Reflections on parenting

[arib]

I'm in the middle of my second week of paternity leave. I thought I'd record a few of my thoughts while I have a free moment. So, in random order:


-On some small level, it still doesn't feel "real." Part of me is still surprised that there's this new little person in my life, and is waiting for the other shoe to drop. The rest of me knows. :-)

- I'm impressed with how helpful people are when I'm out with the baby. Lots of folks do things like hold doors for me when I'm pushing the stroller. With the weather we've had lately, the sidewalks are narrower due to piled snow. People walking towards me tend to step aside and let me wheel by before I have the chance to pull over for them. I'm happy to note that this tends to come from all sorts of people, and there isn't some sort of age/gender/ethnicity bias, as far as I can tell.

-I get lots of compliments about my daughter. For some reason, this makes me feel a little weird. I mean, I think she's the most beautiful baby in the world, but I'm partial. I always try to be gracious about it and say thank-you, but it's still a bit weird for me.

-Weirdly, I seem to get a lot of attention from women of the "young and single" variety. It's nice and all, but curious.

-Rena is really blossoming. She's become more aware of her hands. While she's not at the point of reaching for things that she sees, she's taken to grasping my shirt/sleeve when Aliza or I hold her. If I'm wearing a short-sleeved shirt, she sort of plays with the hair on my arm.

-She's also making eye contact very reliably, and will try to catch your eye, or move into a position where she can see your face.

-She's starting to smile socially. At this point, you really need to smile at her and prompt her a lot to get a smile in response. Thus far, I've only ever seen her spontaneously smile socially at Aliza.

-As much as I enjoy taking Rena to Aliza's workplace so they can have a middle of the day feeding, I'm pretty sure that Rena has no idea that we're doing anything out of the ordinary. She really likes the stroller, though, and will fall asleep after being walked around for a few minutes.

-Fortunately, she's taken to having expressed milk from a bottle really well, and we haven't had to deal with nipple confusion or anything like that. The first time I fed her a bottle, she seemed a little confused, but took the bottle. The dialogue on her face pretty clearly said, "I'm not sure how you're pulling this off. You're not the person who usually does this. I'm confused, but I like the outcome, so I'll play along."

-When my brother Dani fed her a few days later, the dialogue on her face said, "who the hell are you? Are they letting just anyone in on this... omnomnomnom"

-Dani then proceeded to burp her, which she did. She then started making another noise. Dani let me know that she had the hiccups.

-I only had enough time to say "her hiccups don't sound like..." before she spit up on him in epic fashion. Epic. Fashion. Clothes needed to be changed, an unscheduled baby-bath happened, we counted our lucky stars that she didn't hit the couch. Epic.

-To his credit, Dani took it well. I'm sure I'll get that loaner t-shirt back eventually.

More as it comes to me...

Comments

[penmage.livejournal.com]

I am probably too amused with myself when people compliment me on Eliora, and I say, "Thank you, I made her myself."

What? It's true!

Also, isn't human development SO COOL?

[arib.livejournal.com]

IT IS! I dug out my old human development textbooks yesterday and gave them a quick re-read.

A random construction worker that I shared an elevator with pulled out his cellphone and started showing me pictures of his daughter (a 17-month old kid wearing a viking helmet, very cute).

[mick-hale.livejournal.com]

I am probably too amused with myself when people compliment me on Eliora, and I say, "Thank you, I made her myself."

I DO THAT TOO! It's a knee-jerk response for when I'm told that my twins are cute.

And yes, human development is cool. For as much as I hated the course and argued with the professor, now that I actually have kids it's turning into a real-life review of the class.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

The young ladies showing an interest in you? Basic biological reaction. You're a proven fertile male.

We want more pictures!

[arib.livejournal.com]

A two-month-old Picasa album is coming. Spoiler alert- she's still adorable.

[rikhei.livejournal.com]

It is neat to read about this. :)

I have some friends with a five month old daughter...they may be moving to the Boston area later this year. I would love to introduce you guys if that comes to pass!

[arib.livejournal.com]

Definitely.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

"She's become more aware of her hands."

Has she ever looked at her hands? I mean, really looked at her hands?

:-)

[arib.livejournal.com]

Mostly she just really looks at Aliza. As fond as Rena seems to be of me, she's almost proprietary when it comes to Aliza.

[beki.livejournal.com]

Get used to it Dad :) As a geek dad, you will get into olympic speed diaper changing and rate that poo. It's a weird world parenting is. Thing is, you will wonder what you did without her. It's strange in a good way.