Halfway there

My back aches. My left wrist feels as if it's been stabbed with a red-hot Leatherman blade.



Otherwise, taking care of this little girl has been pretty swell.

I reached the midway point of my parental leave on Wednesday. Rather than rehash what's already been posted, I'll try to answer questions that people have asked me while I'm off.

Q: Do you miss work?
A: No. N. O.

Q: Are you going to hate going back to work?
A: Would you stop asking me about work!?!?


Q: Will it be difficult to resume real life?
A: Yes, but not for the reasons you think. I can imagine settling back into my job, though it might take a day or two. The hard part, I can already tell, will be not being with Claire. I'm gonna miss her awful. Those throaty giggles. The smile she flashes nearly every time I look at her. The satisfied swallowing sounds she makes as she feeds. The peaceful look on her face as she naps in the daylight in her crib. I've got four weeks left. The separation anxiety's only going to get worse. Are there any support groups out there for that?

Q: I'm asking the questions.
A: Oh yeah. Right.




Q: Was it hard getting into the rhythm of caring for a baby? The feedings? The diaper changes?


A: Not this baby. She is a dream babe; the immaculate infant. She loves diaper changes. She eats every two hours, almost like clockwork. She fusses only when she had reason to. Oh, sure. She has her days. Like Thursday, when she hardly napped, fussed a lot and drank milk as if she suspected her supply had been hijacked. But her laughing outbursts and other precious moments make up for that.






Q: What's been your favorite part?
A: Seeing Claire light up when her mom comes home is something special. We look forward to it each day. But above that, I'd probably say the best part of this experience is the creative discoveries Claire and I make interacting with each other. Our current favorite game we came across by accident. We were on the bed one afternoon, making faces and shaking toys. For a change of scenery, I sat her atop my stomach. I soon noticed that everytime I craned my neck to look up at her, she was staring intently at my face with a look of anticipation. So, I laid my head back on the bed, then craned it forward again and made a silly face. She loved it. I did this over and over again, making a strange face each time (which isn't difficult for me to do). She'd respond with a laugh or a wide open mouth or by leaning toward me and resting her head against mine. Now, when I set her atop my stomach, she gets excited, knowing the game's coming.


Q: Do you wish you could be Mr. Mom?
A: Not entirely. Would I like more time off? Yes. Could I do this until she entered preschool? I'm not sure I could. I know she'll change as she grows and the type of care she demands and interactions we'll have will change, too. But this is work! I can't imagine taking care of a four or five month old for five years!!!