I’M JUST CURIOUS: Baby’s day

by Debbie Walker

My family just enjoyed celebrating a very important first birthday this past weekend. It was held in my daughter’s backyard.

If you came you would see the kitchen was still busy prepping food like peanut- butter and jelly sandwiches shaped like a star fish and chicken salad sandwich shaped like a clam shell (crescent roll). The punch was ocean color.

The birthday cake is the lower part of a mermaid made with cupcakes (great idea, less mess). This next one was a new one on me, there was another small cake, and I am told this is a Smash Cake. Smash?

Finally, the family feels safe enough to introduce their baby girl to her family. From the last few months of the mother’s pregnancy until long after birth they have been pretty much isolated. The party was planned for May 1. But because of several members of the family coming down with COVID, it was postponed to June 5.

I know a lot of people have experienced suffering in various forms because of this horrid virus. My granddaughter told me she had felt robbed. She was robbed of a lot or special memories before the birth. There were so many things she feels she missed with this being her only pregnancy.

When it got closer to her due date her mom didn’t even visit anymore, so even her mom lost out on some of the experiences that could have been. She had been involved in quite a few births since she is a wonderful coach and yet she couldn’t even coach her own daughter. After 28 hours the baby was delivered Caesarian. After all that there were more weeks of isolation. Anyway, you get the idea.

Oh yeah… A smash cake is for the baby. They put her in her high chair with just a diaper on and planted her hand right on top of the cake and smash. She got the idea of the whole thing. She ate a couple bites and then it was all fun. Hopefully, I can add the picture.

Of course, I did a little exploring about first birthdays and come out of it with this: “It’s not about the baby. It’s about the two people and their family that surround those people that helped the baby grow happy and healthy. The baby recognizes the people gathered around. They can feel the positive energy to know this is a good thing.”

Proof that it really isn’t for the one-year- old baby, in the back yard there was a huge waterslide. The kids and the adults had a great time on that thing. The little bitty kids had a little pool and a little slide of their own. All had a great time.

Every family has their story to tell about this time frame. Right now, I wouldn’t want anyone to think I am trying to make light of anyone’s situation. What I am finding is by listening I am learning.

I’m just curious about what you are hearing. For any questions or comments reach me at DebbieWalker@townline.org . Thank you for reading and have a great week!