Congratulations! We have an 18 month old daughter, and while I don't consider myself an expert on parenting (far from it), I can share some points: 1. Having a

Congratulations! We have an 18 month old daughter, and while I don't consider myself an expert on parenting (far from it), I can share some points: 1. Having a child is both the scariest and the coolest thing that happened to us. You constantly feel like you have no idea what you're doing, but in the end you will always manage. 2. Don't be fooled by people that say that "your life together will be over" and "enjoy your time together while you still can". This is bullshit. This is your own family, so you can make your own choices in how to spend your family time and together time. For example, when our daughter was small enough to still sleep in the stroller, we regularly went out for dinner together and let her sleep next to our table. Maybe this doesn't work out in your situation; the point is that there are no rules on what you can and cannot do once you have a kid. Don't let yourself be forced into the "now we must always stay at home" mantra, because it is total nonsense. 3. If you are free to work from home, and you have a quiet place in the house where you can do so, then I would totally recommend it, even if it's only a day per week. I'm working from home full time myself and it's amazing how much time I get to spend with my family. Not just breakfast and dinner, but also the seemingly mundane things like kissing her "goodnight" when she goes to bed for her afternoon nap. Again, this may or may not work in your situation, but I find it awesome. 4. Love your child: tell them that, and show them. Show them that you love their mother.