Before you have children, it’s probably this task you dread most. But seasoned parents know this is often a magical time. It’s when the good stuff happens.
After the clean diaper has been fastened in place and the snaps refastened—or sometimes even before I get to the snaps—I look down and see two large, dark eyes staring up at me. We connect. “Hi, Sophia,” I breathe. And then she smiles. And coos a breathy hi back to me. She practices her vowels, her little trilling gurgle. And her gummy grin. I look down into those dark pools of her eyes and see boundless love. I see eternity.
This is heaven on earth. Right here, right now. Kicking legs and waving arms. A fist shoved into a drooling mouth. And a smile that is just for me.
She is positively beautiful.
Oh, what a little treasure—God bless her, and give her a big hug from me. Love that smile!
Look at those sweet brown eyes!
Thank you!
I have a question… I’m not a native English speaker and my husband hasn’t been a Catholic long enough to know, but is “christening” a word that Catholics here use, too, or is it just the Protestant word for baptisim? I wanted to buy a baptisim card at the pharmacy today, for some Catholic friends who will soon have their son baptized, but all the cards they had mentioned “christening day” and I didn’t know if this is ok
What a lovely girl; there’s something about those first baby smiles!
To answer GB’s question: christening is a word used by Catholics in the US. In fact, I think it is more commonly used for Catholics than for Protestants in the US (my Lutheran husband refers only to baptisms, not christenings).
Thank you, Cathy!
Christening is a word that can be used by Catholics, though baptism is generally the preferred usage. Generally the sacrament is known as baptism and christening tends refer more to the cultural practices rather than the sacrament, if that makes sense. It’s rather the way “wedding” has come to denote the reception as much as it does the church service. To me christening has overtones that suggest Anglican usage, though as Cathy says other protestants may prefer the term baptism.
But it certainly isn’t wrong and shouldn’t offend your Catholic friends if you give them a christening card.
How sweet! She looks very much like her sister, but very much herself, too!