The kindness

I'd like to tell you about something magical that happened after we had Howie. All of a sudden strangers started approaching us...everywhere. I expected women to say things like "congratulations" or "how old is your baby" maybe even "is it a boy or a girl". What I didn't expect was for husband and wives to come up to us together to give us well wishes and good vibes.

All of a sudden people we didn't know, people we KNOW wouldn't have spoken otherwise went out of their way to approach us at restaurants, parks, the grocery store, and basically everywhere we went. They welcomed us into parenthood in a way that took my breath away. There was sincerity, there was warmth and there was understanding.

I normally don't really like strangers, but this was something different. They didn't offer any overbearing opinions or advice. They simply acknowledged that our lives had changed and that we were equal parts excited, terrified, and exhausted. There were men that came up to shake B's hand and congratulate him on becoming a father.

Now when I see brand new parents (like we've been doing it for thaaaaat long ha!) I think about that time and how kind everyone was to us. I am going to make a point of paying it forward, because really, whether you like it or not it's a whole new world after a baby and its nice to be welcomed into the club.