First time parents + two adults who have minimal exposure to children of any age (yes, we were the ones who looked annoyed when you sat down near us with your child on a plane!) + three months of screaming colic once the precious bundle did arrive + 2 weeks enduring wife's postpartum depression = not a happy husband/daddy!
I thought I'd take a moment to describe life for my husband post baby. However, to do so, I have to go back a few pages. When I met my husband he was a commitment-phobe to the extreme. He really wasn't all too excited to label himself "in a relationship", was the one who all his friends said would be the last to marry, really didn't think he wanted kids and definitely didn't want a dog (but if he did that sucker would be outside!) Well, never one to back down from a challenge, I decided that this was my dream man!
Now, wait a minute, before you cast judgement from what I just wrote, please keep in mind that we are talking about a good-looking, well-employed, single guy in his 20's, living in Dallas, TX at the time I met him. He was living high on the bachelor life. There is a show getting ready to premiere on Bravo called "Most Eligible Dallas", while I'm sure it will be obnoxious beyond belief, at one time, you could probably have cast my husband on this show. (Oh my, he's going to be so embarrassed and mad at me for that one!)
Anyway, first came relationship. Since we are happily married, that obviously worked out. I can proudly say that he was among the early ranks of his friends to get married. And, some (I love you guys dearly) are still swinging the single life. Then came dog. Our Wrigley! Oh my goodness do we love that boy! And that "outdoor" dog idea was soon promoted to "indoor but not on furniture", to "he can do whatever he wants because this is his house and he's family!" Then came baby.
This deserves a new paragraph. We didn't jump right on that baby train. We thought, "let's stop preventing and see what happens." Well, you know what happens when you stop preventing? You get pregnant! After the initial fear, worry and shock that accompanies all positive pee sticks we were pumped. We took the classes, got the nursery ready, had the showers and then came baby. She was precious, little, adorable and hubs was just getting warmed up and then came colic. I literally then watched my husband turn into a Transformer. Whenever that screeching bundle was handed his way Mr. Roboto would emerge. The most stressed out, jerky movements would come from my normally laid-back, composed man. Since I stayed home with her during the day once my husband would get home, often, I would need a break. Just to stress how comfortable he was with her, my "break" would normally consist of him holding her while they followed me around the house! And to think, all I wanted was 1 hour of quiet to watch Grey's Anatomy! My needs were simple at best! And it lasted 3 months!
Once the colic storm passed my husband behaved much like I would imagine a spooked cat to act. He would come in for a peek, then the baby would make a squawk and he would jump back and retreat. However, to be fair, we both emerged from the colic battle victorious but not without scars and post-traumatic stress.
A few months have now passed and we have an even-keeled, awesome tyke on our hands. While we still have our, "I can't believe she doesn't cry all the time anymore" moments, we have settled into life with our gal. She's been so cool to get to know.
So, to wrap up. Ways that I know my husband is down with baby now. 1) He kisses her non-stop when he holds her (very cute). 2) Mr. Roboto has left the building. 3) She literally poo'd in his hand the other day (thank the Lord I wasn't home!) and he handled it like he's been poo'd on regularly his whole life. He even figured out the complicated equation of how to get the baby to the changing table while not getting the poo hand on her. Get the hand cleaned up enough with baby wipes so that he could change her, set her in her crib, and get his hands washed. Seriously, that scenario should be an SAT question. And finally 4) If I go out to run errands while she is napping and leave my husband at home with baby I no longer get frantic, panic calls alerting me that she has woken up and I should hurry home. Ahhh, life is bliss!
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