Maddie and Daddy Weekend
“I have to babysit my kid this weekend.” This is a phrase that will ruffle feathers every time I say it. I don’t actually mean it, but I just like the reactions I get. My wife is used to it by now, but she’ll still give me a disapproving look from time to time.
I love my Maddie and daddy time. I was fortunate enough to get a lot of 1 on 1 time when Maddie was just an infant. When Nicole was on the clinical side of nursing, she would have to work every other weekend. So this meant that Maddie and I were on our own for the most part every weekend.
Maddie and I developed a closer bond during this time. It is time that I would never want to take back. There are so many memories that we created, and it helped Maddie discover that dad can also be a comforter. I do believe that the Maddie and daddy weekends, helped Madelynn to not be so dependent on mom. She still prefers her mom, but I can still be a great substitute if need be.
Now that Nicole is on the administrative side of nursing, scheduled Maddie and daddy days have come to an end. This is great because we now get more time together as a family, but I do miss the alone time with Maddie. That’s why this past weekend was so cool.
Nicole headed up north for a night, so Maddie and I were able to capitalize on some alone time. We wasted no time and went to see a minor league baseball game. The weather was a bit chilly, but we were able to make some memories. I didn’t get away from the game unscathed however. Maddie was overwhelmed by the crowd. We made it until about the 5th inning, and had to head home.
This is just fine with me. Everything is trial and error with Maddie. There are some times where she is just enthralled by the crowds. She did great at an indoor soccer game this past winter. The crowd was more compact and there was more noise than the baseball game. There’s no rhyme or reason, but Maddie lets me know when she has had enough.
First it typically starts with some kind of self stimulation. She started biting her fingers in the 2nd inning. After redirecting her multiple times, she started to cry. We walked around the concourse, but it didn’t help. By the 5th inning, she was ready to go. This will not stop me from exposing her to more events, it just comes with an understanding that we might have to modify the experience or even leave early.
Maddie also interrupted my beauty sleep. With mom gone for a night, this meant I was on duty all night long. Maddie decided that 1 o’clock in the morning was a great time to wake dad up. She didn’t go back down until 3:30 and was up by 7. So while it was great having alone time, I’m glad mom’s home again.
Maddie and daddy time will never go away. Even though it’s less frequent, I will always make sure we spend some time together. I’m so glad that I have a strong bond with my daughter, and I’ll look for an opportunity to strengthen it every chance I get. I guess babysitting isn’t such a bad gig after all.
-Written by Adam Birchmeier
