I only wish I had a camera so that I might recall the moment years from now.
It was about 7:20AM this morning and as I made my way towards the bathroom to start my morning preparation, I happened to peer into the room of my youngest. There he was, all seven months of him, lying on his belly, facing to the side with the morning sun outlining his profile. He was listening intently; I believe having heard a board creak as I made my down the hall. I took a few more steps forward before coming to a stop, and finally making my way back into his room. Starting the day could wait for a few minutes. He was still dozy, the corners of his eyes crusty with sleep, his sheet-wrinkled face slowly working into a half-smile as he recognized me. That’s when it hit me – the smell. It had been an eventful night for the little fellow and apparently his diaper was putting in overtime. So, here I was – face-to-face with a half-asleep infant who smelled like a port-a-john at an outdoor summer beer festival. Yet what did I think at that moment? He is so beautiful! He is my son. He is awesome. I love him.
Few things can give insight into the miracle of life like being a parent. You hear it all the time: don’t sweat the small stuff, enjoy each moment, and other such phrases of which I am as guilty of letting go in one ear and out the other as anyone else. Yet for a few moments of the early morning of March 2, 2009 I was there. Fully and completely in the moment. Will it pass? Sadly yes – if course it will. Still, allow me to pass on some advice, even if I’ll admit that I’m not always able to follow it myself: focus on the now.
SAME BABY - DIFFERENT DAY
Well, there you have it: my first and maybe last foray into parental advice Believe me, I’m no role model – I’ve already started the future therapy fund! I admit freely that I know nothing about parenting, but I would also suggest that no one really does. I will however pass on a few of my favourite quotes on parenting here – do with them what you will:
Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. ~John Wilmot
Your children need your presence more than your presents. ~Jesse Jackson
Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. ~Robert Fulghum
The guys who fear becoming fathers don't understand that fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man. The end product of child raising is not the child but the parent. ~Frank Pittman
We now return you to your beer-soaked, nonsensical, bullshit blog already in progress …
CHEERS!