Saturday, February 4, 2012

on baby duty

This week I had 4 days of working 4-hour shifts at the nursery for His Hands. It was fun, and I am definitely learning more about taking care of babies. One of the things I love the most about it is getting to know the babies. The smaller ones don't have their personalities as developed yet (most of the time they sleep, eat, and cry when they don't have either one of those), but it is fun getting to know the little ones bigger than a couple months old.

I like that I know that baby Grace is always watchful and careful of her surroundings. She was an anxious baby to begin with (probably owing to the trauma of her conception), so it is always a joy to see her smile. I like knowing that she is getting better about trust, and trusting love.

I love knowing that Carson is a fast eater and will usually down his whole bottle in a few minutes, and is learning to hold the bottle on his own. I know that his smile will surely bring a smile to Matthew's face when they make eye contact.  I know that he likes music and singing and moving. His welcoming, responsive smile has made him a general favorite.



I love that I know that Matthew's favorite thing is standing. So much so that he will fuss if he gets put in the bumbo seat too long. He loves working his legs, and if you bounce him up and down, you will surely get a baby grin. When awake, he seems to be constantly moving, which is probably why he is such a wiry little baby. I also know that he is not good at making eye contact sometimes -- perhaps a remnant of some feelings of rejection from when he was in the womb? I also know the kind of fussy he gets when tired, but if held against the chest and gently rocked, he will fall asleep within a few minutes. But he also wakes easily and will fuss when disturbed from sleep, so it's better to lay him down for naps. When he wakes up, he is always happy to see you because he wants to play.

I love knowing the distinctive, bird-like cry of Cadence, and that she eats very slowly and likes to play with the bottle in her mouth more than eat after she's had enough. I have loved seeing Sadie's demeanor and disposition change as she grows. She used to be so fussy all the time, but now she is a well-adjusted, plump, cheerful, vocal baby. She also has a baby fascination for looking at things up close, like hands.

All these things may sound petty to you, but they are small details that make up the beginnings of real people. I love the words they put up on the wall of the House of Hope recently -- "Every child is a story waiting to be told." These little ones are definitely stories in themselves. I know mommies who record the tiny developments of their babies -- their ups and downs, their quirks -- it is an honor to be able to share in the same journey of growth with these precious ones, at least for the beginning. I have been truly blessed.


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