It took me a long time to feel ready to try for a baby. There was no rational argument for why the world needed another person in it. I wanted children, more so after meeting the right partner, but I was in no rush. I knew it would change everything about life as we knew it.
As my son’s 1st birthday rolls around, I can only be incredibly grateful for everything this special little human has taught me.
He’s taught me to look for the good in everyone. He loves making eye contact with anyone and everyone he comes across. To him, every person is a potential friend to be made (regardless of whether they’re snotting on you, sticking their pudgy toddler finger in your eye, pulling your hair or even giving you nasty jabs injections).
He’s taught me that life is for savouring and to live in the now. Every morning (some mornings earlier than others!) he jumps up in bed, rearing to get the day started, ready to explore and determined to keep learning. He didnt rest on his laurels when he started crawling. He immedialty started trying to pull himself up to standing. Each and every time he topples over, he gets back up and tries again to walk.
My son lives each moment at 100 per cent. If he’s eating, he’s using every sense to experience his food. If he’s having a bath, he’s having the most fun anyone can have in water, splashing, playing and laughing his head off.
Likewise, he’s taught me that if you are unhappy, get upset, scruntch up your little face and ugly cry. Real salty tears. Lie on the floor and thrash your arms and legs like it’s genuinely the end of the world. Then get up and get right over it. Just like that! Move directly on, completely forgiving and forgeting, harbour nothing.
My son was born with a little clubbed foot. He’s taught me that expectations of perfection are unrealistic and that our imperfections can become the best and cutest parts of us, making us the individuals we are.
Importantly, and little Maguire demonstrates this to us every day, smile often and broadly, and the world will love you…
