On many levels, having our first child together brought us closer together. Watching my hubby play with and read to our daughter brings me such joy, and I know he adores witnessing our bond, too. But when it comes to the day-to-day, I’d be lying if I said we don’t bicker about baby stuff, just a bit. It started when I was pregnant, but wow, did the sticking points pick up once she got here. Now that we’re rounding in on the one-year marker, things have gotten both better and messier. I love the man like crazy, but we do dedicate at least a little time each week to bickering about these top 21 things:
1. Infant poop colors: What do they mean? What can we glean? Does any of this really matter or does the parent of the moment just need some sleep?
2. Whose turn it is to walk the dog.
3. Why the Boppy pillow is mine — he likes to use it as a neck pillow; I prefer to have it handy for feedings and cuddles.
4. How to wash pacifiers.
5. What type of school she’ll attend and when she’ll start — yes, it’s a little early for that.
6. Piles of dirty laundry — who’s responsible, who’s offended, and who’s going to pick it all up and wash it.
7. Whether or not she needs a sweater…
8. Or a hat.
9. How big is too big, when it comes to hair bows.
10. Ideal food temperature and texture — for both her meals and our own.
11. When it’s time for the trash to go out. I’d say every day, and he’d probably agree if only I were the one doing it.
12. The grocery budget. OK, the budget, period.
13. What TV show we’ll watch when she finally goes to bed.
14. Whose turn it is to sleep in on the weekend.
15. Which mom/mother-in-law we’ll be seeing that week — both live nearby, which is wonderful and a little stressful!
16. How many miles are left on whose car lease, and which car to take.
17. To that end, who’s due for a car wash — the guy who commutes to work every day or the girl who’s toting around a dog and a seriously messy baby.
18. What’s a real fever, tummy ache, and so on, versus just a whiny afternoon from baby.
19. When to finally cave and hire a sitter for date night (we settled on eight months, but…)
20. Put the baby down before the sitter comes and risk a 2 a.m. wake-up, or trust the babysitter with the bedtime routine and risk a still-awake Code Red Melter when we return from dinner?
21. Who really loves whom more. That’s my favorite one — it’s always a draw.
Photo: Getty
