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The first of what is likely to be a continuing series:
1. "I'm going upstairs to take my shower. If you need me, come up to the bathroom."
2. "I love you, good night. I'll see you in the morning." (leaves the room without any fuss ensuing.)
3. "Your tummy hurts? Does it hurt like it's achy, or like you're going to throw up?" (receives clear, comprehensible answer.)
4. "Hey, let's go to the library. Here are your shoes and coat - put them on while I get our books together." (leaves the house less than ten minutes later.)
Okay, so only 1 and 4 are going to become totally impossible when the baby gets here. The other two will still conceivably happen with Alex. (Or, conceivably, not. I am expecting her bedtime to go to hell when there is a baby competing with her for attention.) But there are ways in which parenting an older child spoils you, and it's going to be hard to start at square one again.
1. "I'm going upstairs to take my shower. If you need me, come up to the bathroom."
2. "I love you, good night. I'll see you in the morning." (leaves the room without any fuss ensuing.)
3. "Your tummy hurts? Does it hurt like it's achy, or like you're going to throw up?" (receives clear, comprehensible answer.)
4. "Hey, let's go to the library. Here are your shoes and coat - put them on while I get our books together." (leaves the house less than ten minutes later.)
Okay, so only 1 and 4 are going to become totally impossible when the baby gets here. The other two will still conceivably happen with Alex. (Or, conceivably, not. I am expecting her bedtime to go to hell when there is a baby competing with her for attention.) But there are ways in which parenting an older child spoils you, and it's going to be hard to start at square one again.
