The perfect dad companion - finally!

How to change a baby at a packed sports stadium?
How to babyproof a hotelroom in four minutes flat?
How to remove foregin objects from the VCR?
How to construct an emergency diaper out of a towel, a sock and duct tape?

Finally, finally, finally, finally. I have got it. The perfect how-to manual to the baby. I am so happy with this book I found, just off chance (actually when sitting down for a breather in Baby Depot when someone else was picking breastfeeding stuff, I have to admit). Just perfectly in love with this one, "Be Prepared" by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden. Not just written with a perfectly tongue-in-cheek style, but also actually containing very useful, pragmatic tricks on first baby management. I heartily recommend to anyone (even moms, if you must, but you will be infringing on dad secret territory here, mind you).

It starts with "this is what your newborn bay will NOT look like" (cute) and "this is what she WILL look like" (a real newborn). It ends with the 1st birthday party (no matter what, for the first birthday party, remember to provide beer and wine. The adults have earned it). And in between it is even better.

From sleeping through the night (or as much of it as possible) to babyproofing tricks and tips. From managing constipation to effective diaper disposal. From getting medicine into the baby to great back exercises to the dad. On picking strollers ("do NOT buy jogging strollers before the baby arrives") to reading Sports Illustrated to the baby. From the advanced diaper change maneuvers beyond the "basic change" to the four methods for the "joy of burping". From borrowing the baby to single friends to hit on ladies... well, maybe not that. Oh, but definitely, most importantly, yes, on managing the moms and their mood swings.

And some really sensible advise:

- rocking the baby to sleep: reggae music actually has a perfect 60bpm beat
- how to prepare for and what to expect on air travel with a baby ("prepare for flying liquids", "deploy toys at regular intervals", "force others to entertain the baby")
- hints for great outing destinations (construction sites, pizza parlor, race track, laundromat, and my favorite the book store!)
- where to go for dinner out ("babies love giant guitars", i.e., Mexican place is good, but "those with giant pepper mills" are likely to be baby-unfriendly)
- there is no need to order a paternity test if she calls all other men "dada" as well
- "the eight issues raised by the anti-TV lobby and their pro-moderation rebuttals"
- to have a camcorder ready when first giving solid food ("she will react like you just gave her a double shot of Jagermeister")

Brilliant. And, btw, it is rare to see 67 out of 72 reviewers at Amazon.com giving 5 stars out of 5 to a book - so it is not just me.