The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block 2-Book Bundle pdfdrive com

8. Keep Your Sense of Humor Handy
He who laughs … lasts! Mary Pettibone Poole
•
There are times when parenthood seems like nothing
but feeding the mouth that bites you. Peter de Vries
•

---

•
The only normal families are the ones you don’t know
very well. Joe Ancis
•
Babies are always more trouble than you
thought … and more wonderful. Charles Osgood
•
It’s not easy for me to take my problems one at a time
when they refuse to get in line. Ashley Brilliant
Raising a child is a constant series of tasks and challenges.
You don’t want to make mistakes, but you will. Remember,
perfection is found only in the dictionary. So, forget
dignity … forget organization … be gentle with yourself … and
laugh, laugh, laugh.
Laughter is exactly what this doctor orders. Rent some funny
movies or watch reruns of I Love Lucy. Try imagining Cleopatra
burping her baby and getting a giant spit-up down her back.
Laugh at your hair, laugh at your baby, laugh at your messy
house. Laugh at the fact that you are now one of those women
you used to avoid who gets into heated discussions at parties
about burping and the color of her baby’s poop.
9. Take Care of Your Spouse (S/he Just Might Come in Handy
Someday)
When Curtis, Cheryl and Jeff’s second child, was four
weeks old, Jeff said “We haven’t even had sex once
yet.” Cheryl shot back, “What do you expect? Every
sexual part of my body is either oozing, bruised, or
throbbing!”
Taking care of a new baby is so demanding and time-consuming
that it’s easy for a parent to start feeling like they’re giving a

---

hundred and ten percent effort (usually true) and their partner is
giving only seventy-five percent (usually false).
“I work all day and still come home and give the baby a
bath.” vs. “I take care of the baby all day and still make
him dinner and scratch his back.”
“She’s so lucky to lounge around the house, watch soaps,
and hang out with the baby all day.” vs. “He’s so lucky to
go to work and see different people.”
The truth is, being new parents is a joint effort. There is so
much to do that the only way to do it all, and still be friends, is to
work as a team.
Your baby’s world balances on the two of you. That’s why she
would never want to hear you say, “I gave up everything for you.
I even put you ahead of my relationship with your
father/mother.” In fact, if your baby could, she would sit you
down and tell you, “Don’t you worry about me. I’m fine, but I’m
really gonna need you later. So, for right now, have some fun, see
a movie … but please take care of yourselves.”
Caring for your baby is only half your job; the other half is
giving each other some TLC. Dads must support and adore their
wives, moms must nurture and caress their husbands, and you
both have to cut each other some extra slack and avoid harsh
criticisms. (Of course, in any given situation your reactions will
be different from your spouse’s. You’re separate individuals with
unique life experiences.)
Make the time to take walks together, to give each other ten-
minute massages, back scratches, or sexual pleasure. Try to never
take your partner for granted and never go to bed angry. These
first months are the hardest part of the first year, but the great
news is, if you work together, your marriage can emerge from this
period stronger than ever.