This past Saturday, our family had the good fortune to meet the 7 week old son of our friends Kate and Tyler. His name is Hudson and he is just about the best brand new thing in the neighbourhood.
All three of our girls were thrilled to meet him and spend a few moments getting to know him. Maybe it was the novelty of having a boy around. Maybe it was the thrill of having someone so little in their presence that they felt really big. Someone so young that it was clear that even Arden understood his unique station in life. She cooed to him. Gently rubbed his head. Made all kinds of animated facial gestures. It was fascinating to watch her response. Sure there might have been a tinge of jealousy but she was genuinely interested in this tiny bundle of joy.
I have to admit that I was pretty enamored too. It is easy to loose perspective on how small they were such a short time ago. Easy to forget, in the day to day, where they have come from. Easy to forget what a privilege it was to know them at this stage of their life – when the intimacy between parent and child is so tactile, so dependent, so everything, so right in front of your face and yet so hard to grasp, so unlike anything you have ever known before with anyone you have ever met, so completely transformative as if someone had opened up your head and re-wired your brain to all of a sudden think differently. So mysterious. So fleeting.
Plus – it was great to have a boy around. Even if he was only 7 weeks old. Can’t wait to get to know the little critter.
3 Ginger Snaps 