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Emma's transition from babyhood to little kid-ness was gradual enough that I never saw it happening. One moment I'm so smitten that I even think her drool is cute, and the next thing I know I'm humbly asking her permission to conduct minute details of household life. Now, the appearance of baby Stella on the scene has transported me back to a bygone era.

A newborn baby will seriously rearrange your priorities. The helpless, pathetic squall of an infant preempts all other scheduled events, even intellectually compelling projects such as laundry. This is a good thing for hard-core housework avoiders. According to most modern theories of parenting, your job, during these early days and weeks (at least) is to concentrate all of your energies on creating a bubble of pure love around the Little One. This requires many consecutive hours of gazing blissfully at the baby's face, while neglecting all other details of your life.

Now, after nearly twelve weeks of continuous cootchie-cooing, Julia is starting to work again, which means that Homedaddy is back on duty. Emma attends day care most mornings, which leaves me to care for baby Stella. I had almost forgotten how wonderful it is to take care of an infant. Her needs are so fundamental, and so total, that my life is once again beautifully simplified. She needs hygiene, she needs sleep, and for short bursts, she needs to be entertained. Having resumed work (from a home office, to boot) Julia's needs are also simple: She needs to be left alone for a few hours at a time.

Popular folklore notwithstanding, diaper changes are a breeze. Likewise, the entertainment. Being just off the turnip truck, so to speak, infants are not too discriminating; a little "woojie woojie woojie," accompanied by minimal nose-to-nose contact is usually sufficient.

I am able to meet Stella's need for sleep and Julia's requirement for a distraction-free work period by making use of what I consider to be the greatest technological development since the wheel: the stroller. Stella is still young enough that each trip out of the house is so intense, so utterly riveting, that she falls asleep as soon as we are out the gate. Since we live within walking distance of a food market and a drug store, I can enjoy the value-added bonus of performing an actual errand at the same time.

Oh, to revisit the joy of being the Homedaddy of an infant! People are still impressed by the sight of a father taking care of a little baby. I am treated like royalty wherever I go. Perfect strangers, forgiving the fact that my hair has obviously not been washed or combed in several days, strike up friendly conversations with me, speaking in respectful, admiring tones. Stella is a remarkably sweet-tempered baby, and when she does awaken, she holds up her end of the bargain by being cute as blazes.

Having a new baby is like having a brand new love affair: All you want to do is stare at your new sweetie; time stands still, nothing else matters. Of course, like any serious long-term relationship, there's a ways to go. As time passes, the novelty wears off but the real rewards are yet to come.

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© Todd Pinsky 1998-2002. All rights reserved.