Mr. Mom
So far, I have done a commendable job tending to the duties bestowed upon me as a father-to-be. I realize Tracy is under the weather so I am trying to help out wherever possible. The days can be challenging but in a way, it is helping me spend less time worrying about myself. Repress your fears, I always say.
I frequently offer support and assistance with the greatest intentions. While I have certainly helped, there are still some things, which should be simple, that prove challenging. For example, we have three compartments for dirty laundry and I am not sure why. Her folded shirts and my folded shirts do not look the same. Same friggin shirt type; but mine looks like 10 year old did it. But still I venture forward.
Saturday morning began with breakfast. That I can handle. I prepared eggs and toast to accompany her apple, which was a pre-breakfast snack. After breakfast, I loaded the dishwater, ran a cycle of laundry (towels only - those are easy) and did a cursory cleansing around the house in preparation for evening visitors. All the while, making sure each time I passed by my wife, I gave some sign of affection, like a peck on the top of her head or a brief hug.
Later in the weekend, while relaxing on the couch, I offered up a shoulder rub. This progressed to a full body massage, making sure I strategically skipped the tender areas. Before rinsing off the oil, I prepped the shower for her, so the water was hot upon entering. Then I laid out her sweats so she could stay warm after exiting. Yesterday, I even used a hair dryer on the bed sheets, warming them before she crawled under the covers (man, I am so whipped!)
Whew. This is tough work. I am exhausted. I am beginning to think that men may have the tougher job in this escapade. This may be an over simplification of the nine months but all women have to do is rest, be catered to and at the end, give a couple of pushes. All things considered, that sounds pretty easy. Am I right? Ladies? Anyone? Can I get whoo-hah?!
I frequently offer support and assistance with the greatest intentions. While I have certainly helped, there are still some things, which should be simple, that prove challenging. For example, we have three compartments for dirty laundry and I am not sure why. Her folded shirts and my folded shirts do not look the same. Same friggin shirt type; but mine looks like 10 year old did it. But still I venture forward.
Saturday morning began with breakfast. That I can handle. I prepared eggs and toast to accompany her apple, which was a pre-breakfast snack. After breakfast, I loaded the dishwater, ran a cycle of laundry (towels only - those are easy) and did a cursory cleansing around the house in preparation for evening visitors. All the while, making sure each time I passed by my wife, I gave some sign of affection, like a peck on the top of her head or a brief hug.
Later in the weekend, while relaxing on the couch, I offered up a shoulder rub. This progressed to a full body massage, making sure I strategically skipped the tender areas. Before rinsing off the oil, I prepped the shower for her, so the water was hot upon entering. Then I laid out her sweats so she could stay warm after exiting. Yesterday, I even used a hair dryer on the bed sheets, warming them before she crawled under the covers (man, I am so whipped!)
Whew. This is tough work. I am exhausted. I am beginning to think that men may have the tougher job in this escapade. This may be an over simplification of the nine months but all women have to do is rest, be catered to and at the end, give a couple of pushes. All things considered, that sounds pretty easy. Am I right? Ladies? Anyone? Can I get whoo-hah?!
posted by Derek, Tracy & Calvin | 9:50 PM
9 Comments:
Whoo-haa my Ass. What is Derick talking about? If only for a moment, I wish men could get pregnant and see what women feel. What's wrong with just resting and being catered to. Tracy has someone growing inside of her. That's all she should do. She is preparing herself for the 'couple of pushes.' Derrick, you should probably find some time to rest --in between pampering Tracy -- for those pushes too. You'll see.
Sounds to me like you are running yourself ragged - you need to pace yourself! You've got a lot more to come and Tracy is going to need you to be there for her all the way - so don't get yourself sick - that could get her sick - that's the worst thing you could do.... as much as she appreciates all your support & assistance believe it or not women have done this for thousands of years with much less help than you are offering.
Enjoy these 9 months - don't get caught up in all these daily meaningless tasks - otherwise you will miss the joy of this miracle.
OK, "give a couple of pushes" was probably a grand understatement. I don't envy the woman's job. Heck, I get a paper cut and starting whining like a little child.
You fail to realize that it doesn't end at nine months - Tracy will have to deal with postpartum healing, the baby blues, and if she is breasfeeding she will have the responsibility of feeding the baby until feeding is well established. Her ordeal goes beyond 9 months of growing a human being inside of her, and for that she deserves all the pampering and rest she can get!
I can see that Derrick is really worried. Take it easy and just countinue to be as supportive as you can as both of you will need it. The time will go by fast and soon you'll be holding you new "Bundle of Joy." Whoo-haa!
Are you for real? You should have thrown a manicure and a pedicure in there for Tracy also. I say get used to running yourself ragged.....it will come in useful in say about 7 mos and for 15 plus years!!! Forget about all the labor and the postpartum healing. That is nothing compared to what the little salamander will do to you:)Oh by the way, your blog is the highlight of the office.
I'll give you a Whoo-haa...Whoo-haaa that a Dad 2b noticed that Mom 2b needs to be pampered 2 points for Derek!
I have to say Derek is one of the most attentive, romantic, and easy going husbands I know. I must give credit where credit is due. And since the Dad 2b's adjustments to the impending birth do not have the visual reminders that Mom's do...Know that we understand you are mentally/emotionally going through the ringer too.
And here comes the big BUT...You are sweating the small stuff! You need to stop looking at it as helping out around the house and look at it as part of your new job. If we forget the next 7 odd months, once the baby is here, it will take two people to keep life in tact. You will need to learn that life will go on if the "3" bins of dirty laundry are over flowing, they will be there tomorrow. (By the way, 3 bins so your tighty whities don't end up pink!) If you can sleep or dust, sleep! If you can sit and stare at the wall for 10 minutes or vacuum, stare. I know it is hard to imagine now, but your priorities will change. Go with the flow, take it in stride, mellow out, take a deep breath. It will all work it's self out. In the mean time, Tracy's body is hosting a foreign object. May have found a better way to say it, but that is the reality. She is physically changing to accommodate this guest, that is, let's face it, parasitic. It is living off of her. With the physical changes comes mental ones as well. In a single day she will most likely experience every emotion imaginable. But take comfort in the fact, that this too shall pass, and once her body adjusts to it's new function, things will even out! So pamper her now while you both have time to enjoy it!
You had it right in one of your first posts… your life as you know it is over. However, think of it more as a metamorphosis, like a caterpillar that transforms into a butterfly! Tracy isn’t the only one whose life is drastically changing, and whose brain cells are slowly being absorbed by the baby. Watch, next time you go shopping for a new hockey stick, your mind will wander as you envision Sally on the ice across from you. You WILL be smiling stupidly in the store, and no one will know why. Fact of life.
As for being a good husband, it takes two to make a baby. Words can not describe what is happening to Tracy now, and as her partner, keep up the pampering; that’s your job right now. Unfortunately for her, she will go through the “miracle of birth” only to have the little bugger’s first words be Da Da instead of Ma Ma. Keep thinking about keeping the scale even until your child reaches the “low maintenance” phase (I think that is around 35).
All in all, I can’t think of a luckier baby to have you both as parents. Just keep focused on the little person at the end to get you through the rough times, (and take care of OUR TRACY!)
I was SOOO impressed with everything you said - what a great husband to be doing this for your wife - all well deserved because the poor thing is sick 24/7. But a lot of men wouldn't step up the way you have, to do your husbandly duty ( of course you did that a few months ago to start this whole process ).
BUT then you blew it with the last part. You try pushing a bowling ball out of something that starts out the size of a cherry !! See how easy that is. If men had to have the babies there would be a population shortage. But you are still a great guy and Trac is very lucky to have you !!
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