JeffPorter wrote:She won't eat what I give her - she finally just fell asleep from exhaustion.
Also - she's either teething or sick, but I think I managed to deal with that with baby tylenol...were any of you guys stay at home dads to babies? I assuming this can only get easier than it is today...
Stay at home dad over here!
I was (errr ... still am?) the primary care giver for both kids from 4 months on, no daycare. I've been there through the irrational shrieking phase, solid foods, the terrible twos, toilet training, the terrible tweens, doctors appointments, bugging the vice principal about my kid's bully, and so on (fortunately, no major health issues).
Ummmm ... it's a learning experience for you and your baby.
First: you gotta remember that it's a rough gig being a baby. You're 100% reliant on someone else to look after you, and you've gotta' teach that person to read your signs since you can't talk. And, eventually, you, the dad, will figure it out. Fortunately, kids are resilient. I found with my kids that when the shrieking started, I would go through a list: feed > burp > change diaper > quiet cuddle > carrier.
Second: when you think you've got it figured out, the kid changes. Solid food, changing when s/he sleeps, level of interaction s/he wants. All this changes ... and you have to figure it out on the fly.
Third: by 8 months or so, it becomes more straight-forward to read the little monster's, errr, child's moods as she gets more expressive.
Fourth: bottles can be warmed in teapots in Chinese restaurants.
Fifth: 1 to 2 is a lot of fun. Language? Walking? A measure of independence? All good.
Sixth: 2. Great time to put a kid in daycare.
And, remember, being a baby is a tough gig. You're what ... doubling your size in 6 months? Piecing together your parents' language IN THE WOMB (seriously, it's freakin' amazing)? Dealing with bodily functions? Gaining a measure of control over your limbs? Crazy stuff.
Good luck!
Jason
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