On Spider-Monkeying
You know how a lot of parents-to-be get adorably excited about their little bub?
Sometimes it's about the baby cuddles, the newborn smell, or anticipating the moment when the wee one first wraps her fist around your index finger or scrunches up her face and laughs.
For others, it’s about the unconditional love that’s coming their way—the chance to experience the love of a parent for their child and the love of a child for their parent.
For a few of my friends, it’s about shaping future generations. About raising the children who will run the world when we’re old and eating dinner at 5:00 PM. (P.S. That’s great; if you don’t already do it, it’s worth starting now.)
Me? I’m jazzed about something different.
For however long—2 years? 3? 5? 7?—I’m going to be someone’s definition of normal.
Our little Xiao Long Bao (soup dumpling) will be raised in our home with us as parents, so whatever weirdo stuff we do—she’ll just think that’s how Earth works.
Amazing, right?
I, for instance, have a very specific way of greeting Sam when he comes home from work.
I stop what I’m doing, stand on the nearest chair, couch, bed, or table, and open my arms.
Then, when he walks towards me, I spider-monkey him.
And our daughter is going to think that’s how being a human works!
Hahahahha.
Joke’s on you, you little pumpernickel of delight.
She’s going to make it to elementary school thinking that the cultural norm for greeting humans you love is to stand on a solid surface and leap at them.
Cause I sure as heck am not changing my ways. The last thing that I will ever, ever, ever do in my parenting journey is tone down expressions of love.
So, hubbalicious, I hope you’ve been doing squats while you’re in the US. Cause this pregnancy belly is about to pop, and you’re gonna have a whole lot more wife to hold up.
Also, just so you’re psychologically prepared—I’m not sure if I’m going to be generous enough to let our little bub hug you first when you get home from work in the future. FYI, in case you have to comfort her and wipe away all her tears and stuff.
Someone’s gotta toughen her up, and it’s gon’ be me. Pushing her off the couch.
Xo,
Your wifey
Morning Musings is a delight-first writing practice where I wake up, put my fingers on the keyboard and “learn in public” (credit: Liz Gilbert). The delightful humans who read these musings tend to see them as an invitation to slow down, have a virtual cup of coffee together, and contemplate the human experience. If you’d like to join our tribe, subscribe here: https://keelyc.substack.com/
