Communication

Just over three years ago my wife and I decided to have unprotected sex just to see what happened.. Well DUH! She got pregnant.
I remember neither of us could believe it, and we have probably two hundred dollars in pregnancy test kit recites to prove it.

After a long nine month journey on the wonderful experience called pregnancy, my wife finally popped out our child (trust me if it were only that easy!), and I can remember looking down at my baby’s face, while holding her in my arms, and wishing to myself “Wow I wish you could talk”.
What are you thinking?
How do you feel?
Why are you crying?

I couldn’t wait for this child to grow up, and wanted nothing more, than to be able to communicate with her.

After about a year of changing diapers, and late night feedings, our child finally uttered her first words, I had waited so long to hear. “ MOMMA” Yea you knew that was coming. Go ahead laugh.

After those first words the timeframe is pretty much a blur. She was saying all types of gaga goo-goo lingo for the next year, with some small English words in between. Even when she said them I was pretty sure she had no clue what she was saying, only looking for the reaction on our faces when she said it.

I’m not sure when it happen or even if I could put an exact day or time on it, but that child suddenly went from gibberish to sentences. Most of the time, even then, I was pretty sure she still didn’t know what she was saying, but this child was using adjectives! “Daddy no its not cold its real cold!”
It’s almost like a light bulb went off in that tiny little brain, because it went from full sentences to what I would like to officially call “Full Child Awareness”

She’s three now, and let me tell you so much of my life has changed. I have to monitor what I watch on TV, and listen to on the radio, even what our friends are saying when they visit.

Example:
So I’m driving down the road one morning, taking our child to the daytime sitter, and listening to my normal morning music on the way. Checking back in the rear view mirror I saw my daughter singing as she normally did, but it was the standard Noggin type theme songs. All was well, and she was happy. Continued to drive.
Not really paying attention to what I was actually playing, Buckcherry comes on with “Crazy Bitch”.
After a few minutes I hear “Crazy Bitch” coming from the back seat!
I turned the radio off and asked “What did you say?”
“I donno”
Whew thank GOD. RIGHT answer! Normal reaction for a first time parent? Freak out? Oh no. If I drew her attention to this new word she would never stop using it.

After that day I started to listen to her Kids CD’s during the commute, but I just couldn’t stomach the same songs every day. Kids always want to hear the same song over and Over and OVER. “Play it again Daddy””

So I starting searching around iTunes looking for other types of music, classical, country, easy listening just to name a few, and none of them fit. She liked to hear the words and understand the lyrics. Smart kid I know.

While shopping around for music on iTunes I accidently or randomly found and played some sample music from a group called Barlowgirl. Never hearing their music before, I thought it was pretty cool. I looked at more of their titles and found they were an “inspirational” group. Christian rock music? Cool.. I had no idea how much of it was out there, and I was able to download (pay for!) all kinds of music from this genre. Finally I found comfort in something I could enjoy as much as her.
She refers to it as Baby Jesus music, and right now I can live with that until she’s old enough to explain more.

I have so many experiences, close calls you might say, but I thought I would share at least one with you.

Aint parenting fun!?