Give Me Your Baby!

During the months after Isabella was born, one of the phrases I heard most often when I stepped out the door was, "Give me your baby!"  The request came from two sources: The first was men planning ahead, thinking my blue-eyed beauty would make a stunning wife some day.  To those guys, I'd either give a quick retort like, "You'll be geriatric by the time she's old enough to marry!"  Or "My daughter would never accept to be a part of your herom," to which they'd reply, "Oh, if I married her, I'd have no need to take a second wife.  I promise!"  Sure, a part of me was grossed out by such inquiries, but I saw no point in getting ugly with people!  I'd just give my little smart reply with a smile and move on.

The second group looking longingly at my little one were young women, often unmarried.  In the beginning, to them, I'd often say, "Are you kidding me?  Do you know how much pain I went through to bring this baby into the world?  Go make your own baby!  But make sure to get married first.  Don't be bringing children into this world without a husband, now."  In a country with such a high illigitimacy rate, this bore repeating.  However, one day, I asked my house helper Christine what the appropriate response was to such an inquiry.  To my surprise, it was quite simple.  "Just say, 'Ok,' and let them hold your baby!"

Now, I know some of you germ freaks out there might squirm at the thought of putting your pristine child in the hands of a perfect stranger in the middle of the street.  But that's exactly what I did.  I smiled and handed Isabella into the open arms of woman after woman, thrilled to hold my baby, if only for a minute.  A little one who is great with people is such a blessing!  And, I, for one, was happy that Isabella was able to bring joy to someone's day just by looking at them with those big eyes and letting herself be handed around without a fuss.


 

Who wouldn't want to hold this little cutie?