Paper Trail

I was going through some old computer files and I stumbled upon a three page document titled “Tyler’s Instructions” that I created for our daycare provider 4 years ago.  My son, and firstborn, was only 3 months old at the time and I couldn’t believe I was abandoning him with basically a stranger.  My instruction sheet detailed the minutia of his every waking minute and included a section on his favorite toys (Come on, he was 3 months old for Pete’s sake!).  I had instructions for how to swaddle him if he was fussy, what position to rock him in, and advice to use a hairdryer if he wouldn’t stop crying.  Keep in mind that my daycare provider was watching 5-6 other kids at the time so I’m sure she was thinking “I’ll be damned if I’m going to leave these other kids so I can go upstairs and run the hairdryer for Mr. Fussypants,” but she just smiled and accepted “Tyler’s Instructions” along with an extra activity mat, a tub full of toys, his favorite blanket, etc, etc, etc.

Well, I returned to work this week after yet another 3 week maternity leave.  As I dropped the three kids off at that same daycare provider’s house I noticed with amusement that absent was the novel of instructions, absent was the extra activity mat, absent was the tub of toys for Baby Gabe (hey, I was just happy I hadn’t forgotten any of the kids!).  It made me reflect on the way many things have changed between my first born and third born.  Tyler’s baby book is bursting at the seams with every nugget from his first year of life.  Maddy’s book is less detailed but existent nonetheless.  I went to Gabriel’s two month doctor’s appointment several weeks ago and had the nurse scribble his stats (height, weight, head size) on a piece of paper!  Unfortunately the stats from his one month appointment (also on a scratch piece of paper) got used to dispose of Tyler and Maddy’s gum on the way home from that very same appointment.

As I pick a few dog hairs off Gabe’s fallen binkie, I have a flashback of boiling Tyler’s binkies when they were dropped and at least rinsing Maddy’s in the sink.  Nap times used to be sacred.  I fondly remember how I wouldn’t plan anything during those precious afternoon hours and laugh to myself as I’m loading Gabe into his car seat for the second preschool run of the day that will be followed by grocery shopping—hey, we have to eat, right?  I distinctly recall bragging about how my firstborn rarely watched TV when he was little (he was too busy being stimulated by the educational activities I planned for him).  When Madelyn was born she ended up being exposed to the few programs that I was letting a then 19 month old Tyler watch.  However Gabe, now 3 months old, practically has his own requests on our DVR.  The one thing that hasn’t changed…my love for them.  Parents of one child will often wonder how they can possibly love another child as much as they do their first.  It’s hard to explain it but you do, you just might not have the paper trail to prove it!

Gabe's "Baby Book"