Observing the beginning of life!

Recently, my family and I had the great privilege of spending a few days with my close friend and her seven week old baby. It took me back to my early days with Sage.  It made more clear than ever before the journey I have taken as a parent and it brought me great joy to be a part of the beginning of a new life.

What an amazing time in a family's life! A baby's every need is met within moments of it's manifestation. Parental instincts kick in and subconsciously guide parents to act even when they don't really understand how they know what to do. The simple beauty of a baby is more breathtaking than the most famous piece of art. Strangers take the time to stop and marvel, to dream or remember about their own current, past or future babies. Family members search for signs of likenesses using them to form closer bonds. We like to see the best parts of ourselves and our mates in the faces, hands, feet and mannerisms of the precious child.  We caress every chubby line, trace every wrinkle, hug, kiss and shower the baby with love and affection. Holding a baby can be a time of quiet reflection, introspection, observation, and bonding. The whole of nature seems to unfold in that baby's sighs and coos. The tiny hand seems to grasp your heart and pull it in, only to return it changed, more loved, more loving, improved. The wildly kicking feet mimic what it would be like to dance and skip on a cloud.

Babies soak in the attention and thrive.  Even at such a young age, they follow your movements, gesture with hands as if to communicate their secrets, mouth their mouths in time with yours as if to mimic your speech, their eyes express the possibility of love, hope, faith and knowing. Their noises, while primal now, will eventually allow them to share their deepest thoughts and wildest dreams. They are so full of promise and beginning!

To a baby, the next meal, diaper, or nap is of the utmost importance as those things ensure survival; but parallel to those primal needs are the needs of love, touch, sounds, and gentle movement. Babies entrust their caregivers with the most precious commodity, their lives themselves. They trust completely, love perfectly, and act with integrity. Their minds know no wrong. They are innocent souls ready to be guided, taught, embraced and loved. These early moments are magical, beautiful and fleeting. The moments are monumental as even now they shape the rest of their lives. Our responsibility is large and can be overwhelming, but is made easier by the immense and intense love felt between parent and child. The time moves swiftly as snapshots are burned into our memories. Suddenly you blink and your child is 4, or 8, or 22!

What an awe-inspiring job it is to be a parent! What a great opportunity it is to be the best parent/person you can be! What an amazing gift to share the world with your child - to be the window and filter through which they experience everything - to be the one who guides them as they develop their ideas, ideals, and values.

Cherish every moment, love every minute! Find time to sit and watch your child. That is what I hope for all parents, that they can sit and look at their child (at any age) and still feel the wonder, excitement and love they held when first holding that newborn baby!

Sincerely,

Emily A. Filmore, Author
http://www.withmychildseries.com/
blog.withmychildseries.com