It has been an interesting ride so far. We spent Monday through most of Friday in the hospital, well Andrea and Ingrid did anyway, working on feeding skills. Production came up as per normal, but Andrea, being a Bergesen, had no patience whatsoever. A couple of attempts, not much happening, and she just started doing other things. Getting annoyed at these people trying to encourage her to try a little harder. By Thursday things were going quite well, though, and since the first scheduled doctors appointment was on Friday, they got to stay one more night. It’s comfortable to be around professionals with the first child. It’s a shame that hospitals push for 48 hours max.
Daddy has obviously learned a lot more about feeding than he ever thought there was to learn. He is also now learning what kind of role he’ll play over the coming month and years. For now he’s the servant. Whatever mommy or Andrea needs, he’ll go fetch. If mommy needs to be fed while feeding, that’s daddys job. Make the food. Feed the mum. Daddy enjoys every minute of it. Last night, after Andrea finished, she wouldn’t quite go to sleep again. “Can you let her sleep on your tummy for a little while”? Sure thing! I love the feeling of her weight on my tummy. Obviously after a while I feel tired and don’t want to sleep with her on my tummy – the fall from the tummy to the bed could be dangerous 🙂 – so I put her on the bed and let her sleep in my arms. I get to sleep some, but not a lot. I just lie awake taking in the beautiful face of my beautiful daughter.
Getting used to being a dad is probably going to take some time. Until Saturday I regularly said “Come to Uncle Terje” when lifting her. Not since Saturday though 🙂 Spending time with her at her tempo on her terms makes me contemplate the role of “Daddy”. What is it? I have made the jokes about chasing suitors with a bat and a shot-gun, but is that my role? The angry, overly protective adrenaline lump? I hope not.
Apparently little girls take a lot of cues from their daddy when it comes to chosing future male companions. This seems like a significant responsibility. All my actions are going to be monitored. How do I treat her mom? If I treat mommy with less than the respect she is entitled to, Andrea will go look for disrespective boyfriends. Do I yell and shout at idiots in the traffic? What kind of signal does that send? Is she going to be going for the loud and angry ones?
Time to get my act together and start behaving as a role model.
Andrea 