Perfect Baby™

Let's take a trip together to the fanciful land of make believe and dream up for every parent the perfect baby. We're not talking, yet, about willful children. I'm not there yet, so I don't think I can authoritatively speak on that issue. But babies, yes let us imagine what the perfect baby is like.

Introducing Perfect Baby™! The last baby you'll ever need! Engineered to create the perfect parenting experience!

The Perfect Baby™ will never fuss. It's never heard of it. You see when the Perfect Baby™ needs to tell you what it needs it will point. Is it the Binky? The Perfect Baby™ will reach out for it. No whiny sound. Is it hungry? The Perfect Baby™ will point to it's stomach. To let you know it's ready to eat. No angry crying!

If crying is necessary Perfect Baby's™ cry is as the soothing lullaby sings. In fact, Perfect Baby's™ cry will put you to sleep. Not that you need worry though since Perfect Baby™ never cried.

And that's not all! Are you tired of your little one's messy diapers? Do you wish you never had to buy those expensive diapers again? Well with Perfect Baby™ all those stresses are gone! Perfect Baby™ will never poop so there is no need for those countless diapers.

Perfect Baby™ comes bundled with all the accessories needed for any first-time parent. Additions include Perfect Car Seat™; easy to install, easy to use! Perfect Stroller™; easy to unfold, fits in any car! Perfect Binky™; never falls on the ground, always right where you left it!

Right now you're probably wondering? All of this is too good to be true! Where can I get Perfect Baby™! How much does Perfect Baby™ cost?

Well, Perfect Baby™ can be yours for 3 easy payments of...

Stop.

It's a bit asinine, isn't it?

Perfect Baby™.

It's a Joke.

I'm not sure I'd know what to do if I had a Perfect Baby. There would be nothing for me. That's important to understand, I think. There's something beautiful that's happening when you're changing a really bad diaper. And when you're answering that 3am cry for food. 

You're building trust.

My girls know my face. They equate daddy with getting rid of poopy diapers and with food. They see my face and know comfort is coming because of the times they've spent in my arms.

If I had Perfect Baby our connections would be very limited. In fact, they'd be nearly nothing. Perfect Baby doesn't need me.

I learn stuff about myself as a father when I'm tending to my sweet babies. I learn my patience needs extending. I learn that I'm more selfish than I once thought.

But I also learn that I've got more love to give.

There's more in this life I can laugh at.

I learn how vital my marriage is and how amazing my wife, the girls' mommy, is.

Perfect Baby wouldn't have shown me any of those things. And here's the semi-obvious catch in this tiny farce.

I, as a dad, am not looking for Perfect Baby. In fact, I really don't want one. I want my messy, loud, hungry, fussy, beautiful twin girls. And if that's how I want it, I can almost guarantee that's how our Heavenly Father wants it too.

As our Father, He's not looking for perfect children. Because perfect children don't need a daddy. Perfect children are self-sufficient. Perfect children don't lean; don't depend. 

It's the messy ones who are looking for their Daddy's help. It's the hungry ones who are searching for the food Papa brings. For the comfort of Father’s arms.

This should be something we all remember. When we make a misstep. When our decision-making ability has a relapse. Dad isn't waiting in the other room with a belt. He is ready to clean things up with us.

When we're hungry but we search for food in all the wrong places and our stomach is hurting our Father is saying to us "Hey kiddo, the bottles still warm over here".

When we fuss, He's patient.

When we cry, He soothes.

When we are in need, He is selfless.

And all of this is building trust. A beautiful trust that as a child(us here) learns that Dad's always going to be there. We're not perfect but God isn't looking for that in us. What He is looking for is that trust. The trust is whats important. 

The trust is the key.

Cause if we were perfect, we wouldn't need our Father and we would never learn to trust Him.

So, if you find yourself trying your hardest, day in, and day out to be the perfect child. 

Stop. That's not the goal here.

The goal is to trust. And to love.

Maybe trust is hard for you. You've been bitten too many times. Then start small. That's ok. Give Papa something small to trust in. And when He shows Himself true then you can trust with a little more. Then a little more. And don't worry, love comes with the trust. They kind of work together. If you trust, then you will also love. 

Package deal.

So here we are at the end remembering that there are no Perfect Babies. And that's the way it should be. My girls may poop a lot. And I mean a lot.

Seriously so much poop.

They may fuss, and scream, and get hungry but to me, they're perfect.

And to Papa, you're perfect too.

Just the way you are.