Jeanne was an amazingly healthy baby for which we thanked God every day. Because of her good health, her tendency to be a Night Person like her parents and because we were besotted with her, Jeanne went out to dinner with us frequently. She was a popular guest anywhere we went and she was always dressed in darling dresses. This was because I had been given a baby shower at The Players and I received 24 baby dresses. What if we had a boy? Paul really wanted a baby girl and had put his order in as soon as he knew I was pregnant and his wish was granted.
One night we decided to dine at Morrison's Cafeteria downtown. Jeanne was always fascinated by the long line of various dishes set out under glass for us to choose from. But on this particular evening she was quiet and didn't seem very interested in picking out little goodies to eat. We thought she was probably tired so we picked out some things we knew she liked. The waiter brought over a high chair for Princess Jeanne to sit in and she was looking especially adorable in a dress she had never worn before. We fixed her a little plate and she ate but not with her usual enthusiasm. Paul had ordered a chocolate dessert (SURPRISE!) and Jeanne's spirits perked up when she saw that. Paul started spooning some of his dessert onto her plate and I said, "Now don't give her too much. She doesn't seem to be feeling all that well and it looks very rich."
But Baby Jeanne gobbled it up and wanted more. Paul started to dish out more, but I gave him Such a Look that he stopped. As we finished our desserts, Jeanne nodded off and she stayed asleep all the way home. As the car stopped in our driveway, Jeanne woke up, looking confused. She stared at Paul and stared at me and then threw up all over her beautiful dress, the car and her stunned parents. A lot of what came up looked suspiciously like chocolate.
I looked at Paul and said, "Do you want to clean up Jeanne or the car?"
Horrified, he said, "Neither! It will make me throw up!"
"Paul, you're a father now. This is part of it."
I looked at his face and realized that he had some sort of fantasy going on his head about babies and his idealized role as the jolly dad. I sighed inwardly and lifted Jeanne out of her car seat and walked to the front door.
"I can't do it! I'll vomit; I know I will!"
"I probably will too, Paul; I'm as squeamish as you are. But then we'll have to clean up after ourselves too. So try not to."
I went inside and put Jeanne down on the changing table
and looked down at her miserable little face.
"It's okay my little sweetheart, I'll get something to make you feel better in just a minute and I'll get you all cleaned up and put on your little nightgown and sing you to sleep even though I can't really sing and I'll be here with you all night long and you'll be better in the morning."
And thank God she was. But there had been a subtle shift.
