![](\"https:\/\/images.dailykos.com\/images\/615377\/large\/White_Wicker_Bassinet.jpg?1543084106\")
This morning dad told me that mom was finally coming home from the hospital with my brother that had been inside her. He took me over to Molly\u2019s and then he drove off in the car. I still did not know what was really going on, so it worried me. I had seen a baby before but it just cried a lot. Why did we need to have one of those at our house?<\/p>\n
Molly and I had been playing up in her attic bedroom when dad and Molly\u2019s mom came to tell Molly and me that the baby inside mom had come out and was now my brother. Dad had asked me if I wanted to go and see my new brother at the hospital, but I didn\u2019t say yes or anything else, so I stayed at Molly\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
Earlier that day, Molly and I had hidden in the spruce tree and didn\u2019t tell mom where we were. Mom got mad and said angry words to me. Then her body started hurting because the baby inside her was ready to come out, and dad took her to the hospital, and I went over to Molly\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Mom had told me a lot of times about having a baby inside her that would become \u201cpart of our family\u201d. It might be a boy like me or a girl like Molly, but mom didn\u2019t know which one until it came out. Where it would come out of her I did not even dare to ask. What she did know is that she would have to go to the hospital when it was ready to come out. The whole thing made no sense to me or to Molly. I already had Molly so why did we need anyone else.<\/p>\n
After it got dark dad finally had come back to Molly\u2019s house and taken me home, but mom wasn\u2019t there. He said she had to stay at the hospital until she and my brother were ready to come home.<\/p>\n
This morning he asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital with him. I still wasn\u2019t sure what this all meant and how it might affect me, and I did not say anything. So he took me over to Molly\u2019s again.<\/p>\n
I was still thinking about all those things that had happened, when Molly saw from the window that our car pulled into the driveway of our house across the street. She and I looked out and watched as dad got out of the car and walked around to the other side to open the door for mom. She got out carrying something all wrapped up in a white bundle. I could tell that that thing was what this was all about.<\/p>\n
Molly said, \u201cLet\u2019s go see it!\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at her unsure and worried.<\/p>\n
She looked at me and figured out what I was thinking. \u201cYou can stay here if you want\u201d, she said, \u201cBut I\u2019m going to go see it!\u201d<\/p>\n
I said okay, but I didn\u2019t want her to go. But when she headed out of the room I decided to follow her. I was having trouble thinking of anything except that I felt strange.<\/p>\n
When we got down the stairs to the front door, Molly called out to her mom, \u201cCoob\u2019s mom is home and we want to go see it!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my god\u201d, Molly\u2019s mom appeared from the kitchen, climbing up the stairs into the living room, \u201cThis is so exciting! Yes, let\u2019s go see Cloob\u2019s little brother!\u201d<\/p>\n
She opened the front door. Molly ran out down toward the street.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoa there Molly Wheeler\u201d, her mom yelled out, \u201cWatch for cars before you cross the street!\u201d I could see Molly jerk her body to a stop on the edge of our street, swing her head to either side, and then run across. Molly\u2019s mom puffed her cheeks and pushed air out of her mouth and shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cC\u2019mon Cloob\u201d, she said, taking my hand, \u201cLet\u2019s see your brother!\u201d<\/p>\n
She and I walked across the street. Molly had already disappeared inside the front door of our house.<\/p>\n
When Molly\u2019s mom and I walked in the front door, mom and dad and Molly were standing around this basket thing with legs that had appeared a few days ago in the living room. All three of them looked at me and smiled, but I was worried.<\/p>\n
Mom patted dad and Molly on their shoulders and came over to me and took my hand, looking down at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cCloob\u201d, she said, making her biggest smile but her eyes looked sad. \u201cI really want to say I\u2019m sorry for yelling at you yesterday. I just was so scared that something had happened to you and Molly when you didn\u2019t say anything and you were right there hiding in the spruce tree. I need you to tell me you\u2019re okay when I ask you!\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded my head. The things she said always made sense like that. Her face got less worried.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut now I want you to meet your brother David\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n
She took me over to the basket thing and there was a wrinkled little face with big blue eyes looking up at me. He was unwrapped from his little white blanket and was wearing tiny blue pajamas. His little pink fingers grasped at the air and his legs kicked. His eyes moved around like he was trying to see things and they finally saw me. He smiled at me and seemed happy to see me. I could tell in his eyes that he wanted me to like him, so I felt better. The grownups all seemed happy, and Molly too, so that made me feel better too. I wasn\u2019t sure yet it would be okay, but it was okay so far.<\/p>\n
Looking at me and then at Molly\u2019s mom, dad said, \u201cThe doctor said it was an easy delivery, and Liz did well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJane\u2019s a trooper\u201d, Molly\u2019s mom said. Then she looked down at the baby and she made a funny expression with her mouth. \u201cHe\u2019s a beautiful boy!\u201d Dad nodded. Molly looked at me like she didn\u2019t know what they were talking about. I didn\u2019t either.<\/p>\n
Mom nodded too, \u201cHe is Joan. It still seems like such a miracle. Just like when Cloob was born. It changes your perspective on things.\u201d She let go of my hand and rubbed my shoulder and neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Cloob sweetie, what do you think?\u201d mom asked.<\/p>\n
Since I started talking she liked to ask me what I was thinking. And if I said something, she liked hearing it. But I didn\u2019t want to tell her I felt worried, but I felt I should say something because everyone else had said something, even Molly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looked at me!\u201d I said. That seemed okay to say.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did sweetie, he\u2019s looking at all of us, trying to connect with us\u201d, mom said looking down at him and touching his face.<\/p>\n
David looked at me again and smiled. I smiled back.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan he talk?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Mom laughed. \u201cNo not yet sweetie. Not for a while. He\u2019ll cry and make other noises too. But he\u2019ll be doing a lot of listening and watching, like right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s so precious!\u201d, Molly\u2019s mom said. Molly pushed her lips together and made a face.<\/p>\n
We all continued to look at him and touch him and say things about him for a while and then mom said she had to feed him. It still all felt strange to me. The kid Kenny across the street, who lived in the house next to Molly\u2019s, had a \u201clittle brother\u201d, that Kenny didn\u2019t talk about much, but when he did, seemed not to like. xxx<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me fix up his formula!\u201d It was the first thing dad had said and he seemed glad to say it and do something other than look at the baby. He went into the kitchen.<\/p>\n
Molly\u2019s mom said she needed to go home to do things. She put her hand on mom\u2019s shoulder and said, \u201cHe\u2019s beautiful Jane. You have a beautiful family. Please let me know anything I can do to help. Any time. Anything you need, just call me, I\u2019m right across the street.\u201d<\/p>\n
I thought it was funny that she said that last thing because we all already knew that they lived across the street. It was one of those things grownups did, say things you already knew. Anyway she said that Molly could stay and play with me and that made me happy. Molly\u2019s mom said goodbye to dad and \u201ccongratulations on your growing family\u201d, and told him too she would \u201cHelp out any way I can, if you or Jane need me\u201d. Then she asked him if he would make sure Molly looked both ways before crossing the street to come home and then left.<\/p>\n
Molly wanted to see how my mom fed the baby, so we went into the kitchen to watch dad make the \u201cformula\u201d. Dad figured out that was why we were there looking at him and started to tell us what he was doing. He was using a \u201cmeasuring spoon\u201d to take the \u201cpowdered formula\u201d out of a box with letters and a picture of a baby on it. He mixed it with the big wooden spoon in a pot with water heated up on the stove, hot enough to \u201cdissolve\u201d the powder, but not too hot or it would burn the baby\u2019s mouth. Molly and I peeked in the pot as he stirred it, and watched the powder disappear and make the water white and look like milk. He carefully dipped his little finger in the pot to \u201ctest\u201d if it was hot enough, but not too hot. As soon as his fingertip dipped in the milky liquid we both looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cLitle bit more\u201d, he said, continuing to stir the pot. \u201cIt\u2019s like making cocoa, except the water turns white instead of brown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grownups were good at using words to explain things, if they wanted to.<\/p>\n
Finally the formula was warm enough and dad poured it from the pot into a clear glass \u201cbaby bottle\u201d. I liked those baby bottles because they were thick clear glass with sides and edges. When you held one it was heavy and you could feel those sides and edges. If you looked through it, what you saw on the other side was kind of broken up by the edges. Then as you looked through and turned the bottle, different parts of what you saw shifted and were broken up.<\/p>\n
Dad then put a \u201crubber nipple\u201d on top of the bottle. He gave the bottle to Molly and asked her if she wanted to bring it to mom. Molly nodded, and when she took the bottle she slowly and carefully walked back into the living room, holding it in front of her with both hands. I thought it was funny because she usually ran everywhere. I followed her into the living room.<\/p>\n
Mom was sitting in the rocking chair next to the basket thing with the baby in her arms. She took the bottle from Molly and said thank you. She showed us how she dripped some on her arm to test if it was the right \u201ctemperature\u201d. Then she put the nipple part between the baby\u2019s lips, and his lips closed on it and the baby started drinking. Mom looked at him while he drank, I could tell her mind was doing lots of thinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Eric\u201d, she called out to my dad in the kitchen, \u201cDid you talk to the Hutchinson\u2019s about their crib?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad appeared at the kitchen door. \u201cYes. They said we could have it. It looks like it is in okay shape, may need a little work. Could use a coat of paint too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still feeding the baby she said, \u201cWell we still have half a quart of that oil-based white that we used on this bassinet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad nodded and smiled. His eyes sparkled. He and mom liked working together on things like that.<\/p>\n
Then he frowned, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have a pad or a mattress though.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom frowned too. \u201cCould you get a piece of foam, cut it to size, and cover it somehow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSchlenkers has foam and will cut it to size\u201d, he said, \u201cThen we could cover it with one of the flat sheets. I think we have an extra one.\u201d<\/p>\n
The baby coughed. Mom pulled the bottle out of his mouth and a bunch of white stuff squirted out and down his cheek. Mom took the cloth from her shoulder and cleaned up his face. She lifted him and held him against her chest with his head over her shoulder and gently patted his back. She smiled at Molly and me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDavid needs to burp I think\u201d, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s been three years since you were born Cloob, and I\u2019m still trying to remember all the tricks of the trade!\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t remember ever being a baby like David and not being able to do much of anything except look at things and suck on a bottle. David made a noise. Guess that was a burp.<\/p>\n
Mom looked away from us at dad. \u201cWe\u2019re lucky David is a boy because we have that box of Cloob\u2019s old baby clothes somewhere right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad frowned and looked up at the ceiling. \u201cI think we gave those to the Drakes for Henry.\u201d Then back at mom. \u201cHe\u2019s over a year now, he may be done with them!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah but\u2026\u201d, mom shook her head, \u201cYou can\u2019t slap a coat of fresh paint on ratty old clothes. We\u2019re not going to dress him in rags.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dad puffed out his cheeks and blew air out. \u201cWell, I could do a couple evenings at the fraternity. Those frat boys\u2019 rooms and laundry are not going to clean themselves! Otherwise I\u2019m going to have to rob a bank Liz!\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked back at him very seriously. \u201cEric, how many different jobs do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked up at the ceiling again thinking. \u201cFive\u2026 six actually if you count the proofreading.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou get paid for it right?\u201d she asked, \u201cThat counts!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell\u201d, he scratched his chin, \u201cThey give me free books.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat counts!\u201d She said, taking the baby off of her chest and back down in her lap. \u201cBut at some point it becomes penny wise and pound foolish. If it slows down you getting your dissertation done, it delays you finding a real job that pays and has benefits even.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell\u201d, he said nodding his head, \u201cI told you I\u2019m close to starting on my dissertation!\u201d<\/p>\n
They were always talking about his \u201cdissertation\u201d. He had tried to explain it to me that it was something he had to write to get his \u201cPHD\u201d thing so he could work as a \u201cprofessor\u201d, but it didn\u2019t make much sense.<\/p>\n
\u201cEric\u201d, her voice was a little bit angry, \u201cYou didn\u2019t tell me that! That\u2019s a big milestone isn\u2019t it? You need to talk to me about these things. It helps…\u201d, she rolled her hand around in a circle in front of her, \u201cKeep me going.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re right Liz\u2026 sorry!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Molly finally looked at me and I knew she wanted to do something different.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s play in the backyard\u201d, I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s play Sky King\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s play pirates and Sky King\u201d, I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay\u201d, she said, and she ran into the kitchen and out the side door. I got up and followed her. I could hear mom and dad and Molly\u2019s mom chuckling at us as I left the room following Molly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This morning dad told me that mom was finally coming home from the hospital with my brother that had been inside her. He took me over to Molly\u2019s and then he drove off in the car. I still did not know what was really going on, so it worried me. I had seen a baby […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1791,13,1773,515,1775],"class_list":["post-5894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","tag-1950s","tag-ann-arbor","tag-childhood","tag-human-development","tag-memoir"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5894"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7461,"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5894\/revisions\/7461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leftyparent.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}