A Baby Observation

April 22, 2008

Lar,

No matter how many kids you have, it should certainly be impossible not to marvel at a newborn baby. Here comes this little one into the world after spending nine months inside her mother. For the first time, he or she hears full clarity of sound, sees people, wears clothes, breathes in air, eats, and gets bombarded (in Naomi’s case at least) by her sister and brother whenever they are able.

Numerous observations could be made that apply to us, I am sure, but I offer just one for today (I might have one for tomorrow) that I have seen in Naomi: If you want her to be happy and to sleep well, you have to remember her life stage and adjust her stimulation accordingly.

Now by “life stage” what I mean is the simple fact that she is a newborn and has just emerged from the careful, controlled environment within her mother. That’s her life stage. She is brand new to the world. She has never seen these things before or been bombarded with the clarity of sound from the semi-broken washer or our creaky bathroom door. She is fresh, in a sense. Sure, she may have heard these things from a distance as it were, but there seems to be a big difference for this little one between being in and being out!

Having said that, it should make sense that many of the things I mentioned above would be a bit overwhelming for her. She can’t handle too much at one time or her little mind seems to get overcome. It’s actually quite obvious when she has had too long an encounter with her older siblings (who love her dearly). It’s almost as if she is saying, “Ok, I love you too, but you are a bit much for me now.” Of course, she can only communicate that through her face and her cries. For normally, she ends up crying much more than normal before (or if) she falls off to sleep.

I remember distinctly a time in which I gave Elijah a little too much stimulus when he was a newborn. Erin and I have a good laugh about it now and again. For the most part, we kept his little life in Italy relaxed as can be. Sleep and eat was about all. And he was doing wonderfully with everything. But then I had to introduce him to a basketball and help him dance on the table a bit and guess what? He was done. He cried like he never cried before. Why? Because I threw too much at him. He couldn’t handle it all. He wasn’t ready for hoops and dancing yet.

Anyhow, here is the application for us. We need to 1) understand our life stage and 2) beware of overstimulating or overbooking ourselves. For we too have limits as human beings. We an only handle and do so much. And overtimes, what we can handle and what we can do vary in dependence upon our life stage. I know that I have had to adjust my approach over the last week or so with the addition of another little one. Life with three is a bit more challenging for Erin and I than life with two. So I had to step up my ‘game’ in Husband/Daddy area while realizing that I had to tone down my ‘game’ in another area. I can’t keep everything at a fever pitch. If one thing moved up on my life list, then another had to move down. After all, I, like Naomi, have my limits.

I could say more, but that is enough for today. I would just encourage you and everyone else Lar to take account of your life stage today and to ask yourself whether or not you are overbooked yourself. Or underbooked I suppose. It’s a good exercise and one that, I believe, the Lord wants us to do consistently.

Seeking greater wisdom to live well,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Random Musings, Seeking Him 

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