So Now What?

Elyse, that's great, you told your birth story. But we'd like to hear about Melody, please.

Okay, sorry! Melody is 4 days old and an unbelievably good baby. She almost never cries, and when she does, her cry is pleasant and feminine. She sleeps all the time, and makes a million little faces, each one cuter than the next. She has a beautiful head of brunette hair and looks like her daddy. What a good Father's Day present!

Needless to say, we're madly in love. She gets sweeter and prettier by the minute, and is already a fun little girl. She brings joy to our home with every sneeze and gurgle. The baby sounds she makes while she breastfeeds are my favorite!

Theo's instant understanding and affection for his little sister have exceeded my hopes. He completely gets that she's the baby who was in my belly. He loves her and considers her his. He asks to hold her all the time ("I want Melody") and holds out his arms for her. He's fascinated by her little features and all the pooping and eating she does. I thought he'd find breastfeeding hysterical; instead, he's intrigued. He has a million questions, like when I'm burping her: "Mommy, why are you petting Melody?" And he gives me orders, like which boob to put her on. Sometimes he takes Knuffle Bunny or another stuffed animal and has them drink from my other boob.

Theo wants total control over diaper changes. He has to fetch the diaper and the wipes, and gets mad when I don't let him wipe her by himself. He's gotta be the one to tape the diaper, too. And when I say no, he whines, "I wanna help." But we've got an understanding now. I wipe, he tapes. It's a good arrangement.

Yesterday Theo was sitting with me and he said something to the effect of "Melody came out like chick in an egg." I was so impressed! At school they got to watch chicks hatch and caterpillars build cocoons and become butterflies, so I guess I gave birth at just the right time!