Dodo Eggs

Olivia Kay Teply

It began on a Sunday morning after church.  Matt and Melissa were sitting in their kitchen enjoying a simple lunch of tuna melts complemented by a short pile of sweet gherkin pickles.  They had just returned from church and were looking forward to a quiet day.  In the adjoining room their little boy played with cars.

Melissa looks over at Matt and casually inquires, “So, when are we going to try for a second child?”

“You mean Luke?”

She responded quickly.  “You don’t know that.  I could be talking about Olivia.”

Matt took an overly large bite and chewed while he spoke.  “Well, we didn’t want the boy here to be an only child so I guess that meant we planned on having another.  Are you implying you wanted to start trying now?’

“Oh no, I want you to make the decision.  I’m fine with Saul and I but I knew we were eventually going to have another.”  She waited for Matt to swallow.  “So when are we going to do it?”

As if he was relating the time, Matt responds, “Ok then, why don’t we start now?”

That conversation occurred on January 13th, 2008.  Exactly three hundred and sixty-five days later Olivia Kay Teply was born and Matt is forced to face the profound ramifications of his oh-so nonchalant decision.   

Life long affection in the form of joyful tears emerged the moment he met her.  For Matt, kissing her round, sensitive cheeks is like taking in life itself.  It isn’t just his arms that embrace her but the breadth of his very soul.   

Of course, he doesn’t talk like this around other people.  Instead he says things like, “She is as pure as fine porcelain and softer than an angel’s butt.”

Personally…

There are two challenges with a second child.  The first is (deep breath) starting completely over.  Long nights, three-hour feedings, and enough soiled diapers to insulate my walls.  It took time and a second helping of patience to get my son where he is now and now I’m (deep breath) starting over!

The next impossible task is trying to go anywhere.  I’ll be honest; it would be easier to move Stonehenge than try to get out the door in a half hour.  Getting oneself ready is the easy part.  Now try finding the older one’s shoes, packing twelve-pound survival kit (I mean diaper bag), dressing the spawn, and cinching them into a car seat.  I’d say organization is the key but we can’t find that either.

Here’s what I’m counting on…That Olivia is a unique human being and on a different path.  The benchmarks (walking, talking, eating) may be the same but the trip will be different.  It should be.  The guide book for raising a girl has about sixteen additional, bonus chapter from the one we received with Saul.

• Childish Reasoning
• Great Moments in Parenting
• Grandparent Syndrome
• Candy Land
• Scent to Hades