When you're expecting, people torment you with visions of sleepless nigts spent pacing the halls with a wailing baby, bombard you with jokes about poopy diaper duty and spit-up patrol, and razz you about romance and sex becoming but distant memories.

But have you ever noticed that most of these hecklers don't actually have kids?

Then there are the seasoned parents—the ones who give you a quietly encouraging smile and a knowing nod of the head, the ones who look at you wistfully as they are reminded of their own baby's infancy. They have the privilege of knowing firsthand what you will soon: Those initial days and weeks in Babyland are nothing short of magical....

[full text available on request]