What is joy?: A baby's response

Me: Hey Calvin, you’re a pretty happy guy.  What do you think joy is?

Calvin: Follow me for a day, mom, I’ll show you.

9am

Calvin: Good morning, world…Mom…Mom…Mom!! I’m awake!! Come get me!…Oh, there you are.  Woohoo!  Look at me stand.  Pretty cool, huh? Is that my milk in your hand?!!  Yes! I love milk!

Is it time to play now? I can crawl, you know.  Sometimes things are big and scary, but if I see you’re there, and get a hug when I need it, I can face them.

10am

Wow!  Look at this drawer I found.  Why are all of these clothes in it?  Here, let’s just take all of them out.  There!  That looks so much better.  Wait, why are you putting them back in?  No no no, they belong scattered on the floor like this.  Is that a snack? I love snacks!

11am

The living room is my favorite room.  It’s got all of these neat electronics cleverly stored where “I can’t reach them.” Look, look, when I push this button the light comes on.  On…off…on…off…on…off…wait, where are you taking me?!  Oooh, the kitchen.  The kitchen is my favorite room.  Check out this cool cabinet I found.  It has all my favorite things in it.  Someone had the audacity to stack them inside the cabinet instead of spreading them on the floor.  Here, I’ll help.

12pm

Just keep crawling…just keep crawling…just…keep…crawling…oh thank God, it’s nap time.  I love naps.  Can I have my Hobbes please?

2pm

I’m awake!  What a great day!  There’s still time to play.  Mom…Mom…MOM!!!!  Oh, there you are.  Do you see me standing?  I can even bounce a little.  Watch this, watch this.  If I concentrate really hard I can even walk sidewise holding on to the crib railing.  Hahahahaha! I AM AWESOME!

3pm

Oooh, outside!  I love outside!  Look at this grass, it feels so funny.  Hmm, what’s this round pokey thing on the ground next to the tall tree?  Maybe it tastes good.  Oooh, gross!  NO!  That does NOT taste good.  Moving on…hey look, another round pokey thing.  Maybe this one tastes good.

5pm

So I’m thinking I want to try this whole walking thing.  Hold my hands.  Ok, we’re going to walk this way. Now this way.  Over here again.  Don’t stop holding my hands. What?! A break?! Who needs a break?  Grab my hands, woman, I’m walking here. Oooh, is that a snack? I love snacks!

6pm

I don’t want to crawl anymore.  No, I don’t want to walk either.  Sitting on the floor is for chumps – you seriously need to pick me up and carry me around right now.  Yes, this is much better, thank you.  Watch this, I have a fun game.  I’m going to throw myself backward as hard and fast as I can to see if you can catch me AND not have a heart attack.  Isn’t this great?!

7pm

Dinner!  I love dinner!  It tastes much better if you smear it all over the tray…and your face…and hair.  Be sure to drop some on the floor for the dogs, too, they also like spaghetti.  Wait, where are you taking me? A bath?! Yes! I love baths!

Look, I can stand in the bathtub too…but I don’t want to sit down…annnd I’m up again!…why do you keep sitting me down?…up…whoops, it’s slippery.  Ouch, my head, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.  Ok, kisses make it better.  Can I have my milk now?

8pm

I’m not really tired, you know.  I can play a little longer.  I’ll just head into my sister’s room while your back is turned.  Is that a pile of small legos? I love eating legos!  Wait, why did you take that out of my mouth?  The red ones taste the best!  Oooh, is that a bucket of small rubber bands? Jack pot!!  Hey Layla, look!  I dumped all of your rubber bands on the floor.  You can thank me later.  Oh dear, Mom is taking me into another room again.

Wait, I recognize this place.  A dark room…a bed…Hobbes…it must be bedtime.  *sigh* What a great day.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)