Parenthood is hard. Seems obvious to say, but cliches are overused for a reason. And in five months of being a dad, what has become obvious to me is that the cliches are all true.

Pretty much every warning about the perils that awaited me, if I didn’t disregard, I at least minimized in my own mind. Not consciously, of course, but more with the sense that it would all just kind of work out, and not be hard, and they can’t actually be serious about that, can they?

Oh, they can, and they’re right.

Here’s a list of cliched-but-100%-factual parenting advice:

-The child will take over your life.
-You won’t get any sleep.
-You’ll be worried all of the time.
-Forget about seeing your friends when you want to.
-Forget everything you’ve learned about sex.
-Confronted with any situation, your first thought will be of your child.
-Your relationship with your wife will never be the same.
-Your relationship with your wife’s boobs will never be the same.
-It’s all worth it.
-The child will change every day.
-The smallest growth will make you immeasurably proud.
-You’ll do anything you can to make your child laugh. Anything.

Charlie is impossibly small, but occupies the largest space in my life, and in my heart, that anyone could. Which is also a cliche.