Expectations

Leading up to Lydia's birth, there were many thoughts and planning that went into the time that would come right after our child was born. We started building expectations regarding how we would be able to transition from being two to being three: How much time off of work would be sufficient?; what would be like at home with a newborn? All of these expectations are of course without much merit, but simply based on what the "typical" new parent experience is thought to be.

Well, maybe my first lesson of fatherhood is that any of my pre-conceived expectations are most likely not going to reflect reality.

Over the past week, I have seen this as ringing true in two profound ways:

1. There is no way that I could have possibly expected the wonderful child that is Lydia. She is simply beyond-expectation. Everthing from the way she looks to the way she acts is outside of what I could have possibly imagined two weeks ago. Of course Elizabeth and I talked about things like "I hope he/she has your eyes" or "I really don't want the baby to have my nose;" but to be able to actually picture anything like this little baby that is now living in our midst...no way! Maybe this is lack of creativity on our part, but more so, I believe Lydia is living proof of the wonderful miracle of life! I feel truly blessed that God has created someone so special that we can now call our daughter!

2. Well, for the second week in a row we went in for a clinic visit on a Thursday and didn't leave until Sunday! The first time we gave birth to Lydia...this time Elizabeth was re-admitted to the hospital due to increasing blood pressure and liver enzymes. These symptoms typically subside after giving birth, but for reasons unknown, they were not acting in the "expected" way for Elizabeth.

The news that we would have to spend the next days in the hospital were tough to swallow. We very much expected and wanted to be at home, getting to know our new daughter and forming a routine. Instead, Elizabeth, Lydia, Elizabeth's Mom Cynthia, and I got to spend our time together in a small hospital room while Elizabeth's condition was treated with rest and IV medications. Elizabeth's dad returned to be with us on Saturday. Elizabeth was able to make a good turnaround over the few days in the hospital, and we are certainly glad to be home with a much better bill of health! Of course, this was not what we "expected" as part of our first week with Lydia, but in the long run this will be just another interesting part of the beginning of Lydia's life.

So, when it come to parenthood, now I am looking to "expect the unexpected." Hold on, here we go!!