I have to say the tone of the OP irked me a little. It's a bit as if anything emotionally important can't be said without being pissed and deferred a bit via humour. I say this 'cos I've had a lot of similar reactions from my mates who don't have kids - you get this kinda bravado about it which can grate and look a bit sad by the time they're in their 40s.
Having said that, having kids is pretty fucking amazing, though like anything that important, it totally upends your life. The whole process of seeing your partner's pregnancy and (if you'e lucky) a good birth is just incredible. The fact it happens thousands of times a day doesn't make it less miraculous. And then you get to see your kid age, grow, learn, this weird little animal becomes human. I'm deeply interested in all aspects of this due to being an aspiring psychotherapist but they seem to me like vital parts of life that its a shame not to experience. It does take attention and time away from yourself and your own pursuits of course, and that's always a trade off. There's definitely "before" and "after children" in my own life. But those are the breaks and you're never going to have a life free from conflicts that come with career, work, responsibility, relationships, ageing and so on. Kids are part of that mix (or not, maybe, depending on you).