Thursday, 28th March 2024 13:40
Home / Uncategorized / A break for baby Cody

So far this year, I’ve already been to the PCA and EPT Deauville. The PCA is kind of a special place for me as it was one year ago that PokerStars announced there in the Bahamas that I was a new Team PokerStars Pro. I’m really proud and grateful for everything PokerStars has done, and going back there brings back a lot of great memories.

It’s been a great year, filled with a lot of poker and other adventures. But there’s a lot to look forward to as well, because I’m about to become a father! My girlfriend, Alex, is pregnant and we’re very getting close now with the due date March 23rd.

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Being about to have a child has definitely made me think a lot about the circle of life and my parents having had me. I guess it’s something I hadn’t thought about that much before. But now all of a sudden it’s getting closer, even though it feels like Alex has been pregnant for so long.

Alex’s parents and my mother have all been telling us stories about raising us, and I think the whole experience has already brought us all closer together. They will all be around when the baby comes. We’ll be having the baby in Miami, and everyone will be flying in to be there.

We know we’re having a girl and we’ve chosen a name — Arianna. I’ve actually found myself sometimes trying to imagine the actual day and to envision what it will be like. It’s something we’ve talked about so much. It kind of freaks me out a little bit, but really I’m more excited than anything.

After I’m finished here in Europe, I’ll join Alex in Florida. I anticipate being out of action for a good while afterwards, too. That’s one of the nice things about playing poker for a living, namely having a flexible schedule that will allow me to take time off like I’ll want to do once Arianna arrives.

It’s going to be quite strange this summer going to Las Vegas for the WSOP, because we’ll be bringing the baby, too, for the entire six weeks. I’m pretty sure I’ve mocked people in the past for bringing babies to Vegas, but now I’ll be doing it.

I guess I’m going to have to grow up quite a lot. Having a child is always something I wanted, although to be honest at first I wasn’t quite sure if I was really ready. But now I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I’m friends with David Williams and we’ve been talking a lot about fatherhood and what it’s like. He’s been showing me pictures of his daughter, Liliana, and it’s been nice to discuss with him the whole experience of being a dad.

So like I say, the last year has been great… but the next one should be even better!

Jake Cody is a member of Team PokerStars Pro

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