Drool Machine

July 27th, 2019

It is impossible to hold Weston in my arms without wearing some of his bodily fluids. Weston is teething, and he tends to slobber. He puts his hands into his mouth, and he also likes to use the knuckle on my index finger as a teething ring. There is a lot of drool. Weston usually wears a bib, but that only helps a little.

Karin and I babysat Weston during the last three days, while his parents, Hans and Gabby, had a mini-honeymoon. We actually stayed at the same hotel that they did. Gabby wanted to keep Weston close. That was probably a wise move. It was definitely a loving mom move.

Karin and I bottle fed the little guy when his folks were out doing newlywed kinds of things. Weston sometimes fell asleep after eating, and sometimes he didn’t. If he didn’t doze off, then one of us would hold him in our arms and walk around for a while. I would rub his back or bounce him a bit. He would make an enormous belch, and suddenly my right shoulder was warm and wet. Weston felt much better, and I felt kind of moist. I learned to have a small towel on my shoulder when carrying Weston. Caring for a baby is a messy process, but well worthwhile.

Hans and Gabby went out for dinner at the hotel on Friday night. Gabby got Weston to sleep prior to their dinner date. We laid Weston on our bed, and he kept on sleeping. I watched him for a while in silence. I saw his chest rise and fall with his breathing. It was so peaceful. Every once in a while, Weston would make a noise and move his arms around. Dreaming? What do babies dream? After some spastic motion, he settled down again, and slept the sleep of the innocent.

Weston is remarkably alert. His eyes see everything. His ears hear it all. He is a takes in the whole world. I wonder how he is processing all of the information. Does he just absorb it all? Does he remember? If so, what?

Weston is in the Garden of Eden. I told Gabby that the story in the Bible is about growing up. It’s not about sin. I know that view is heretical, but that’s how I read it. Adam and Eve were spiritual and moral infants while they lived in God’s perfect garden. God told his little kids not to eat from a certain tree, and then He walked away, knowing that they would do so. They became adults when they ate the fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil, and God kicked them out of the nest. I think that was always His plan. I think He wanted co-creators. He needed adult apprentices to continue the eternal work of creation.

Weston is still in the Garden. Good for him. For the most part, he is surrounded by love. He is in awe of all that exists, good or bad. He is in a constant state of wonder, at least while he is awake.

Weston is a tiny part of the endless renewing of the universe.