Friday, April 27, 2012

Shelf Life of a Mother


Give it to me straight doc…how long do I have?  Recently, I’ve been fighting TJ for time with Teddy.  Precious TJ was so excited to be a dad that he volunteered for the night feedings.  I would pump and he would give him a bottle.  Then it slowly grew to subbing a day feeding with a bottle.  He just wanted to feed Teddy so bad and have that sweet time where the kid looks up at your face and holds your finger and your heart melts.  I couldn’t blame him, but it was getting out of control so a few weeks ago I put the brakes on bottles.  It was too much work pumping and cleaning bottles constantly.  Oh, the look on TJ's face!   I might as well have punched him in the nose.   Don’t get me wrong, I know how ridiculous that sounds.  Most moms have to beg their husbands to help out with the kids.  I have to beg TJ to leave me and Teddy alone.  Poor pitiful me.  I get it, but bear with me; I have a valid question coming up.  How long do I have with Teddy?

I don’t mean how long will he live (though I can only pray he lives to a nice long ripe old age), but how long will just the sight of me light up his face?  He knows me.  He loves me.  He needs me.  Surely I’ll get through elementary school, but is that it? Middle school is just plain awkward and that’s when it’s not cool to kiss mom bye getting dropped off at school.  High school we’ll be prepping him for life, and with that comes a lot of hard lessons.  Sure there will be sporting events and I’ll wear a tacky button with his picture on it, but I’ll be lucky to get a side hug as he hands me his laundry to do.  College he’ll be on his own for the most part and we’ll just have to have faith we’ve given him the tools for success.  Then it’s time for him to start a family of his own and where does that leave me?  TJ gets to be the “best man.”  The person his son goes to for encouragement, advice, woodworking, sailing, faith, and love.  What will I be?  The dreaded mother-in-law that the wife only tolerates.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want a “mama’s boy.”  I just want him to love, respect, and listen to me.  Daughters always need their mothers no matter what, but what about sons? 

He will never need me as much as he’ll need his father once he’s a man.  So hold on TJ.  In a month or so more it will be time for solid foods and we’ll be back to bottles.  In a blink of an eye you’ll be getting a phone call from him because I’ve overstepped my bounds and hurt Teddy’s wife’s feelings. 

Speaking of how quickly time goes…guess what our little boy did yesterday morning?  Rolled over!  I sat him on his tummy and turned around to open the blinds and he had done it.  Honestly, I screamed, “Holy shit!” and TJ (who was actually in the house grabbing some coffee) came a runnin’.  I’m so grateful that we were both there for this milestone.

So here’s a video of his 2nd official rollover.  Enjoy.



2 comments:

  1. I was watching the video while Harper was eating breakfast, didn't realize she was watching until she started laughing. She thought Teddy was hilarious. Yeah Teddy!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ellen, he'll always need his mama...and even if he won't know how to show it, you'll have the maternal instinct to know it!

    ReplyDelete