In the Beginning... There Were No Diapers: Laughing and Learning in the First Years of Fatherhood

This book is funny; I mean REALLY funny. Tim Bete is the Dave Barry for parents of young kids, so if you like to laugh, then you'll love reading this one. In fact, my family could tell whenever I was reading it because they'd hear my annoying, "HA! HA! HA!" from every room of the house. I couldn't put it down because it felt so good to laugh. I've decided it's a much easier route to six-pack abs than sit-ups. Just read this book and you'll get a major abdominal workout! IN THE BEGINNING...THERE WERE NO DIAPERS is divided into 19 short chapters that each focus on one area of parenting young children. With titles such as, "The Miraculous World of Potty Training," "Five Loaves, Two Fish -- What, No Tarter Sauce?" and "Daddy's NOT going to Buy You a Mockingbird," you can get an idea of how funny Bete is. Laughter is important for stressed-out parents. We may feel like we're the only one dealing with certain behavior issues -- single parents, especially, may have no one who can share the burden. But a book like this one helps fill in the gaps. This would make a great gift for any Dad - but I know moms will love it too. Bete lets you peek into his house and show you how he turns those moments of "Uh-oh" (the tooth fairy forgot to visit...) into moments of "Ah-ha! Close your eyes and she'll leave you a surprise" (It may even be money...or other unknown contents from a rapidly emptied pocket!) I can't tell you how hard I laughed when Tim described what it's like to change a baby's diaper in an airplane bathroom. Yes, I've done it! Most parents can relate to the strange places you're forced to do such a chore. And how insane we feel when we have to read the same book over and over (AND OVER) again. "I tried sliding it under a chair cushion," he writes about his son wanting to hear The Lion King every time his wife had a prenatal visit. "But no matter where I hid it, it always appeared at the top of the book pile at our next visit." To this day, "Hakuna Matata" sends shivers up his spine "as if I heard the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard." If you're a group leader for any kind of parent organization, this book would be great to have for a break-the-ice reading or gift for new members. You'll unite every listener who has been there, done that...or is in the midst of being there, doing that. Although each chapter focuses on a modern parenting miracle, the biggest miracle of all will be how you can put this book down! --Reviewed by Heather Lynn Ivester for Mind & Media

I am the owner of Http://www.ArmyWifeTalkRadio.com. I found Mr. Bete through my parenting expert Jodie Lynn. His publisher sent me this book, though after reading it I have purchased five more copies for my family and friends. My husband is away in Iraq, for OIF III. I will be sending him a copy too. I don't get much time for myself so doing research on having someone on the show is sometimes tedious. This research however, was not. I laughed out loud! I had to call my mom and share some of his writing. I am looking forward to tonight when I get to pick up and read from Chapter 5! I can't thank you enough Tim! I needed that laugh, and so do my listeners. I cannot WAIT to have you on the show!

In the Beginning...There Were No Diapers: Laughing and Learning in the First Years of Fatherhood by Tim Bete is one of the most delightful parenting humor books I have ever read. Having grown up reading Erma Bombeck, I have read the funniest and the finest in my day. Tim Bete's humor, laced with a God-based perspective, anchors his stories in every day life in a way Erma Bombeck never did. It makes his writing unique and honest -- a cut above the rest. His wild imagination combined with a nurturing sensitivity towards his progeny makes this quick and fun read very enjoyable. One of my favorite lines comes from his imaginary tale of his home life played out as a movie: "There is only one human being in sight. Except for the tormented look on her face, she looks vaguely familiar - almost wife-like. She sits mute on the couch with her head in her hands. I ask her how her day was. She glares." As a writer and stay-at-home mom, I laughed for ten minutes straight. See, see! Some men do see their wives the way we see ourselves. From thinking his children are monkeys taking over the Earth to marveling at his son's recycling ability, Bete offers his readers a much-needed break from the mundane, turning our very lives into miracles, too. Thank you, Mr. Bete, for the reminder that God is with us, even when (or maybe because?) there are graham cracker crumbs in our pockets. Christine Louise Hohlbaum, American expat author of Diary of a Mother (2003) and SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom (May 2005), resides with her family near Munich, Germany. http://www.diaryofamother.com

I've always felt that fathers get left out at gift-giving time around the birth of a baby and no more! I have four friends having babies and this book is exactly what I will include with their flowers and rattles. Something to help dad keep his sense of humor! Julie Clark Robinson, author of Live in the Moment

Tim Bete brings humor and insight to the job of fatherhood, capturing the many miracles of parenthood in this wonderful first book. His weekly column already charms people from coast to coast. "In the Beginning..." will be the first of many successful efforts for this up-and-coming humorist. I've only read one chapter and can't wait to read the rest. This book will be a "must get" for couple's showers, Father's Day, or any occasion when a gift is needed for a dad of any age. Witty and wry, Tim's style will keep dads -- and moms -- laughing for long time.