Hi, my name is Kelly and I write about being a dad. Let me tell you 
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The Aroma of Life
It was my day off. Alleke was at school. April was in the shower, and I sat on the couch with Teo asleep in my arms smelling the back of his neck.
His neck smelled like the beach—not clean or refined, but earthy and rich, salty and sweet, all blended together by nature. Smelling Teo’s neck was like smelling the aroma of life itself.
Most days I take Teo in the morning while Alleke gets ready for school so that April can sleep a little longer. Even though it’s Teo’s best time of day, and I’ll often catch him smiling and giggling at nothing in particular, I don’t actually have time to play with him. I’m happy if he’s content to sit in his bouncy chair and watch Alleke and me eat our oatmeal.
When I get Teo in the evenings it’s because April doesn’t want him anymore. “What do you want now?” I heard myself snap at April one evening last week, anticipating that Teo would need a diaper change, or he had gas and needed to be burped, or he was tired and needed to be bounced to sleep.
The beginning and the end of the day were not the best times to take care of a baby. They were a lot of hard work, and I had been conditioned not to want to take Teo because it would put me back to work after I had just finished.
I sat on the couch and smelled Teo’s neck. I was looking for that sweet spot where the two of us were just happy to be together…and then I found it. The warmth of his body against my chest and his sandy smell were as nourishing as a day at the beach. Yes, Teo was a lot of work, but if I would let him, he was also vitality and warmth and rest and laughter.
Teo and I must have both fallen asleep because later I woke to find April sitting on the other couch drying her hair with a towel. She grinned. “You’re not going to give him back to me, are you?” she asked.
MORE ON: dad, newborn, parenting, teo, work and family
3 COMMENTS
Good point. Thanks!
February 9, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Who care about that crap. Could people get anymore snobby!!
Your blog is great Kelly!!!
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Anonymous said...
Love your blog, Kelly!
I just wanted to point out a slight error.
You are the object of the verb, not the subject, so: "watch Alleke and I eat our oatmeal" should read: "watch Alleke and ME eat our oatmeal."
February 9, 2010 at 4:04 pm