Baby Birdie... A Tribute To A New Mom

Momma bird with her little chick

Last night, Krissy and I were trying to calm a crying Will down with a paci. It was funny to see the way he responded to the paci by opening his mouth as it moved towards his face, and then chomping down on it as it touched his lips, very similar to how baby birds act in the nest. This little occurrence got me thinking about a happening around our condo.

This spring, a momma bird built her nest in the porch light box right next to the front door of our condo. For the past couple weeks I've watched her carrying twigs, string, and other various materials into the box to build her home. She has worked hard to create a new space that will be perfect for her future arrivals, and the most amazing part of her whole experience is that she is doing it all by instinct. There aren't books, videos, daytime talk shows, or other birds to ask for advice, and with her chicks arrival, she tends to them and keeps them well feed, even if it's to the detriment of her own health. She's a pretty amazing mom in this way.

The reason I mention this bird, is that the journey she is going through mirrors the same experiences and attention to her young that Krissy gives to our little birdie, minus the regurgitation of worms of course. It's true that Moms are what makes the world a great place, whether in the animal kingdom or in suburban America.

Just as the momma bird cares for her newly hatched chicks above everything else in the world, Krissy has been focused solely on Will's needs since we first received news that we were pregnant, and she has grown to become an incredible Mom since his arrival! I knew she would be, but it still amazes me everyday to see how she tends to him. When he cries (or chirps), Krissy races into action as if she's a seasoned pro, and when he's hungry, she's the one wiping away the sleep from her eyes in the middle of the night to feed him. But, it's the little things that make her a great Mom, and make me proud to have her as the mother of my son. It's when he's sleeping and she goes to check on him, or it's the way she covers his eyes from the blinding sun when we go on walks, or when she holds him close to her body when he's having trouble sleeping, and yes, it's even when he's filled his diaper with the foulest of odors, but she manages a smile and a soothing word. These are just a sampling of what impresses me about the way she has taken on motherhood.

Lastly, our home may not be filled with twigs or yarn, but one thing remains common in both... there's an amazingly loving Mom to take care of us.

Happy first Mother's Day Krissy!