever had and have ever since. I had found this quiet place where nothing existed but my thoughts, nature and me. I found clarity of what I truly wanted in life and what life meant to me. This all came from taking everything unnecessary away and focusing on life in its most barest form. This can’t be done in the hustle and bustle of the world. Go in search of a place like this in your life. Go alone. I can’t tell you what you will feel, but I know you will feel something that few in this world today will ever get the chance of doing.

Shortly thereafter, I headed to the mainland of Aussie with fellow travelers. We strolled through the streets of Sydney towards the Sydney Harbour. For years on end, I saw this beautiful place on television and in pictures. I wanted to go there and I was finally getting close to being there. I wanted something so bad that I sacrificed a lot to make it a reality. As we stepped from the busy streets and high rise buildings of central Sydney, I saw one of the most beautiful sites I had ever seen. To my left was the monstrous Sydney Harbour Bridge. In front of me was this dark blue bay with small boats going to and from the Harbour. To my right, there lied the sails of the Sydney Opera House. As I let the Harbour consume me, I felt all of the noise around me and all of the people about disappear. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I felt it. I took in the moment. I had wanted for so long to be here and it was finally here and I truly, truly enjoyed the accomplishment of reaching something that once felt unattainable. I wanted something so badly, that all of the sacrifice was worth it for this moment of pure happiness.

I want to leave one question bouncing around in your head. This is what made these last two stories a reality.

What are you doing today to be __________________ tomorrow?

It is up to you to fill in the blank. It is up to you to put in the effort to make it a reality. If you can implement this into your life everyday, I promise you that my two moments of clarity will be yours one day.

Your ever grateful father –

David