Having a new life around the house is challenging, exciting, draining, scary, and on and on and on and on. When our first child was born, we couldn’t be more excited. We went through the normal parent-things that included the worry over her weight loss and inability to poop—babies are supposed to eat, sleep, and poop, right? With doctor’s advice, we began working with the baby until she not only started gaining weight and pooping, she surpassed her percentile. Now our five year old is wearing 6/7 larges. She’s tall and thin, but seems to weigh a ton.

We developed an entirely different set of anxieties with the next—it was a boy. Boys are so different from girls. Not just physiologically, but in the way they think and respond. Anger levels are not simply a part of a crying fit, but they include fist swinging, and thrashing tantrums.

Now, new life graces our house again. We had forgotten how small they start, how fast they grow, and how important they are. We are quickly remembering the lost sleep, the late nights and early mornings that accompany diapers and feedings.

When they smile (whether they are five, three, or two months old), they bring out the fool in Daddy. When they talk or coo, they expose his pride. When they hurt, he runs to their aid, even if he doesn’t know what to do. They will always be my babies, even when they can do things for themselves. They will always aggravate, always manipulate, and always satisfy me because they are mine, part of me, my pride and joy.

As children of God, we must be aware that He will always love and care for us, even though we will aggravate, and sometimes try to manipulate Him in our desire to satisfy Him. We will always be His babies, and as He has proven time and again, He is always ready to be there for all our needs.