“Ooo, look at the baby!” two women exclaimed with glee while I was in Target doing a little shopping. I smiled of course but then immediately realized that these two women giddy over seeing a baby were actually referring to another baby, a newborn who was probably just a few weeks old. They then said, “Oh, there’s another baby too,” referring to Quinn as though she was old news. Though I know I have a tendency to overly analyze situations and actions, I like how this incident forced me to ponder.
Is Quinn already losing her newness? My little one just turned five months old on Thursday, October 3. Though she is big for her age, nineteen pounds and a little over 28 inches long, she’s still new to me and has a long way to go with milestones and accomplishments. Even though it is only natural for people to dote over babies less as they get older and to dote over children even far less as they reach adolescence and then adulthood, why should we? No doubt, I do not want my child growing up thinking the entire world revolves around her. On the other hand, I definitely do want her to feel special and to know that she is significant and can make a significant impact on the world.
With this in mind, I do vow to not just point out any transgressions that she makes as she gets older but to be sure to recognize her accomplishments and milestones achieved regardless of how large or small they may be. Who knew that I would already be thinking about these things well before she is a year old? It’s interesting how one brief interaction had the ability to cause me to think about the importance of keeping the love and support going.
When is the last time you “oohed and aahhed” over something your baby did, regardless if he or she is a newborn or has children of his or her own? We all need a little doting over now and then…don’t we?
All the best,
Tanya
Journey of Anonomz 