I want a Crying Baby

I want a crying baby.
Yes, that's right, a crying baby.

I want to deal with a kid having a temper tantrum in the store, who I have to tell a hundred times to "be quiet." A child who I have to pull aside, and tell him or her "you need to pipe down, you are in a store, now be quiet or we'll have a time-out."

I want to be woken up at 2am, and to change a baby's dirty diaper. I want to be responsible for making sure my child is clean, safe, and able to sleep. I want to change their diaper, put them back in their crib, under their mobile, and be woken up again a few hours later to do the same thing.

I want to spend money on a baby car seat, and then a new one every year, and to make sure they are seated right. I want to return the seat and get another if there is a recall, or it is defective. And, I want to spend all day long figuring out the directions, on how to put the seat in my car, so that I can take my child to day-care, or to preschool.

I want to go to the Principal's office, to help my child figure out why they are needing help in school. I want to be there for them if they need something, or if the Principal wants to praise them for their acheivment, and for being ahead, or if they need to go into advanced classes.

I want to be there for my child's Bar or Bat-mitzvah. I want to spend lots of money I don't have, to make sure that they have a wonderful celebration, that will have all their friends there, and bring the family members together (even the ones I don't like). I want there to be Israeli dancing and a band.

I want to hurt my hands building a tree-house, and a swing set, and a dog house. I want to be the carpool daddy, when it's my turn, or to help bake cookies for the bake-sale, or to come to show-and-tell, when it's "bring my daddy to work" day. I want the hassle of taking care of my child, and their friends, even when I don't have time, and I have a hundred other things to do.

I want to talk to my child about dating. I want to have long difficult conversations about how things are not always easy, and how the right person will come along. I want to watch the people they bring home, and worry that they are with the right people, and that they are not with the wrong crowd. I want to stay up late, waiting for my child to come home, and I want to yell at them if they break curfew. I want my child to hate me, and then to make up with me, later on, when they cool down and realize that I love them and just want the best for them.

I want to spend a lot of money on college tuition. My child will go to college, and be well educated. It will not always be easy, they may change majors several times, change what they want to be, or what they want to do, but whatever they do, wherever they go, they will be successful at it, and I want to talk to them when they need a voice on the phone, calling home. And, I want to be there when they graduate, with honors.

I want to get angry late-night phone calls about work. When that day happens, I will tell them to keep trying, and not to give up. I will tell them that this is only temporary, and that the right job will come along, they just have to keep looking. I want to be there for that phone call when they tell me they just got fired, so that I can help them make it through the rough patch. And, I want to be there when they tell me their dream job came through, finally.

I want to give my child away on their wedding day. I want them to meet a beautiful woman, or handsome man, who will treat them well and do their part, whatever that part is. I want them to be happy, for better or for worse. And I want to get that early morning call, when things don't always go well, so that I can tell them it will be okay, and to stick with it. Married life is not a walk in the park, it is not always easy, but if you see it through and compromise, things will work out. And I want to be there when they tell me they just celebrated their 1st anniversary, and their 10th, and their 25th. Or, I want to be their for them if things don't work out, and to help them through the next stage of their life.

I want to be there, the day I get the phone call, when they tell me that I'm now a grandfather. I can't wait for the day that my child tells me that they just had a new baby. A crying baby.

I want a crying baby.