Sunday, November 06, 2005

Vicarious Motherhood

According to Kara's introduction, this Blog is supposed to be dedicated to thoughts about motherhood, which many might argue immediately disqualifies me from contributing. However, over the course of the last five weeks, I've come to relate with "mommyhood" much better than I ever would have imagined possible.

As Kara began working last month to help out with the financial demands of graduate school, I now get the delightful opportunity to spend significant amounts of time with our little Brooklyn. As soon as the professor of my history class pronounces the benediction on our learning for the day, I scurry for the door and race to catch the bus home, hoping to get back to Brooklyn before she decides that the babysitter is her new mom.

Arrival at the babysitters is invariably good for my heart. Brooklyn is always excited to see me and most the time even stops chewing on whatever toy she has in her hand at the moment long enough to give me a smile. Brooklyn hasn't forgotten her parents after all!

My next concern typically happens about the time we get back to our house and I start to prepare a bottle for Brooklyn. What if she begins to mistake me for her mommy and expects me to get up in the middle of the night to feed her? AGHHHH! In a state of panic, I often give Kara a call on the cell phone, hoping to calm my nerves. Kara always answers, but I rarely get out more than a few words before Brooklyn steals the phone out of my hands.

As I tried to take the cell phone back from a protesting Brooklyn this past Thursday, I suddenly realized the error of my thinking. Brooklyn knows that I'm not her mom... She even knows that the babysitter isn't her mom... Brooklyn thinks the cell phone is her mom! Why I hadn't come to this conclusion before absolutely boggles me! After all, anytime Brooklyn sees a cell phone she immediately races towards it and tries desperately to pry it from the unsuspecting grasp of its owner. My suspicions were confirmed as I heard Kara distantly through the phone crooning at the baby and as Brooklyn tried her best to nurse the antenna.

I guess I won’t worry so much in the future about having to take over the nightly feedings.

3 comments:

Kara said...

I'm so glad you finally enlightened me about Brooklyn's cell phone fetish! I think you're absolutely right. So when is the cell phone going to start to get up for the 4 am feedings? Technology does a lot these days, but not nearly enough... Anyway, thanks for such a great entry. It totally made my Monday. Don't forget to give Brookles a hug and kiss for me after class!

Anonymous said...

It's so fun to read your entries. I can hear your voices as I read them. What a cute granddaughter we have. Surely a cuter one can't be found! Wish we could have been there for Halloween!

Anonymous said...

Hi, this is Alejandra from the Maranon family. Thank you for your christmas letter, we all enjoyed the limericks. The baby pictures are really cute. It sounds like you're both doing a good job with parenthood. Good luck with everything.