Hi, I’m James Calloway — and I have no idea what I’m doing.
Well, that’s not entirely true. My daughter Claire is two now, which means I survived the first year. Barely. But I survived.
I’m a software engineer. I spend my days solving problems, reading documentation, and debugging things that shouldn’t be broken. I thought that skill set would transfer to parenthood. Spoiler: it doesn’t. There is no Stack Overflow for a newborn screaming at 3 a.m. for reasons that defy all logic.
When Claire was born, I looked for content written for dads — real dads, not the kind who appear in diaper commercials looking mildly confused but adorable. I wanted someone to tell me what the first week actually felt like. What to do when my partner was exhausted and I had no idea how to help. Whether it was normal to feel completely overwhelmed and deeply in love at the same time. Whether anyone else had cried in a hospital parking lot at 6 a.m. because they were just so tired.
I didn’t find much. So I started writing it myself.
What This Blog Is
The Dad Year is a guide to your baby’s first 12 months — written from a dad’s perspective, for dads. Not a medical journal. Not a parenting manual full of terms like “secure attachment framework.” Just honest, practical, sometimes funny writing about what it’s actually like to become a father for the first time.
I cover everything from the delivery room to the first birthday cake. Sleep schedules, diaper changes, postpartum support for your partner, going back to work, the moments that break you open in the best way. Month by month, week by week, question by question.
I’m not a pediatrician. I’m not a therapist. I’m a dad who took notes.
A Quick Note on Advice
Everything I write is based on my personal experience, research I’ve done as a curious and slightly anxious new parent, and conversations with other dads who’ve been through it. Nothing here should replace the guidance of your pediatrician, your partner, or your own instincts.
Every baby is different. Every family is different. Take what’s useful, leave what isn’t.
Let’s Talk
If something I wrote helped you, made you laugh, or made you feel less alone at 3 a.m. — that’s exactly why this blog exists. Send me a message anytime through the contact page. I read everything.
Welcome to the dad year. You’re going to be great.
— James