Now is the time for payback
By Staff
Leada Gore, Editor
When I was young, I had a doll called “Baby Alive.” I received the toy as a Christmas present after selecting her from a well-thumbed copy of the Sears catalog.
Baby Alive was advertised as doing all the things a real infant did. She cried, ate some powdery concoction that you mixed with water and, shortly after being fed, she would require a diaper change.
I liked Baby Alive when I first got her. Pretty soon, however, I decided that Baby Alive was a lot of trouble. I sat her in the closet and opted for the simpler, less realistic dolls.
Fast forward. A lot.
There’s a lot of thoughts that go through your mind when you learn you’re having a baby. In my case, it was elation and fear. You can never prepare yourself for those words, “You’re going to be a mom.”
But now, I can’t wait.
Greg and I are expecting our first baby in July. It’s a girl, or at least that’s what the ultrasound shows. Our house is becoming a sea of pink. I’m already planning for her first ballet recital and warning her dad that he will have to participate in tea parties with teddy bears.
Greg’s been a dad for 17 years so he’s an old pro. I’m clueless.
Consider the following conversation:
I didn’t know. My experiences with babies are limited to my nieces, nephews and my sister. In each case, there have been mothers involved to make sure I didn’t do anything too bad. Being an aunt and sister is easy. All I did basically was hold them, make funny faces and buy them things.
It’s the last part that’s coming back to haunt me. I have a feeling this baby will receive several drums, multiple toys that contain thousands of small parts and pieces and any sort of paint that can end up where it shouldn’t.
All that’s OK with me. I imagine I deserve a little payback, especially for that electronic drum kit I purchased a couple of Christmases ago.
All babies are miracles. This baby is our own personal one.
I’ve heard people say that once the baby is born, motherly instincts will take over and I will know how to do things like diaper, feed and just generally take care of the baby.
I hope so.
But for now, I’m just looking forward to the experience. After all, even Baby Alive turned out OK in the end.
