Continuing Lessons From the Last Days of the Pre-Baby Era

1)  When talking to my wife, I realize that "baby" is becoming an increasingly confusing term of endearment.

2) After taking a breast-feeding class, I realized with a shock that I'm likely to become strangely fascinated with diaper contents.  There may be charts.  There may be graphs.  Not to worry, though, I'm sure I won't write about it,  just like I never considered that I might become fascinated with diaper contents.

3)  THIS ENTRY IS FOR MALE EYES ONLY: LOOK AWAY, ALL NON-MALES.

You will want down time from everything.  Then you will feel guilty for wanting down time.  In turn, feeling guilty will make you want down time even more. 

The trick is finding down time in small, adaptable corners of the day:  it may take the form of planting tomato plants on a misty day while the mother-to-be is napping; it may take the form of getting up early to read the papers and drink coffee or watch an episode of TableTop online.

4) Dolls on which you are practicing dressing and diapering can be surprisingly moving, and I don't mean in the evil, possessed kind of way.  I was practicing putting a onesie on a doll during a newborn care class, and looking at its face triggered a strange feeling, a sensation of something shifting inside of me.  I guess I'll find out what that means as things go along.