Being Kendra_ Cribs, Cocktails, and Getting My Sexy Back - Kendra Wilkinson [10]
Hank Jr. crawled for the first time in Philly. He was around nine months old and I’d been thinking about it for weeks as he was getting closer and closer, but I was nervous because I was heading out of town for an appearance that weekend. He was doing that lunging thing where he’s hunched up on his legs and pitching forward. He was going to scoot at any minute. I kept obsessing internally: “I’m going to miss it because I’m traveling and now this nanny is going to watch him crawl and she’s going to rub it in my face and I’m going to feel guilty.”
So I basically forced him to crawl for me. I didn’t care if he had to stay up way past his bedtime. I wanted to be the first to see him crawl. It was going to be little Hank and me for the next few hours until he did it.
I kicked everyone out of the room. I was sitting next to him on a little area rug on the hardwood floor, whispering, “Come on, you can do it!” I put him on his hands and knees, pushing him and dragging him. I gave his little butt a pinch, almost to give him a little shock and jump start, anything to jolt him. “Come on, baby, this is how you do it!” I kept checking the clock because I was worried I was going to have to leave. It was definitely a “working mom” moment (even though I was dressed in my usual travel wardrobe: sweats). Finally when I started giving up, he took two little teeny crawls. I screamed for joy: “He’s crawling!” The nanny came in and I made it a point to let everyone know that I was the first one to see him crawl. It’s a pride thing. It was like an hour before I was supposed to leave and he finally did it. I said to myself, “Okay. I can go now.”
Hank and I want to be there for everything important in baby Hank’s life, and we both have the kind of jobs that can keep us away from our family. When life gets crazy, we try to sit back and assess our family and make sure we acknowledge everything in baby Hank’s life. The day baby Hank took his first steps, Hank was away in Minnesota playing for the Vikings. I had this feeling that Hank needed to see his wife and baby—call it a mother’s intuition—so I Skyped him. We hadn’t been living with him for more than two months and he was really depressed about being away. It was snowing and cold where he was and he was really missing us. Once we got the camera turned on, I showed Hank baby Hank crawling around and then we just started talking. The next thing I know Hank is pointing to the baby behind me. Hank Jr. had just stood up and taken his first steps! Without any prompting, Hank Jr. just stood up and wobbled a few steps. Hank was crying on Skype out of happiness. He couldn’t believe it! He thought he was going to miss his first steps while he was away. What perfect timing!
Chapter 3
I Eat Breakfast in the Shower
I don’t want to sound like a whiny little celebrity saying, “Imagine never being able to just up and go to the beach or the mall,” but really just for a second try to imagine that you can’t go to the beach. We’ve tried it—me, Hank, baby Hank, carrying tote bags full of sunblock and toys, buckets and shovels. And before we can get the umbrella up and baby Hank’s T-shirt off, fans approach us asking for pictures and autographs. It’s an amazing feeling to be loved like that, and I appreciate having fans who take the time to come say hello. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. But actually, I guess I would just for a day so I can take my kid to the beach to build a sand castle. For us, sand castles will have to be built in the backyard.
I always struggle with finding that balance, between wanting to protect baby Hank and letting him explore the world for himself. And I also look for balance between my personal life and work. I love what I do and the amazing experiences and opportunities I have in front of me, but sometimes I want to stay home with my family. So to have more time for both, I find myself giving up my time and personal needs.
My job doesn’t end when the cameras leave. It’s an all-day, every-day thing because my image and reputation follow me everywhere I go. I