For the last seven years of my life, RMNB has been my metaphorical baby. It’s kept me up all hours, caused me great joy, and eaten up almost all of my time. In the end, it’s been a great crash course in parenting for the next journey in my life…

…Being an actual dad of an actual human baby. My wife Ashley is pregnant with our first child.

When I first started RMNB with Peter in 2009, I never envisioned myself becoming one of the main voices and main personalities of this site. I always saw myself in the background. But things didn’t work out that way and my relationship with all of you is something I have come to deeply treasure. I felt like I was obligated to share this news with you guys as soon as I told my family and friends because in the end I consider you my family too.

Our child is due on April 8 — of course there’s an 8 in the date — right at the end of the regular season. In my heart, this will finally be the Caps year, because it would be just my luck that my baby would only have to wait two months for the Caps’ first Stanley Cup title.

Behind the scenes, I know the next five and a half months are going to be crazy difficult and my wife will need me more and more. I’m not quite sure what to expect or how much my workload will be effected. But it’s my time to step up for Ashley like she’s stepped up for me over these last seven years.

I don’t know what the gender of our child is yet and I probably won’t name the #RMNBBaby after a Caps player (Ashley already vetoed Zhenya if it was a boy).

But there’s one thing I’m sure of: I’m really, really happy right now.