All hail Kael - #2

All hail Kael
Who today turns two
May your dreams be filled with magical machines
Putting on a show just for you

What a difference a year can make;
From baby to little boy,
From basic to more complicated toys...
Frankly, it's about all the change your parents can take.

Alas, it will only fly by quicker
And there is so much more to come
I really don't want you to get any bigger
Because you already weigh a ton!

You're a big brother now
So you'll have a new playmate in the tub.
The sweet gesture that makes us all go WOW
Is when you decide to give Chloe a hug.

You've also become quite a singer, wouldn't ya know
With a vast repertoire of songs
From Old Mcdonald's e-i-e-i-o
To Frere Jacque's ding-dang-dongs

Machines are the latest passion
From trains, to cars, to dumptrucks
Sprinklers are also in fashion
As is pulling the wagon through the muck

You are such a happy child
That we like to call you "Chucklehead"
And yes, you still tend to be a bit wild
Right before bed.

You do some great animal impersonations:
Dogs, elephants, and owls.
You also do a great pig imitation
That makes all the passerbys howl

A big fan of books
From the lift up the flap kind
To Dr Seuss's catchy hooks,
To whatever is the book du jour at that particular time

You've got two speeds:
Full throttle or full stop.
You're still a pretty easy one to feed
And you love to hop on pop

Kman, you are the axle of our wheel
The shovel to our digger
The love we feel for you is real
And we don't think it could get any bigger!

First Impressions

Though we only stayed in the hospital for a day and a half - in a room rivaling our cozy apt in size - it sure is nice to be home again. I'm exhausted, of course; yet, I'm also so elated and buzzing that I had to sit down to share the miraculous experience while it remains fresh.

I probably should be sleeping given the road that lies ahead - a newborn, a spirited toddler and a recovering mother to take care of - but I couldn't resist a soothing bowl of mate and stealing a quiet moment to myself after these first few hectic days. Just prior to the epidural, when Michele was at the height of her pain), I can sympathize with that one, too. But in the end, isn't that all the more reason to be there, when it's toughest, and to be able to give that moral support when she needs it most?

Luckily, it was easier for Michele this second time around, given that her body had already been through it. However, as Michele reminded me, there is nothing easy about passing something the size of a watermelon through a hole that is half that size or less. There was a moment after about an hour of pushing that I started to be concerned that all the hard work Michele was doing wasn't paying off. But soon afterwards, that little head of dark hair appeared, with each subsequent push revealing a little bit more. And when at last the head, shoulders and rest of the body finally slipped through, my heart dropped and I just couldn't believe my eyes. Again.

At 3.895 kg, Chloe came out bigger than her brother, who is wearing clothing designed for three year-olds when he has not yet even reached two yet. She has very long and elegant hands, suited perhaps to play the piano, as Grandma noted, or to scratch records, as I preferred to observed. That is, if her brother will let her get on the decks (he still doesn't let me!). Her face reminds me so much of Kael as a newborn.

Thankfully, our worst fear has not materialized and we are happy to report there are no signs of colic. I've held her in my arms while she was awake for over an hour and not a peep or a wriggle from her. It's very odd for us. I keep half-expecting to break out screaming any second, and having to dust off the old hair dryer.

We were a little nervous to see how Kael would react when we brought Chloe home for the first time. We had been preparing him by reading him books about being a big brother (which he often requested on his own will) and explaining to him exactly what would happen. And sure enough, he was very curious about his little sister when we brought her in - for about 2 minutes anyways. You see, his little sister came bearing gifts, more specifically in the form a digger, and so his attention was naturally diverted after opening his gift. Since then, he has shown signs of interest here and there - and even gave her a hug this morning. More importantly, he hasn't shown any resentment towards her as far as we can tell.

I'm still on cloud nine at the moment. I'm doing what I can to keep our place somewhat neat and make sure that everyone is fed etc. But the real hero is Michele. She is such a trooper that it continually amazes me. Through the pain and sleeplessness, she continues to show nothing but selflessness rather than selfishness. She is a constant reminder of what Love is and I am very thankful that I am able to share the joy of parenthood with such a wonderful partner.

As my good friend Dave told me after Kael was born, "Now you know why mother's day is way, WAY more important than father's day."