He Said, She Said with Candy and Mr. Candy

I thought it would be fun to pose questions about the parenting experience to both Mr. Candy and me — and answer them independently of each other, then post and compare the responses.  (Fun and a sneaky way to encourage Mr. Candy to get all mushy!)  So I e-mailed the questions to my hubby and, well, here are the results:

1. Most surprising thing about the pregnancy experience:

CANDY: That, after the first four months of hell called “morning sickness,” I actually enjoyed being pregnant – and didn’t even want to kill people who touched my big ol’ belly.

MR. CANDY: When Candy said pregnancy agreed with her.

2. Most surprising thing about labor & delivery:

CANDY: How easy it was.  Of course, I was high off of several large hits of Epidural Juice.

MR. CANDY: How quickly it went.

3. Best thing about becoming a parent:

CANDY: Waking up and seeing my daughter’s face every morning – and observing what genius new thing she does that day.  (Oh!  And, of course, BABY HATS!)

MR. CANDY: Holding your baby.

4. Least favorite thing about becoming a parent:

CANDY: No time to myself. Can’t work, can’t bathe, can’t clean up messes around the house (or so I claim).

MR. CANDY: 24 hour, 7 day a week job.

5. Most surprising thing about becoming a parent:

CANDY: That I actually do have maternal instincts. I was a little concerned about that. But they’re there!  Strong ones, I think. Also didn’t expect to experience such poignant separation anxiety when I’m away from the baby for any amount of time.  I’m a total nutjob when it comes to that.

MR. CANDY: How many diapers I have had to change.

6.  Fill in the blanks:

a.  When I saw the baby emerge from Candy, I immediately wanted to ________.
b.  Having a baby really ___________ our marriage.
c.  I love watching my spouse ________ with/to Skylar.

CANDY:

a. When I saw the baby emerge from Candy, I immediately wanted to cry.

b. Having a baby really gives us less time to focus on our marriage.

c. I love watching my spouse give Skylar baths.

MR. CANDY:

a. When I saw the baby emerge from Candy, I immediately wanted to tell the doctor to stop pulling and twisting so hard on Skylar.

b. Having a baby really changed our marriage into a partnership unlike it had ever been before.

c. I love watching my spouse take a nap with Skylar.

7.  Biggest change in my spouse’s behavior since having a baby:

CANDY: That, while it’s a struggle to get him to bathe on the weekends, he actually JUMPS at the chance to bathe Skye and change her diapers.

MR. CANDY: She whips out the boob way more often than she ever did before. If I knew all I had to do was cry, I would have done it way more often.

8. Biggest change in MY behavior since having a baby:

CANDY: Barely drink alcohol anymore.  O Cuervo, Cuervo!  Wherefore art thou, Cuervo?

MR. CANDY: I take way more pictures than I ever did.

9. Word association. When I say ____________, you immediately think…

CANDY:

Labor: Got drugs?

Sex: Some day.

Nursing bra: Ugh.

Diapers: Endless.

Parenthood: Life-changing.

MR. CANDY:

Labor: Unions

Sex: Male

Nursing bra: Sexiest lingerie I have seen in months

Diapers: Dirty

Parenthood: Biggest job in my life

10. What I most look forward to over the next year of parenting:

CANDY: Watching my daughter master quadratic equations. Well, that, and having her reach out for me for the first time. AND when I stop nursing so my breasts deflate to a relatively normal size again.  That will be a beautiful moment, indeed.

MR. CANDY: Earlier bed times.