Signs of Spring: Lessons from a Child

Throughout the long winter, my son (in his excitement about the impending arrival of the baby) would ask almost daily when the baby would be here.  It is difficult for a four year old to understand the concept of months when he is still learning the days of the week.

Eventually, I hit upon a way for him to know when the baby would be here.  I said, "the baby will be here in the Springtime".  I further explained that we would look for signs of Spring, such as when the snow melts, the flowers start blooming, the birds return, and the weather is warmer. 

So then it turned into "is it Spring yet, Mommy?"  And we would reviews the signs and my sweet boy would be say "I wish it was Spring now so the baby could come".

Now, the signs of Spring are in full force.  And he is noticing them!

• While we are taking a walk: "Look, Mommy!  The flowers are blooming.  That is a sign of Spring and the baby is almost here!"
• While he is playing in the front yard: "Mommy, the snow is melted now and the baby will be here soon!"
• While we are driving in the car:  "It's a warm day.  It doesn't feel like winter anymore.  Where is the baby?"

His joyful enthusiasm is wonderful to behold.  His face is radiant and smiling, and he says the word "baby" with such sweet tenderness.  In fact, it is a tender form of his natural glee. He wants to be a good Big Brother, a good helper, and a good teacher to the Baby.

The signs of Spring are popping up all over now, so it won't be long...  How wonderful to be looking forward to a new life and seeing signs of renewal and freshness everywhere!