Nothing to fear but falling itself (Letter #009)

Between a crib and a soft place

Papa Zesser enters the era of fear

My darling Baobao,

Things like fast cars, predatory men and deadly viruses aside, after food, warmth and clean diapers, raising a baby is always about safety.

Until now, that has mostly meant making sure that you’re strapped securely into your car seat or stroller, that we don’t stumble and drop you on the stairs and, more recently, that we don’t leave you near the edge of a bed or couch when you’re napping.

But we seem to have entered a whole new realm of worries as of yesterday.

I was sitting with you on our bed yesterday. We had shared some tummy time, then I turned to my phone (yes, I admit it) while you played with one of your stuffed friends. Or so I thought.

I had had my back turned to you for no more than one minute, probably more like 30 seconds, when I heard a sudden yelp from you.

The sound was not one of fear, but rather, a pretty imperative demand for attention.

Get me outta here! is probably a pretty close translation.

I turned around and felt a momentary jolt of panic before I leaned quickly into action. You had somehow managed to lodge yourself, quite tightly, face lodged into mesh, into the gap between your crib and our bed. Your big brother, Carl the Second, was kind enough to reproduce the event for my camera this afternoon. (No, I wasn’t going to take a moment to grab my phone before I pulled my darling daughter from the mouth of the abyss!)

No harm done, nor even any apparent fear experienced (by you; your daddy on the other hand, that’s another question), but lesson god damned learned: the baby is learning to move and we can no longer count on just any ol’ barrier to keep her from harm.

I guess it’s only going to get harder. But in the meantime, have a brief video, coincidentally taken by your mom yesterday, showing just what you were up to.

Much love,

Papa Zesser

Hey there! Since you’re reading my daughter’s correspondence, why not …