Newborn amazement

I am often asked, “Why do you love newborns so much?”

Is it their innocence, their fragility, their helplessness? Certainly a combination of those attributes, but also their daily, almost hourly, maturation. It seems as if their hair grows just a little bit longer while they are down for a nap. They are more curious every day, and gain strength in their extremities at an impressive rate. Babies are a miracle and a mystery of the world, both human and otherwise. Babies are tiny humans, and learn how to be a human by watching, hearing and mimicking the world around them. These tiny humans are born with everything they need to not only survive, but to flourish in this tough world. They can breath air almost immediately after birth, when they have been swimming in fluid ever since conception. They can hear, while still in the womb. Their hearts beats by six weeks, in utero. These tiny creatures, reflections of mother and father, are capable of so much more than they are given credit for. Newborns are inspiring, and it is a gift to be around them.