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You smell like heaven ::

I have to admit, being a second-time mother, I spend less time smelling my second child's hair as compared to the number of times I spent smelling Joshua's hair, breath, nose and I spend less time cuddling with him. I have to admit this but this doesn't make it any easier for me to be a mother.

When Joshua was born, I spent countless hours with him just cooing, smiling, laughing, giggling, tickling, pulling each other hair, arms, legs and lips. With Jared, I am almost always trying to split my time equally between my two kids. Therefore, when I am cuddling with him, sometimes I find my mind wandering off to Joshua. Then I would feel this little giggle vibrating through his belly and my attention would be brought back to him.

During this one time I finally found the time to sit there with Jared in my arms, I was trying to focus on him instead of allowing my attention to drift between the screaming downstairs and the cooing bundle in my arms. He was pulling my arms and my hair, eating my nose and tugging at my ears. Mommy didn't seem to mind and he loved the fact that there was this magnificently huge puppet that he could manipulate to his pleasure.

Then suddenly, I was brought back down to earth with a loud shout. From Jared, my little 7-month-old tyrant. When I looked at him, he was smiling. I sullenly turned my attention back to the screaming I was hearing downstairs, possibly Joshua was giving my live-in maid hell for asking him to eat his dinner 'seated'. There was another shout from Jared. I looked back at the baby with a big fat question mark on my face. He gurgled at me.

Now, mommy is getting a tad curious about this shouting bit. Jared, as compared to Joshua, is a comparatively milder, a more cheerful baby and to hear a shout from him is quite rare. So, I asked him, "What's wrong, hunney?" and he giggled into my hair.

Quite suddenly, he plopped his head into nose! Apart from the pain that soared from my nose to the tip of my hair because of the impact, I smelt Heaven. I took a deep breath and I smelt baby hair. The kind of smell that makes you want to close your eyes and imagine you're up in the clouds, singing Christmas Carols with angels.

This precious gift from God is trying to tell me something. "Look, mommy! Smell me. I smell like Heaven". Indeed he does, but I was too busy trying to split my attention between Joshua and Jared to notice the little tyke trying to get my attention. As unbecoming as it is for Jared to shout to get my attention, one would think that for someone who prides herself for being smart and intelligent (in her own way), I sure do act stupid, sometimes.

Just because he was born second doesn't mean he needs less attention, love and kisses from me. He's a little baby who needs his mommy to pay attention to him too…sometimes, without the presence of his brother. Sure, he loves his brother and get along preposterously well with Joshua but this is Jared's time. I should learn how to spend the time I spend with Jared completely focused on him, no one else, nothing else.

It's such a simple principle and yet, I fail to notice how wonderful his hair smelt. I smelt and breathed deeply into my lungs the smell emitted by Joshua when he was born. I knew he was there before I could see him, just by smelling him. But can I say the same thing for Jared?

Do parents get lazier or less focused as the number of their offspring increase? Why should it?

Jared deserves the same kind of attention I gave to Joshua, doesn't he? I mean, he's a baby and his hair smells like Heaven too. Why am I wasting that sweet perfume because the smell doesn't last forever.

Marsha, it's time to stop and smell the hair (roses).

:: Marsha ::