Completely Normal

Today I had the pleasure of taking my daughter and the new baby for his two week check-up at the pediatrician.  He is, of course, cuter than just about anything I can think of, with his little cleft-chin and chubby cheeks, sleeping undisturbed in his car seat while little kids race around the lobby in complete disregard of social moors.  As I watched him so perfectly comfortable snuggled in his blanket, unaware of the chaos around him, I felt a little envious.  Oh, to be so blissfully unaware of all the things in the world about which to feel anxiety!

When they finally called his name and we got into the exam room Hannah was overcome with relief to learn he had gained a proper amount of weight and is indeed already growing like a weed, having gained an entire inch in length in the space of two weeks.  I doubt if he's felt any growing pains, but I'm positive she has and will for years to come.

When the nurse concluded her duties and the doctor came in she spoke quickly, going over information that she no doubt repeats dozens of times a day.  Lay him on his back to sleep, if he cries a lot when he's about 2 months old don't be worried, never shake or hit a baby.  You know, all the things a doctor has to say but really shouldn't have to say.

Then she showed us his APGAR chart and assured us that he is on a good curve.  That was when she also looked up his hospital test results and concluded aloud that he was "Completely Normal."

I looked at him lying there peacefully in my arms, his little bottom lip curled out, milk dripping down his chin.  "Completely Normal" I thought.

"You are completely normal, little guy." I said to him.  Then, "Are you really completely normal?"

I looked at Hannah and repeated the phrase, "completely normal".  She smiled...maybe giggled a little.

"Sorry buddy," I said, turning my attention back to his sweet little face.  "You were born into the wrong family.  You will never be completely normal, and that's okay."

I know, I know...the doctor was talking about test results so we actually didn't meet on the same plane--but seriously, outside of blood test results, who the heck is completely normal??

Who wants to be?

I hope Liam, Athena, Arthur, Charlie and both my girls will forever be completely who they are.  Forget normal, I want them to just BE, and may they, by being in the world, bring color and joy and light to it.  May the world give back to them a hundred-fold the joy and color and light they send out. I want their lives to be complete, whole with the love and warmth that is meant for us all to embrace, no matter how far outside the bounds of "normal" we may fall.

I hope for them that all the dark corners of life are made bright by their ability to imagine, to grow, to reach past the ordinary and grasp the supreme.  What is life after all,  without the remarkable moments created for us by the whimsical and the wild?