DominicHamon.com

Life is like a grapefruit

Sweet Child O’ Mine

Today is the last day I won’t be a parent. I feel like I should write something about this, about how it feels, but I’m not sure I can even begin to collect and analyse all the busyness in my head. So where to start?

Firstly, I thought I’d be anxious, but I’m not particularly. I mean, I’m generally anxious in the sense that I hope everything goes smoothly and all parties end up healthy, but I’m also prepared enough to know that ‘going smoothly’ is a relative term when it comes to childbirth and everyone’s health is both all that matters, and exactly what everyone involved will be focused on. So I can, to an extent, rationalize away the anxiety.

I also feel like I should be excited, and of course I am a bit, but I don’t really have the time to focus on that excitement, to celebrate it. Instead, there are things that need to get done today, and other people who need my focus and attention, and it’s not a bad thing to not outwardly show excitement. For those involved in the day that are more anxious or focused on keeping everyone healthy, my excitement is not going to be all that helpful. Also, I’m British; excitement tends to show itself as having a hobnob instead of a digestive with my cup of tea.

How does it feel, then, to know that everything will have changed by tomorrow? And make no mistake: Everything will have changed. It feels expected. It feels normal. I’ve had nine months to feel anxious, and to worry, to be excited and dream of all the things I’ll do with my daughter¹. Her room is ready, or at least the half a room that has been prepared for her is ready, we have clothes for her no matter what size she ends up being, and washing and folding them has made it not unusual to see them around. If anything, it feel frustrating that she’s not already here. That she hasn’t been here for the last month and instead has chosen to be stubborn and stay inside when she could be out here interacting with us.

I truly cannot wait any longer to meet her.

PS – It’s also Pi Day and the anniversary of Einstein’s birthday, which is irrelevant for the purposes of this post, unless my kid ends up being born today, in which case it’s a most excellent fact.

I may have just gotten something in my eye as I wrote this. Hang on. ↩︎

Posted on 2012/03/14 by dominic in personal | Tagged parenting | 1 Comment

One thought on “Sweet Child O’ Mine”

GrandPa says:

2012/03/15 at 09:17

A most thought provoking observation of what a potential Father would be going through at this specific time. As you holf your daughter for the first time, take it all in as she is. For as sure as eggs is eggs, she will not look like that for long. She will become even more beautiful and interactive as each day passes.
Her love for you will be binding and forwever although you will not realise this until she actually grabs your finger with her little hand for the first time. Then it will begin, the shared love and unbelievable realisation that you are the parent of a most delicate flower of nature. You are her Father!

Reply

DominicHamon.com

Life is like a grapefruit

Sweet Child O’ Mine

One thought on “Sweet Child O’ Mine”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

Archives

Search