re: Hug It Out! Suck It Up!

John — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:32:45 GMT

Kinda the same boat, but a little farther along. Have daughter Abby who's six and son Jack who is 2 and a half. The thing when Jack was born was Abby's dissapointment of Jacks inability (as a new born) to engage in any sort of "impromptu broadway musical numbers" that are sung by saying the same word over and over, or shag balls. We probably could have managed that better.

Now the caveat, your a little older, having this baby means a lot more than it would if you where 23, myself included. When Jack came, I took me a while to warm up to him ( I would still throw myself on grenade for him) I felt conflicted about who should I take care of, listen to, etc. It's taken me a while to sort it out. The boy is the complete opposite of Abby...he's grumpy, deliberate, demanding and thinks that things on a shelf are his own shooting gallery to throw things and knock off.

It's taken me around three years but now I kinda like him. The father/daughter thing is real for me. Abby and I will always have this mutual admiration thing going (aside from when she is 16, smoking, two deep into Malt liquor and saying to her friends "my Dad is such a prick".

I guess my point is that your capacity for love is there, just don't expect it to be the same as your love for Josie, It will be good, just different.

John in Cincinnati

re: Hug It Out! Suck It Up!

Tracey — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:24:23 GMT

I love the hugs! I was drawing Cade's bath one night and he was standing beside me and he squealed "Mamaaa" and I felt his little arm around me and then he patted me on the back. It was too freakin' adorable.

It's hard to believe that was only a month and a half ago. Now at 21 months we're catching hugs on the run. His interest in domestic life is usually asking me to pick him up while I'm cooking to see what I'm doing. (and of course, immediately asking to be put back down, wash, rinse, repeat)

He does wipe up things, and try to sweep (we have mostly wood floors and rugs), and if a cheerio falls out of his bowl it's "Uh oh" and he puts it back in.

Then he throws toys around without rhyme or reason and likes to turn his cup upside down and empty it's contents everywhere.

Ahem.