My Tale of Early Motherhood
Before Mother's Day 2021 draw to a close, I would want to reminisce my juvenile years of becoming literally a mother for a month or so as I was asked to babysit a newly born niece in the early 1980's. I posted this story on my facebook profile but then I accidentally deleted it. Now I am putting this in my blog so it can be shared for those who find this early motherhood predicament amusing.
At that time when my older brother's first and only child was born, it was also the time I was struggling with my own self not knowing what to do with my young life. And there he comes, my brother, coming home and wanted to take me home to his family in the city to babysit an infant. She was about 2-3 days old. I do not want it because now I cannot go where I want to go. I was a stubborn juvenile and wanted no part of anyone's problems. My parents spent time persuading me to help out and babysit until they can find a new nanny they can trust. And so I went, partly, against my will. Young people, like me at that time had so much testosterone I am always distracted so babysitting may not last long for me.
And there she was, my niece, was wrapped tightly in bed. The next day I need to bathe her. Her mom was helping me but I was perspiring heavily and I think I freaked out because she was so tiny and I thought she might drown. The bath was successful and so I stayed taking care of her. Imagine she was my first babysitting experience. But I guess I had a motherly instinct because I became so natural in caring for her.
As weeks passed by, my niece was also growing up and started to smile. Her almond eyes were notably beautiful. It was one thing I noticed...she was beautiful. Most times I was left alone with the baby with an older househelp who always complained about me giving too much milk to the baby. I always had a bottle of milk at the ready in case she'd cry. I think milk is the way to bribe babies. And my niece will just take the bottle and stay quiet all the time. One day, the househelp was ironing not far from where I was feeding the baby and suddenly my niece burped a lot and it landed on her foot. I can see the older woman annoyed and scolded me again. "You are feeding her too much", she said. The baby threw all up it shoot up like a canon.
One afternoon I was given a pass to watch a movie in a theatre nearby. It was like a day off. I came home later that evening and walked into the house in a terrible chaos. My brother was holding my niece who was crying so hard and relentlessly. I can see her mother getting frantic and there were other people too who looked weary and anxious for the baby. My brother was perspiring so hard and the baby was soaking wet. She was obviously been crying for sometime. My brother then rolled the baby into my arms and suddenly everything went quiet. The baby instantly stopped crying and I think she recognised me. She was sobbing but eventually stopped. I think her mom was about to call a cab to bring her to a hospital. But then the baby nuzzled in my armpit and started falling asleep. Then everyone realised she was looking for me. She missed the way I hold her.
It was over a month that I stayed with them until they finally found a permanent babysitter. I cried on the bus that took me home because I did missed her. She was special...
Today, my niece had a children of her own. A courageous career woman who is blazing her trails to success!
Comments