Let me preface what I am about to write by saying that I consider the institution of motherhood to be unparalleled in the universe. Sure, I can appreciate the whole fatherhood thing but we dads are basically are like a guy who helps carry in the groceries for a dinner party for 20 people and then tells the guests he helped his wife with the cooking (okay, I took out the garbage too). My point is that moms have a connection with babies that dads can rarely fathom let alone hope to match.

So the irony was not lost on me the first time I retrieved Ryder from his crib during the night, handed him to his mother as I went to make a bottle of milk, and he cried out, “Baba,” in his perfectly clear, cute little baby voice. My wife thought it was so endearing that he wanted his baba to carry him. However, I could sense an underlying question too: "Why doesn’t he want to be comforted by his mama?"

Naturally, being scientifically minded (see last week’s physics blog for more evidence) I decided to test this new development. Sure enough, at different times and various circumstances, Ryder wanted to be carried by his father if he had the choice. At first, I was as mystified by this as anyone. Why should he prefer my hard, bony shoulder to rest his head upon over his mother’s more comfortable one?

Certainly he might be won over (as most are) by his father’s stunning good looks and winning charm, but I am humble enough to admit that those (however convincing) are likely not the cause. No, I suspect the answer is bacon. Specifically, the bag of bacon I keep in my hip pocket. Not only does this make me endearing to my own children, it also works wonders on the neighborhood dogs too.

Some mothers might take this deferential preference for Baba as a sign of rejection, but Savvy knows it is not that.  Besides, there is still another boy eagerly awaiting her arms. Personally, I suspect he may be a vegetarian.

 Photo courtesy of LisaW123 (Flickr)