52 Weeks of Fatherhood: Week 46

This is all very stressful.
Due to a cock-up at the nursery, we have yet another week to cover until Liberty’s official start date. Normally this would be fine but with my wife’s phase back ramping up, and the short notice, we’re only able to cover a couple of days between us. This makes covering the rest problematic. Maybe I could take Liberty to work? She could play in the boardroom then curl up beside the office greyhounds for her nap… OK, maybe not. I can already hear the dogs wining as Liberty pulls their ears and tries to ride them like a front runner for the Grand National. Besides, if past experience has taught me anything, looking after Liberty doesn’t make for a very productive work day. She could cause the entire company to grind to a halt and I’d be out on my ear before I could finish my first rendition of Baa Baa Black Sheep. It looks like we’re out of options.
Then a sense of relief that washed over me. Of course! My mum has just finished up work for the summer. She could do it! Never again will I complain about teachers having way too many holidays, it’s been a lifesaver. This last minute change to the advertised schedule has lead to some lovely moments too. Having not seen me or my wife all day, it’s amazing how delighted she is when we walk through the door. Her arms start flapping and she starts laughing like Mutley from Wacky Races. Liberty that is, not my mum.
And just like that, it’s the weekend again. Much like the last few weeks, this one has flown by. I really wish I could slam on the brakes, or even just apply a little pressure. At this rate Liberty will be all grown up before I know it. This fact was only magnified by our NCT catch-up BBQ.
Unlike the mums’, the dads’ haven’t managed to meet up that regularly, so it’s been awhile since I’ve seen the other babies. It’s like 9 months have flashed by in an instant. They’re walking, interacting and babbling to each other. This is proper toddlers territory, and there’s no slowing them down. As I discovered, my abilities are also adapting at a phenomenal rate. Gone are the days of trading technical tidbits about TV resolutions, colour gamut and refresh rate. Now it’s all about the capabilities of your newest buggy, how well it folds and whether or not you can do it with one handed… Buggy boasting over with, we decided to get all the babies together for a group photo. This was easier said than done. Between, laughing, crying and crawling we tried our best to get one good photo. Then Liberty fell over backwards and that was the end of that.
One of the other things I was able to brag about was Liberty’s new car seat. This one is very swish. Multiple locking angles, movable headrest and it turns to the side. Liberty is as delighted with it as I am. Although it’s not the technical specs that impresses her, it’s the fact that she now gets to face forward. In honour of this momentous occasion we decided to take it for a test drive.
It’s been couple of weeks since we saw my wife’s parents, so we decided to drive up to Montrose to meet them. Unbeknown to me our niece and nephew had tagged along too. They were waiting in the car, primed to give me a good old fashioned slasher movie jump scare. We don’t get to see them very often, so this was a lovely surprise. To keep the kids entertained (and out of trouble) we found an amazing play park beside the beach. They all had lots of fun exploring, despite the rubbish weather. It’s really sweet to see our niece playing the big cousin role, looking after Liberty and explaining things to her. She even taught her that if you have a little brother, you convince him go down the slide first so you don’t get a wet bum.
Then In typical British summer fashion, we all sat inside and ate our ice cream while we watched the rain.
The best thing this week
Some people say that the use of controlled crying is torture. I’d have to agree. I’ve found it almost unbearable listening to Liberty cry night after night… but it’s finally paying off. She’ll now fall asleep within five minutes of being put down. On a couple of occasions she’s even fallen asleep instantly. This feels like real progress, and it’s only taken three months of trying…
The worst thing this week
I found her by following the path of destruction she left in her wake.… A trail of shredded tissues, a capsized bin, and finally her piece la resistance. An entire roll of toilet paper piled high on the bathroom floor. Liberty has now officially reached the age where you can’t take your eye off her for a second.
What I’ve learnt this week
If Liberty was given the choice between playing with a box of her favourite toys and a bag of rusty nails, she’s pick the nails every time.
Weekly stats
14 Nappies changed
Baseline 84/wk
45 Hours sleep
Baseline 56hr/wk
8 Happiness
out of 10
5 Stress
out of 10
