Moments

One of my favourite taglines of all times are the words Kodak Moments. Eastman Kodak got it spot on. Every photo is about capturing a moment. A moment that you don't want to lose. A moment that will last a lifetime either in your memory or on a photo. A moment that if you miss it, is sometimes gone forever.

I missed a moment today. Maegan had just got her first haircut. Where was I? Delivering Baby's one month celebration cakes to relatives.

It's funny how you discover what's important to you when you grow older. I used to love travelling and flying around but now, I just want to stay at home with Daphne and Maegan. I love the World Cup and would glue myself to the screen (which I still do) but I would be happy to leave the TV set just to hold my baby and tuck her to bed.

And just as I was showering just a while ago, I realised how much missing Maegan's first haircut was for me. I think I'm slowly realising that I don't only love capturing moments on photos, I live to be in one.

I'm grateful to be one of the dads that has flexible work hours. Above everything else, it gave me the chance to be at every gynae visit with Daphne. The thrills of seeing the growth of the fetus, the wave she did while she was only 14 weeks, the time we were charged double for the scan because the nurse thought she saw Daphne having twins, all but create moments that would live in my memory for a long long time.

Moments while beautiful are not always happy. The numerous scares we've had, the day Mattheus was born, the day and place we scatter his ashes all forms the many moments I have in my memory. Some on print, many simply in memory.

Perhaps I'm overly greedy. I truly want to be around for everything with Maegan. Her birth, her first burp. Her first smile. The first time she flips over on her own. The first word that she would say (I'm taking bets that it would be Liverpool), her first poop (maybe not that). Perhaps I'm just greedy but I think, like every other dad in this world, I just want to have those moments in my memory. I know I cannot and most probably will not be there for everything, but I'll try.

So yes, I missed her haircut today. Felt a little bumped about it. I came home to a more trimmed Maegan. Equally as cute, just with lesser hair than when I left her. She still cried the same. She still fussed the same. Wanting to sleep but not wanting to close her eyes. Everyone tried carrying her to stop her crying but it's not proving to be easy.

And in comes her dad. He picks her up in his arms and performs every heroic stunts and use every trick in the bag to make her sleep. He sings and hums to her, talks to her, pats her and cuddles her amidst all her crying and fussing. And then, in a magical moment, she stops. Her eyes firmly closed and nicely tucked in the arms of her dad.

He carries her, places her on her cot and tucks her in. Her dad makes sures she's comfortable and walks out to the living room. "She slept?" asks everyone and "Yes" was my reply with a proud grin on my face. Another moment.

I'll settle for that today. :o)