My son is adorable. He’s just recently joined the “4 months old” club and I couldn’t be prouder of him. He sits up better every day. He’ll look into your eyes and smile. He’ll laugh. He’ll play with toys you put in front of him. He’s gaining talents in every area. It is amazing to me that he’s cuter each and every day. He shares that trait with my wife. So allow me to paint a picture for you. This is a cautionary tale to all parents of newborns and I share it to caution you of the dangers that lie ahead.
There I was. I was sitting and ready to work. I had my semi-comfortable computer chair perfectly aligned with my desk, keyboard, and monitor. I had my books out and open in front of me, my notes on the texts in another workspace on my monitor’s screen, and my hot tea giving off steam just northeast of my mouse. I was primed and ready to tackle my final papers for the semester and then I saw it: My son was looking at me.
But he wasn’t just looking, no! He was smiling. He was smiling BIG! He was sitting up, too, on the couch like a big boy. He was playing with his hands unconsciously and wearing a new outfit I’d never seen him wear before because it finally fit him. He was adorable. He was looking at me. My heart melted. My desire to work was finished. All that preparation wasted.
The tea, and the seat, grew cold as I abandoned them for the warmth of the sofa and my son’s attempts at hugs, kisses, and verbal communication. My soul, however, was filled with warmth and joy normally only encountered in closer proximity to Christmas day. The kind of happiness you feel when there are presents around a tree, a warm cup of cider in your hands, a blanket around your shoulders, and snow gently falling in the silent hours of morning just beyond the frosted windows. So heed the warning, dear reader: Children are the best kind of distraction.