Patterns and Routines

Hey all non-parents and Dads-to-be - apparently the trick to getting through the first few weeks of parenthood is to establish, or strive to establish, a good routine. Obviously this depends on the temperment and age of the infant, so...good luck! Anyway - we've been home for five nights or so, and things have pretty much gone like this, starting anytime after dark:
1. Wake to gurgles and whimpers.
2. Check diapers.
3. Change diapers.
4. Pass Lydia to Terri for feeding, and struggle to maintain consciousness.
5. Post-feeding, do laps around the bedroom with baby to chest, coaxing burps and farts.
6. Gingerly place baby back into bassinet and sneak back into bed, fingers crossed and dearly hoping to gawd that she doesn't wake. If she does wake (as she often does), repeat step (5) until this is successful.
7. Repeat entire process every 2-3 hours all night. The daytime between-feeding routine involves flaking on couch with Lydia on chest (mine or Terri's) or in bassinet, hot coffee, cats and 'net within reach. And lots of photo snapping and mellow music and curious house guests.

It's all pretty great - but going back to work is gonna be an adventure. A shitty shitty adventure. It's one thing to coast through the day like a zombie at home, reacting only to base mindless parental responsibilities, and quite another to have to think and look and act presentable. Gulp.

Stay tuned for eventual non-baby blog posts.