Our son is amazing. He’s a trooper. He can travel 1000 miles without fussing at all. He can smile and laugh and be entertained by his own two hands. What makes him even more amazing is his ability to interact with so many relatives. He’s a social baby for one reason or another and isn’t afraid to make friends with new people. Whether it is the love that so obviously lights relatives’ faces, or some other intangible element, my son warms to their happiness immediately. He also, of course, contributes to their happiness.
When my wife and I travelled back for the holidays our son had to endure a lengthy amount of time strapped down and sleeping. One of the things our small family doesn’t yet provide is a variety of people to interact with. My son is, at the moment, an only child. When he comes to visit aunts and uncles and grandparents (and great-grandparents and beyond) he enters a world of people who love him. Arms and hands and kisses and hugs surround him like the leftover gift-wrapping paper that covers the floor after children quickly tear through the thin barrier between them and their rewards for being good boys and girls. He is loved.
It is comforting to know, however, that my son eventually tires of being entertained by his extended family. His face eventually loses it’s smile, his eyes begin to search around the room for the familiar faces, arms, and comfort of his parents. He is able to exist in two worlds at once. I imagine this is quite the trial for a four month old. He does it with style and grace. Hopefully, sometime in the next year or two (or three…) we’ll give him the gift of a sibling. I already know one thing: he likes family.