Strange Machines

Time sure flies when you have a new baby. I remember so clearly when Wolf was born. In the delivery room I was so exhausted but exhilarated at finally meeting this little baby who had been sharing my tummy.

At the final push, Wolf entered the world and I held my baby in my arms and let him suckle. He was so tiny then and all I wanted to do was to protect him from the huge cruel world out there. Fatigue must have set in, for I let them take him away to clean up and do their measurements and sort.

When they brought him back to me later in the ward, cleaned, innoculated, and freshly swaddled, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Before I could move to pick him up, my parents danced into the room grinning and my Mom carried him for the first time, her face beaming with delight.

To see your parents and your child happy together is one of the greatest joys in life. Even today, my parents’ faces glow when they play with Wolf. They enjoy watching his milestones: Dad saw Wolf turn for the first time (I missed it one second later), We all heard his first words, his first screams, Mom discovered his favourite activity is Bouncy (I have bionic arms already)…

My Dad still boasts of the 3 hours he spent once carrying Wolf to sleep. Although his arms ached so much (and he napped some of the time sitting up), he proudly told all his friends about it while they oohed and ahhed. Mom regales her sisters and friends about what Wolf does.

I don’t know how it happened but my parents have become part of Wolf’s everyday life and he is so much more blessed for it.

I see the wisdom in the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Studies show (and I wish I could dig them all up to cite them) that babies with a strong family network are happier, better socialised, and more confident.

In his fifth month, Wolf rolls over confidently, can sit up in a tripod position (but not for long), raises his hands when a hand is hovered over him to pull him up), has sleep regressed to 3 hourly bouts at night, watches our cats very curiously, still poos in the car, adores his grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunties, had his first toy-involved bath time with his blow-up bath tub from Safety1st last night (he loved it!), and his first swim the Sunday before last.