A Baby in the House

February 18, 2013

With Elizabeth past the halfway point of being three, I’ve already forgotten what it’s like to be on Baby Watch. I don’t need to worry about Elizabeth swallowing Legos or the choking hazards of a handmade bear with button eyes. I don’t need to think about what’s on the floor and what’s within reach.

I can’t believe I forgot all that.

All it took was a baby in the house to remind me and to make me sigh in relief I don’t have to be that “on” anymore. There’s something freeing about being able to converse with your child and have them not only understand you but have there be a 70% chance they’ll listen. It’s nice to be able to tell them a steak knife isn’t the safest knife to use with butter and then hand them a butter knife.

Of course it was nice to snuggle a baby. They smell so sweet and when the fall asleep on your chest, there is nothing in this world more relaxing or lovely. They coo and laugh with toothless smiles. They snuggle into you like you’re the most important person in the world. They are, truly, lovable.

I miss the babies, but how I enjoy the kids!

Do you prefer the baby stage or the kid stage?

Mandy Dawson is the creator of In Mandyland, an almost daily blog recording her adventures in juggling a full-time job, two active children, four arguing hens, a fluffy bunny, and one ex-husband. A self-diagnosed gardening and crafting addict, she often finds herself gluing together clay pots and trying to discover the cure for brown thumb. When she’s not writing, she can be found burning dinners while she stares off into space with a story idea. She was a regular contributor for Makes Fun of Stuff, Aiming Low, and Six Kitchens, and has been featured on BlogHer and Mamapedia. She is an Assistant Editor for Write on Edge and has had her fiction featured in three anthologies currently available on Amazon.