I’m sitting in the office after a two week’s (it was only two weeks??) paternity leave to get the new arrival suitably acclimatised to this world.

At least, that’s the official word. We fathers all know, though, that paternity leave is about taking the brunt of the kid’s frontal assault on this domain, while the mother learns not to vent her anger every time the sprog demands feeding.

I hope the house is still standing when I get back.

I’ve learned yet again how useless a father feels for the first few weeks. Even though I spent 48 hours a day taking care of the kid, and the mother, and the kid’s brother, that somehow did not seem to be enough.

Bronwyn is a very stubborn girl, which makes some things difficult for people that need to live around her.

For example, she insists that Boann will be breastfed, as Jareth was, despite the experience that she gained from Jareth.

For me, that means holding a screaming hungry child with no way of satisfying it, whenever Bronwyn is too busy (or just not interested enough) to feed her. That can be very stressful. Especially at 3am. Especially when Jareth is also screaming for attention. Especially at 3am.

I’ve been up since 4am, which is when Jareth got me out of bed. I don’t mind that. At least I’m out of the house for a while, even if my nose is bunged up and my fingers are freezing.

Right – finally, I can get some work done without having to stop every five minutes to “hold the baby” (that’s what baby chairs are for!).

/me starts building a list of stuff that needs taking care of.

KFM watchers, I hope to be back to normal working order later on, now that Boann’s first two weeks are finished.

 

I love them, really, but don’t tell them that.