Babies

If you want a good laugh, and a fascinating hour, watch the documentary Babies. It follows four babies born in four different cultures (US, Japan, Mongolia, and Africa) from birth through their first year.  There is no commentary, just snip its of these four babies and their lives.  I laughed (one baby is tied up to the bottom of the bed to keep him out of harms way while I assume mom and dad are working outside, yet he still manages to get a roll of paper and proceeds to eat it) and I cringed (apparently it is custom in some African cultures to wipe the baby's butt, to get rid of the poo, on your leg...no diapers... and then just wipe it off with a stick).  It was so interesting to see what the life of a baby is like in such different cultures.  I admit, I am very fond of our Western cultural beliefs, like certain hygiene factors, but was captivated by how life is in other corners of the world. 

This film made me wonder, how will we raise our babies (when we eventually get there of course)? What do I believe? I have to be honest, I will look at my baby getting knocked over by the dog or eating something off the floor with a little less panic! I mean, one baby sticks what appears to be an animal bone from out in the dirt in his mouth and we know he is just fine.  LOL! Or another baby basically has a rooster hop up on the bed with him and squawk around in his face, and he seemed to be ok! =) I'm just saying, I hope I can maintain a certain sense of relaxation when I eventually find myself raising a baby through year one! If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it (if you can handle these kinds of films).  My hubby on the other hand couldn't quite stay attentive through even five minutes of it.  He's just not "there" yet when it comes to laughing at babies, and the things they do.  hehe!

Final thought: Babies will get into things, they will put nasty stuff in their mouths, and they will want to express themselves as loud as they can, but none of that can detract from how amazing it will be to watch that first year from the eyes of your baby!