#le wild bean appears
If there aren’t any kiddos in your life, you may not have realized this, but kiddos love pressing buttons. You know that visceral satisfaction you feel when you get to pop some good bubble wrap? For the little beans, every button, no matter how mundane it may seem to us, is like bubble wrap.
The other day I got on the elevator and a mom rushed on behind me, pushing her stroller with one hand and carrying her little bean in the other. I had my finger on the “door open” button to ensure they could get on, and I saw the kiddo’s wide, curious eyes trained on my hand at the button pad.
“Could you press the button for me?” I asked her, indicating with my finger which button I needed her to press. She nodded and squirmed excitedly in her mom’s arms until her mom brought her over. I stepped out of the way so she could press my floor button. She squealed with delight, giggling and beaming at me behind her tiny teddy-bear print mask. Her mother chuckled and showed her which button to press next for their destination, and she very excitedly mashed that button too.
The little peanut was just so happy by her opportunity to press buttons (and come to think of it, a lot of kiddos also just enjoy elevators for some reason) that she couldn’t stop grinning and wiggling in her mom’s arms. When we arrived at my floor I waved at her as I stepped out of the elevator, and she chirped, “Byeee!!!” and continued to wave at me until the elevator doors closed.
Children experience life and joy in a different way than adults; we are simply privileged that their experience is so willingly and enthusiastically shared.
Not to be boastful or anything but I got every child and baby at my friend’s baby shower to hang out with me and it was the best day ever.
- 9yo niece: this sweet kiddo was really excited to show me around her grandparents’ house (they hosted the party) and also to participate in all the baby shower games! She was also really engaged in helping out with her younger siblings and cousins and it was really nice that she wanted to sit and chat with me outside.
- 6yo nephew: surprisingly, my friend describes her nephew as pretty aloof–this little dude was chatting my ear off and extremely eager to teach me about all the cool stuff on his grandparents’ property as well as teach me how to play soccer. He was super patient with me despite my baseline lack of coordination and he was very generous with his praise (“that was a good kick!”) and his encouragement (“wow! You almost got that one past me–next time you’ll get it!”). He did get pretty rosy out in the sun so I encouraged him to go inside for a water break… eventually he did go in and very proudly showed me his water bottle.
- 3yo niece: oh… this little bean. During lunch we were all sort of spreading out to find a place to sit and very conveniently, this little peanut was sitting on the floor at the coffee table with her cousin (who we will describe next…). When I said hello and introduced myself, both little girls told me their names. I asked to sit with them and this little bean nodded and then proceeded to tell me about all the food on her plate. <3
- 2yo niece: okay, so this little bean is sweet as pie but also a bulldozer of a toddler HAHAHA. She and her 3yo cousin (who is the much shyer of the two!) were extremely eager to help my friend open all the gifts and was very happy to lead her cousin in doing some twirls for her audience (everybody at the party). She was quick to cry (“MOMMY I CAN’T FIND MY BOOTS”) but also very quick to perk up (“OH THERE THEY ARE”). She is the classic toddler that would run into walls for fun… At some point, she had some trouble getting the screen door open to get outside to her mama and just sat in front of it and cried. I told her, “Sweetie, you are a big girl, and if you need help you need to use your words so people can help you. Do you need help opening the door?” The tears immediately stopped, she nodded, and as soon as she was released outdoors she was all smiles and playing hopscotch lol
- 18mo niece: this little peanut is probably the MOST shy of all my friend’s family’s beans. She had her hair in these tiny little blonde pigtails and has cheeks for days and days and days. Most of the party was spent running between her parents’ legs and hiding behind them, though occasionally she would venture out to approach her 3yo and 2yo cousins, mostly just to watch what they were doing. Then she would retreat to a parent and continue to watch what was going on around her. Toward the end of the party, she walked up to me with her big eyes and batted her little eyelashes and I asked her if I could squish her cheeks and fix her little pigtail that had gone askew; surprisingly, she nodded her assent. She stood totally still for me to do both (and yeah, I squished her face a couple extra times) and then she either followed me around or tried to climb up into my lap butt-first while I was writing a message for my friend’s baby (she wanted to draw with me, how cute is that?!). She had me carry her around a bit too!
- 9mo nephew: THIS BABY IS SO CHUBBY AND SO CUTE!! Ugh I was so excited to “volunteer to relieve his mom” so she could eat her lunch but really I just wanted to squish this little bean’s cheeks and sing to him about his knuckle dimples!! He really enjoyed clapping and playing peek-a-boo and honestly I was very reluctant to give him back to his mom…
One of my other friends: So… is this what you’re like at work? Don’t you see babies all the time? How do you get this excited to see every baby?
(Our mommy-to-be friend: Honestly I can’t wait until this baby is born…
Daddy-to-be: …Why, so you can give the kid to Sabrina?)
Tl;dr: I LOVE BABY SHOWERS AND BABIES <3 <3 <3
Side note: My significant other (now spouse!) was so incredibly soft and sweet with the little 9mo, even with chubby baby fingers in his mouth. My heart was a total puddle of mush.
