Welcome to Our World

Psst! Sshhh! No shouting, no stomping of feet, no banging of pots! There’s a baby in the house!

Photo credit: ASC

Dear Baby, outside my window the sky was a mixture of pastel blues and pinks the morning that you were born. In the backyard, even the seldom-blooming pink roses bloomed—as if to welcome you. 

We were all excited as we drove to the hospital after taking a last picture of your mum with you snuggled safe and warm inside her. The hospital had phoned to inform us to go early. However, it happened to be a long wait once we were there.

Later, much later, we saw you for the first time through the glass screen of the nursery. It was soon after you were born—small, red and perfect. Uncle Sonny, who has never seen a newborn baby before, asked, “What’s wrong with her legs?”—because he thought your legs were crooked—“Do we need to straighten them?” I guess that’s a common response from people who have never ever seen a newborn baby!

Dear Baby, we feel honoured and so very happy that you have been sent to join our family. We are far from being the perfect family and we lack things that other people can’t live without but we promise to help you grow up strong and healthy and happy. We’ll sing you songs and read you stories. Then when you’re older we’ll show you the hills, the buffaloes, the sunsets and the village where your great-great grandparents used to live.

I’ll teach you your ABC and 123. What fun we will have! We’ll grow a garden, you and I, and learn the names of plants and flowers… when you grow up.

 Meanwhile I’m telling everyone to lower their voices, to walk softly and don’t dare bang that door!