She Smiled.

I hate kids. Atleast, thats what I have spent most of my adult life saying. Believe you me, I really do hate them, I think they are pests, they are noisy and most of them learn the worst habits from their parents. In a nutshell, I think all kids are a royal pain in the backside!

Well, not all kids. All except one. My baby girl Dia. All through Jerusha's pregnancy we would ask each other at each ultrasound scan, if we felt any attachment to the kid and the answer from both of us would be an emphatic no. People who have been there, would smile knowingly and say, "just wait till you hold her in your arms for the first time". That happened and still, nothing. I could see Jeru get more and more attached each day when I came home from work. In a few short weeks, mother and daughter had developed a deep bond, but with me, nothing. Sure, I used to coo and make silly noises, but really deep down there was nothing. Four weeks in and while at work, I saw a picture of her on my own facebook page and suddenly I wanted to get home soon to be with her. I was relieved that maybe I wasn't the cold snake afterall, but sure enough, I got home, took one look, made some silly noises and went back to my television and watched my cold-blooded bretheren on NGC. I wondered will it ever change.

Jerusha had been telling me about how Dia had started smiling at her when she speaks to her while at the changing table, but I had never seen it, all I used to see was the wingy whiney baby in the evenings.

Then it happened, on Saturday morning, she was on the changing table kicking her legs while her mother changed her diaper. I walked up and said, "hello Dia" and she turned to me and gave the the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.

I am no longer a cold-blooded snake and not all kids are monsters.