Baby Room

Tonight I was reminded how much I love the baby room.

       Today was not the easiest day. Nothing went as planned, but I guess that really isn’t out of the ordinary here. Teaching today just was not the unproblematic day that would have been nice. Having a day like this always makes it seem longer.

       Thursday nights are the nights that Kerri gives the caregiver’s worship. She gives talks on being clean and healthy and so she enjoys having all the caregivers there; because of this Lauren, Chantel and I have been helping out in the baby room on Thursday nights. It isn’t always an easy job. Babies cry and when you’re not a mother, you really don’t have any idea why sometimes. Tonight was a good night though. None of the babies were continuously crying, the toddlers next door all stayed in their beds, and so tonight all of us were able to just enjoy the babies.

       Tonight I started off holding Paul; who is an adorable baby boy about six months old. Before she went to worship Paul’s ‘mother’ made him a bottle. He was so cute; he kept his eyes on me and once in awhile would stop eating to smile at me. Paul is a relatively well mannered baby. He doesn’t cry often and loves to smile; he also loves to squirm! After he finished his bottle and seemed to be ready to sleep, I put him in his cradle, where he fell almost instantly to sleep.

       After he was put down, I was handed Ginger by Chantel who had been holding her. Ginger is another well mannered baby. I honestly have never really seen her cry much. She is one that I hold quite a bit whenever I make it to the baby room. I love Ginger and I can tell she knows me, which is so cool to see. Her ‘mother’ is one amazing woman. She is kind of the head caregiver in the baby room and the one that ‘speaks’ English, she knows some words and understands some, but she really doesn’t know much more English than I know Bangla! She is amazing to watch with the babies though, especially Ginger. Whenever I watch her interact with Ginger, I can tell Ginger loves her and knows her. Ginger smiles whenever she sees her, it is so cute. It is amazing to see how all the caregivers act with their babies that they are in charge of. You can tell they love the babies and the babies love them.

       A couple times when I’ve had one of the babies, Silas, his ‘mother’ has kept an eye of me, sometimes with a worried look on her face. I can tell she really loves him and is a little nervous of a know nothing American holding her child. I really do know nothing about babies. I love them and have now changed a couple diapers, but I really am a know nothing American. However, I think his ‘mother’ is getting better. Tonight she was all smiles to us and didn’t have that worried look on her face at all!

       Being in the baby room is a great way to end a long difficult day. I do love being in there with the babies who do not fight for attention, but love whatever you give them.