Am I Ready to be a Father?!
December 22, 2011
My biggest worry while waiting for Adèle to arrive was that I would not be ready, or comfortable, being a Father. I'm not sure I had ever held a baby before she was born. It wasn't so much that I was afraid I would do it wrong. I'm a smart guy, I can read, I like to learn. My worry was that I wouldn't LIKE it, or want to do it.
If you are reading this, you have likely already heard dozens of stories about breast milk, spit up, diapers and poop. None of these topics had a place in my pre-baby life. All of these topics made my face scrunch up, just a little. But this is where nature steps in.
You may have noticed that people have a sliding scale of tolerance and patience when it comes to other's behavior. We expect a certain level of conduct and behavior from an adult, and will not tolerate any less. When it comes to children, we tolerate more. For example, if I asked an elderly lady why her skin doesn't fit her face, that would be rude! If a three year old boy does it... well, that is hysterical!
When it comes to newborns and babies, the tolerance dial gets turned to 11.
It didn't take long for my tolerance to be put to the test either. Shortly after we were brought up to our postpartum room, it was time to change baby Adèle's diaper. I had read all about meconium and was fully prepared (and dreading) what I was about to see. My inexperienced hands unfastened her diaper, and reached for a wipe. I was rather pleased to see that she was only wet. My poop experience is yet to come! Her little feet were in my left hand, and a wipe was in my right hand when my luck ran out. A stream, no... a JET of meconium struck my house coat! 3 days earlier, I would have been thoroughly angry. Instead, both Michèle and I laughed as I dabbed the poop off of my coat and finished changing the diaper.
I have always had a special appreciation for light and colour. The golden, early rays of a sunrise; the rich, oxygen blue of the deepest ocean; and now the earthy green of Adèle's meconium are precious and indelible in my memory.
Becoming a Father is something that we are all made for. It is deep in our DNA. Everyday I am faced with a situation that I dreaded before I was a Father. Now, I look ahead and see temper tantrums, flu season, scraped knees and tea parties.
And I can't wait for them!
If you are reading this, you have likely already heard dozens of stories about breast milk, spit up, diapers and poop. None of these topics had a place in my pre-baby life. All of these topics made my face scrunch up, just a little. But this is where nature steps in.
You may have noticed that people have a sliding scale of tolerance and patience when it comes to other's behavior. We expect a certain level of conduct and behavior from an adult, and will not tolerate any less. When it comes to children, we tolerate more. For example, if I asked an elderly lady why her skin doesn't fit her face, that would be rude! If a three year old boy does it... well, that is hysterical!
When it comes to newborns and babies, the tolerance dial gets turned to 11.
It didn't take long for my tolerance to be put to the test either. Shortly after we were brought up to our postpartum room, it was time to change baby Adèle's diaper. I had read all about meconium and was fully prepared (and dreading) what I was about to see. My inexperienced hands unfastened her diaper, and reached for a wipe. I was rather pleased to see that she was only wet. My poop experience is yet to come! Her little feet were in my left hand, and a wipe was in my right hand when my luck ran out. A stream, no... a JET of meconium struck my house coat! 3 days earlier, I would have been thoroughly angry. Instead, both Michèle and I laughed as I dabbed the poop off of my coat and finished changing the diaper.
I have always had a special appreciation for light and colour. The golden, early rays of a sunrise; the rich, oxygen blue of the deepest ocean; and now the earthy green of Adèle's meconium are precious and indelible in my memory.
Becoming a Father is something that we are all made for. It is deep in our DNA. Everyday I am faced with a situation that I dreaded before I was a Father. Now, I look ahead and see temper tantrums, flu season, scraped knees and tea parties.
And I can't wait for them!
Posted by Michael Erwin.
