7 Months Later

It’s hard to believe I’m the father of a 7 month old boy. Harder to believe that it’s been 7 months since I posted to this journal. It’s not that live hasn’t been interesting and exciting. Quite the contrary; I don’t know where to begin.

Since The Boy arrived, my wife and I have been going non-stop. The Wife settled into the role of Mommy remarkably smoothly. She researches the best foods and toys for him. She has the “magic touch” to send him to Dreamland (and the accompanying patience). And she looks great in a Baby Björn.

Me? I think I’m doing OK. Work picked up almost immediately after The Boy’s birth, and it keeps me in front of the computer a lot. Fortunately, since only in another room, I can be rushed into the living room for milestones like rolling over, sitting up, first bites of solid food, etc. All the things that make my boy a genius. Since I am useless at many parenting tasks (like the aforementioned “magic touch;” mine seems to have the reverse effect and shocks him into the Waking World), I try to compensate by changing as many diapers as I can (preferably “pee-pee” diapers), lifting heavy things and pushing the stroller. And, of course, bringing home the bacon.

Next week we embark on what will surely be the biggest event of our parenting career yet: we are flying to the East Coast. Yes, the East Coast of the United States. We will be spending about 24 hours in transit with our teething 7-and-a-half-month old baby. We have purchased him a seat, which will hopefully, at the very least, put a buffer between us and the other passengers who will want to kill us. The upside of all this is that The Boy will meet his Grandma Madlon and some aunts, an uncle, and several cousins. He has seen his Grandma Madlon through iChat on the laptop, but I don’t think it really comes across.

So, wish us luck! Maybe you’ll hear from me in another 7 months, when The Boy gets his first tattoo and steals the Honda for a joyride!