As experienced parents we noticed that we did things differently with our second child. We learned that we were a tad too strict and a bit too overprotective. For example, Bella had no sweets until her first birthday—the cake. After that we still denied sweets until probably after age two. Interestingly, Bella noticeably has a much lower affinity for sweets than our other daughters. Standard operating procedure with Bella was so different. If a piece of food or toy dropped on the floor with her it was either disinfected or thrown away. Now with Mady—things were different. We still upheld the no sweets thing, just not nearly as long and when something dropped on the floor it would get a standing 10 count. Sometimes Mady would find food and I wasn’t even sure when and where it originated from and before I could rescue her from it—it was consumed. We relaxed as parents with Mady. I think many parents, from what I have seen, do the same when they have a second child.

Continued from this post: Confessions of a Stay-at-Home-Dad: Part VIII

We did have our reservations. Jodi and I both felt a little unsure about having both of our girls in daycare. Our girls never have shown stranger anxiety in new situations, so we were really curious to see how Bella would take to the college based pre-school program. She was not yet potty trained (which was a stipulation to join the pre-school) and when I signed Bella up at the preschool the administrators told me not to worry. They said that most three year olds become potty trained within the first week at the school. I was amazed. We had been struggling on our own trying to housebreak Isabella for months, and they told me it would take a matter of days. I was more than skeptical, although optimistic, and I was anxious to see how she would do.

On the flip side, we were curious to see how my father would handle the responsibility of Mady. How would he do with the diapers and the feedings and the daily rigors of handling a baby? My father has a very good temperament and is perhaps one of the most laid back guys I know and we were hoping this would translate over into his childcare.