Summary: The Prata Baby gets rid of babyish things as we prepare to pass them along to his younger sibling.

People had been at me to cut The Prata Baby's hair for the longest time. I remember it was the first comment a friend of ours made when we returned home last September. "He needs a haircut," B stated, ruffling his fingers through PB's curly mullet. I could only reply by looking at B askance, until he added, "Hey - I cut my dreadlocks all the time!" and then hauled their ends from somewhere near the small of his back to present them as proof.

"And I suppose that's a very carefully cultivated 'unkempt' look you have going on with your face," I supplied pointedly. He rubbed his cheeks and looked mildly sheepish. PB's curls continued to grow.

And despite increasingly consistent misidentifications by the general public of PB as a girl, they continued to grow, right up until that first ultrasound scan which showed (to my amazement and shock) a live, ten-week-old, intrauterine pregnancy. I think that was the exact day I first entertained the idea of actually taking the Prata Baby for his first cut. Also, I went out and bought a potty.

It's easier to let go of these vestiges of babyhood, knowing round two is probably just around the corner. Nowadays, not only are the nappies safely tucked in storage - day and night - but the high chair is gone, too, and the long-neglected cot has been completely packed away. One of the final pieces fell into place yesterday when we took his convertible birth-to-toddler seat out of the car and replaced it with a convertible toddler-to-child seat. We've told him that the baby is going to use his old seat later on, and so far he hasn't objected.

There's just one thing I can't bear to part with - the bedtime cuddles. I still lie with him on the futon every night as he drifts off to sleep. And whilst I sometimes wonder how I'm planning to be in two places at once, if the new baby is fussing over PB's bedtime, I always kind of conclude that we'll just have to cross that bridge as we come to it. We'll somehow muddle through - either Mr Bea will be home to help, or the baby will be cooperatively settled (it might happen), or PB is just going to have to learn to wait or do without. In any case, why would I withdraw every night's cuddles to save myself a few nights of hassle, especially when withdrawing those cuddles is going to present a hassle in itself? No - we'll somehow muddle through.

He's growing fast enough as it is.


7 Comments

No Minimom said...

Such a sweet story! However, I am so incredibly jealous that PB is potty trained! Can you come on over to the States and have a go at that with my little one? ;-)

Congrats!

ColourYourWorld said...

Well done on the potty training! It sounds like he is accepting his new siblings arrival ok for now.

Oh yes hold onto those cuddles for as long as you can.

Kir said...

He's PT already???? Seriously do you have to do EVERYTHING better than me??? ;)

You know when you get to the bridge, the new baby in the house etc, I am sure it will all work itself out without you feeling like you're not spending enough time with PB. with any luck the new baby will go down before PB bedtime and by the time the new baby is up for their nighttime feedings you have had your cuddle time with PB. At least I hope it goes like that for you.

I'm glad all is well...and I hope that continues. :)

Lut C. said...

First haircut? Now? He wasn't born with a full head of hair, I guess.

Potty trained already?! We're doing ok in daytime, but not trying yet nighttime.

I'm sure there will be many things to figure out, and that most will find a solution all by themselves.

Betty M said...

Keeping those cuddles is really important even though it may mean that the baby will get a more disrupted bedtime routine for a bit. I didn't do bedtimes for a bit with the eldest and I am not sure that was the right thing to do as it certainly felt like she resented her brother for it.

Ellen K. said...

Most of our baby items have been donated or packed away until they can be given to friends. It's very bittersweet.

I think we're going to start potty training early in the new year. N. is going through the no-clothes stage and when she gets her diaper off, she goes to one of two particular places and pees. Then she laughs and stomps her feet in the puddle. Lovely.

Re: not being able to be in two places at once -- early on I realized that I could spend my entire life apologizing to I & N. The cuddle time does work itself out. I try to take advantage of one-on-one time, like if one girl skips her nap or wakes up very early. With two kids on different schedules, you'll have more of these opportunities. But it's never 50/50 every hour, and sometimes not every day.

Geohde said...

Yet again I am reminded that I, too, hang on to calling my girls 'babies'. They still sleep in cots, mind you Saag of the 'I LIKE MY COT' fame seems quietly content with that.

But the potty training, I am scared. I really should because they know full well how to wee in the right spot, but my washing? It is dire enough already.

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