Remember your first day in this family? Remember when you finally made your debut and everyone heard your first cry? Everyone in the room smiled with an expression of delight. You were the center of attention! Your every sound, no matter how quiet or loud, met with full approval from each one present. You had announced your arrival and a "star" was born!
Just a side note, little one, this won't last.
You have made the trip home in the family car. The new car seat is a little tight and can you believe this? Everything you are seeing for the first time, you get to see backwards. Of course, for your safety, your parents explain, you must be restrained and look at the back cushion of the seat. Now, how exciting is that? May as well get used to it, because this is just the start of your proper position in the family.
Meeting the family seems like such an exciting venture. Your proud parents carry you in, contained in the car seat, while swinging it back and forth. Your breakfast ends up in your lap and the crowd wonders if you have an eating disorder. Grandma claims you first. She is insistent that you conveniently need to be changed into one of the adorable outfits she picked out.
You yawn to let everyone know you are worn out and ready for a royal nap. You are handed to first time uncle, so he can fall in love with your precious self. They explain that all he has to do is hold you as if you were a football and everything will go well. News alert! You are not a football, and to prove it, you cry. This worked so well in the delivery room, certainly it should work as well at home.
Once again a "star" has enlightened the room. A scurry has commenced and lunch is produced. Your place as the favored guest has definitely been secured.
It has been a fews weeks since you were first introduced to home. The newness of your arrival is beginning to fade. Parents are wearing thin and in need of sleep. Breakfast and lunch, can at times, end up on the same sleeper. Your cries, may also be brushed aside with the comment, "just a minute". Your crib seems to be a prison with bars. At times, it would be nice to once again be held like a football by your uncle. Welcome to the family
To the delight of your family, you take your first steps. Your balance, a little precarious, but as time goes on, your welcomed walk has changed into a run. This is followed by your parents sternly reminding you to slow down and walk. One might think if a small person, as yourself, was so encouraged to try and try again to walk, wouldn't those same people be ecstatic to see you perfect the walk into a faster walk?
The same goes for playing with toys. Why would everyone you have ever met and even some of those you have yet to meet, buy you all these toys and books if they did not intend for you to have them spread out all over the floor? You cannot play favorites! It is just not right. You must see all, feel all, smell, and taste all, in order for you to experience the full aspect of said toys. Parents have the notion that a child should only play and experience one toy or book at a time. They believe then you can concentrate on the sole object. Actually, parents are just lazy and only want to pick up one toy at the end of your attention span. Must you be reminded, you are not a guest, you are part of the family and your duty is to put away all of your stuff!
Can you explain to me why it is perfectly sane for relatives to stare at you, to make crazy faces, funny sounds, but when you put your hands to your ears and wave them back and forth while sticking your tongue out, somehow registers as a rude gesture? Isn't that what you had observed family members do in the past to make little ones giggle? Mixed messages are difficult to wade through.
Another intriguing question is, if pets are consider a part of a family, why is it acceptable for the pets to eat off the floor or trot across the counters and then when you copy these behaviors, it is like breaking the law.
Love,
Jan
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