Is it over for me?

[sohchx]

I have 3 kids and another on the way and I still buy arcade stuff I just make sure the family has what they need first, the wife is happy as long as the family is happy.


And congrats, it will be an AWESOME time

I agree with you 100% OZ!!!! I have four kids myself and the same principle applies in our home,family first. As long as I follow that I buy what I want,when I want.

 

[xxstatic]

Over?????

Really?????


Naw it's not over, things happen and people adjust.

I had my first child in April 1987, still to this day it feel's like the most seroius day of my life.
I have 3 kids now and like everything in life it has it's ups and downs, you will be back into doing the things you like and if it's the hobby you seek I'm sure you will find a way to continue it.

 

[Tighe]

I don't know if you are done with. My wife (who is pregnant with our second, and is the reason we actually started collecting games), just called me up at work to tell me that she and my 3 year old daughter where playing pinball. Hearing my daughter squealing in the background as she was playing DM is worth the slight dip you will get in collecting. My wife too has the morning/evening/all day sickness. Just remember to be supportive, since if men where the ones that got pregnant, I pretty sure we as race would have died out long ago. Also there is a crazy amount of hormones /changes going on that you want to be on her good side

But remember kids are great, that got little hands to get into those places inside the machine you can't reach That and nothing better than the phone calls I get like today, going Daddy, I'm playing arkanoid, and I'm beating mommy...

I know I Am lucky in that my wife even with #2 on the way was, trying to figure out how to get more games in our gameroom, and was commenting the she liked having the cocktail table against the wall. Congrats and Build up on your sleeping now

I was thinking that all you need to do to your basement is wax and polish the floor (those tiles would look awesome with a coat of wax) install a drop ceiling
and coat of Damplock (tint it dark) and it would be an awesome basement arcade.

 

[doon]

I was thinking that all you need to do to your basement is wax and polish the floor (those tiles would look awesome with a coat of wax) install a drop ceiling
and coat of Damplock (tint it dark) and it would be an awesome basement arcade.

Those tiles are coming out at some point since they are asbestos and they are starting to crack. I need to measure ceiling and the like, but that is the plan. Maybe in spring time. Clean up the basement, get a nice laminate floor and then go from there..

 

[Tighe]

Those tiles are coming out at some point since they are asbestos and they are starting to crack. I need to measure ceiling and the like, but that is the plan. Maybe in spring time. Clean up the basement, get a nice laminate floor and then go from there..

MMMMMM Asbestos.....

Wood Laminate? That will look nice!

Edit: Had to add this:

 

[YellowDog]

Congrats! I'm not sure I can add anything constructive since every wife/new family is different and for some reason you can't buy the correct manual on eBay.

Regarding the morning sickness, it will usually pass. Politely ask your wife to start a food/drink diary. There are foods and drinks that normally she loves that will make her sick and likewise, there are foods that she normally hates that will seem like ambrosia from the gods during this time and will minimize the morning sickness. Tracking which ones bother her and which don't will help her feeling sick. My wife hated Big Macs before she got pregnant. She hates them now. While she was carrying our son, she CRAVED! them. She also found that 6 small meals did much better for her then 3 big ones. Especially near the end when everything was smooshed together.

Anyway, it is an adventure and one that can be unbelievably rewarding. Just keep the family first and you will stay on your wife's good side. She will be changing her focus from you as a couple to you as a family and the more open you are to that change the better things will go. It will eventually go back to you as a couple.

ken

 

[88mph]

Your wife is "nesting." She'll be unreasonable during this time. Just roll with it, as it will pass in time.

- M1A

<-- This.

It's just like how people eat Ramen noodles and/or mac and cheese for a while after signing their first mortgage. It's just a phase.

 

[parkway]

I was in the exact same boat as you. We do pretty well financially and just bought what we wanted, but when my wife found out she was pregnant, some things were put on hold. Your hobby may be over for a little while, but once you and your wife get into the swing of things and life with a child, things will go back to "normal", although normal will have a whole new meaning. Even though I am new to this hobby, I've been collecting and fixing vintage garden tractors for a while. That hobby was held up a little while we got ready for the baby. After we got settled into life with our little boy and got used to the idea of being parents, I was able to continue my hobby, although, with less time for it.

 

[RLEVIN]

Well, it is official... the wife is pregnant with our first child, I am very excited, and cannot wait for this new adventure to begin! Having said that, when I wanted to purchase something arcade related late last week it happened, for the first time in our marriage I was told "no." She said we will need that money for baby stuff. To be honest, we have done very well and while we are not rich we are more on the mid to upper middle class range. So, anytime I have wanted something I didn't ask, I just informed this is where I am going, if you notice something in the garage, thats mine. Now that the baby is on the way, is my run in the hobby over? How do you guys with kids balance between new arcade items and something for your kids? I was told by a friend of mine (with kids) that it won't matter to me anymore, I won't think it will be about your kids and that's where your mind will be at, is this true? What do the future days of arcade collecting have in store for me?

Take it from some one with 11 kids that don't ask don't tell is BULLSHIT and will get you in a world of shit. I purchased a 42000.00 van once with out asking and my wife did not ride in it for weeks and did not sleep in my bed for the same amount of time. The best way to explain it is it is a investment and will pay for college one day. And then you throw in the Dad time you will be spending with your kid restoring them later. Anyway I have been married for 26 years and you learn a lot from that like SAYING YES AND NO DEAR THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOUR ASS LOT FAT.

 

[hasenfang]

I was in the exact same boat as you. We do pretty well financially and just bought what we wanted, but when my wife found out she was pregnant, some things were put on hold. Your hobby may be over for a little while, but once you and your wife get into the swing of things and life with a child, things will go back to "normal", although normal will have a whole new meaning. Even though I am new to this hobby, I've been collecting and fixing vintage garden tractors for a while. That hobby was held up a little while we got ready for the baby. After we got settled into life with our little boy and got used to the idea of being parents, I was able to continue my hobby, although, with less time for it.

Well, I assume that my time for screwing around will be even less than it is now, but I am in decent shape in terms of my games, everything is working (mostly) but I have stuff I am trying to get time to do. I have a few cap kits I need to do, a CPO I would like to do, and I was going to strip down the steering wheel of my spy hunter and repaint it. So, I might try to get that done before baby arrives...

 

[hasenfang]

Take it from some one with 11 kids that don't ask don't tell is BULLSHIT and will get you in a world of shit. I purchased a 42000.00 van once with out asking and my wife did not ride in it for weeks and did not sleep in my bed for the same amount of time. The best way to explain it is it is a investment and will pay for college one day. And then you throw in the Dad time you will be spending with your kid restoring them later. Anyway I have been married for 26 years and you learn a lot from that like SAYING YES AND NO DEAR THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOUR ASS LOT FAT.

Well, I have always thought honesty is the best policy and again, I got a no because I mentioned that I was planning on doing some stuff. Its interesting, we went out to breakfast today and we had a very good talk about my hobby and other activities that we both enjoy. She basically said, I have no problem with you buying whatever, but she has taken the last 3 months off of work due to her having a high risk pregnancy so she was more concerned that she wasn't bringing any money in. By the end of next week, she should be able to start to work a few days a week which is what she normally worked anyways. So, I think at that time I should be back in business!

In terms of financial planning for the kids college fund and future, that is something I was planning to look into I know each state has different deals and you can open an account in any state, so something I am familiar with, but have not looked a whole lot into since I don't have any kids until this bun in the oven.

Thanks to everyone for the stories, opinions and ideas, it has all been really helpful. Its odd, because when I think about people with kids, all you hear is with these kids we have no money for anything, etc, etc. So, in a way not knowing what your up against and hearing those things is cause for some concern. The more time goes by the more excited and "into" the idea I get. I guess that doesn't sound good, but its true, in many ways, time has just gone by and it was always one of those things that one day will happen. I guess that time is coming... exciting times!

Anyone have any good baby arcade theme related items they can point me in the direction of?

Old Navy had a pac man onesie that said eating machine with pac-man on it... Already picked that up...

 

[fatherpain]

Having kids had the opposite effect. It made me want to get into arcade collecting and accelerated buying because of the fantasy they would want to grow up playing games I thought were cool growing up. I've got 2 boys ages 6 and 3 and they do like the games, but sadly the games that hold their interest the most are the newer ones like Super Mario Galaxy 2. My fantasy is probably just that. A fantasy, heh. Its too late for me, but mebbe you can avoid rationalizing "Wow, Afterburner Deluxe! Bet my kids would like to have one of those!!" lol

Tom

 

[TheBasement]

I am a single income family with 5 kids. Just had number 5 in February of 2010. Just make sure your family is provided for first and get your time before the games do, as others have already said. To put it in perspective, with a new child I still bought 15 games in 2010. I didn't plan it that way, just deals came up, buying and selling, etc. I always try to take a kid on an arcade run, and even had my daughter drive the vehicle to pick up a DK while I rode shotgun once. My 3 year old always gets out his plastic tool set and helps me when I work on arcade games. Family is first, but that doesn't mean they can't join you on the fun.