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848. He makes our second all the more exciting.
We are now within days or even hours from welcoming child number two. The home is being organized, the baby sitters called, the family on their way.
Last time, it was overwhelming. Questions plagued me, the change to our life consumed me. I asked: What would it be like? Could we handle it? Will we ever get a full night’s sleep again? Will our home ever be clean again? Is he breakable?
And now we go again. Let me answer a few questions:
- It will be be great. Really. Oh at first, it is hard. The diapers are plentiful. The feedings are hard to get used to. But you get better every day and he gets calmer every day. And then you read him his first story. And you see his first smile. And he starts to hold his head up and laugh and, yeah, it’s nice.
- You can handle it. Thousands of people less qualified and less loving than you have done it just fine. Enjoy your time. You will look back with love to this time.
- Sleep is hard at first. But so was finals. And you can pass this test. Then the naps get longer. And your abilities get better. Before you know it, you have put him to bed and won’t be hearing from him for 6 - 8 hours. And then 10. Now, our son sleeps most nights through (12 hours).
- Your home will be clean again. You will have more time to keep it tidy. And then he starts moving and it starts to seem like it will never be clean again. And then he starts helping you.
- He isn’t breakable. But he still needs to be treated with love. Have patience, take a break if you’re stressed, and it’ll all work out. Oh yeah, he can only communicate by crying, so give him a break (and watch Happiest Baby on the Block—it is a lifesaver)
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I remember when I was a kid, about 8 years old, I had an alarm clock. It was a clock radio kind of thing, and I guess my parents must have given it to me. I didn’t really know how to use it. And one night I accidentally set it to go off at 1 am.
The alarm went off, blaring and jolting me out of bed. I had no idea what was going on but I finally figured out it was my alarm clock and I stumbled over to it. I could barely get my eyes open, but it was dark so I wouldn’t have seen much anyway. I fumbled around with the alarm clock, feeling for the buttons and pushing each one hoping it would have the desired effect.
Finally, it turned off. I crawled back into bed and figured it was over. I was wrong. 30 minutes later it went off again. I had unwittingly hit the snooze button. I jumped out of bed and ran over to the alarm clock and again fumbled around until I hit the right button. I had no idea which button it was I had hit before, but once again I managed to silence the alarm clock.
About 30 minutes later it went off again! This happened over and over all night long until I finally hit the right button combination to actually turn the alarm off rather than snooze. It was the longest night of my life. I woke up the next morning and the alarm clock was just staring at me with a stupid grin on its face. I could barely stay awake as I headed off to school.
This is what it is like to sleep with a baby in the room.Improvising Fatherhood: I can’t figure this alarm clock out!
(888 reasons note: it gets better in the toddler years; now our baby wakes me up automatically when I should every morning)
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My observations of a toddler. I have cute one. And perhaps the observations of a few others—that is to say, the observations and the observing of others. We'll see if that works out.
Take care.
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