expectations

I have a good girlfriend who is expecting a baby the first week of December.  Throughout her pregnancy when baby would kick or cause her pain I would say," he's just easing you into the fact that your whole life will soon revolve around him.  That it's not about you anymore..."
I didn't experience that easing-in period.  Even for the 2 months when we knew Ben was coming there were not momentary constant reminders of the place he would take in our lives.  Our "break-in" has come with the baby and is teaching me to change my expectations of lots of things.  And I did say change, not lower!
Case in point, the pumpkin patch.  Ben's MeeMee Sue told him to demand we take him to the pumpkin patch.  We ventured out yesterday, after lots of research, to the local patch with the best photo ops and $0 admission.  We had camera charged and ready, two tripods, coordinated outfits for a family pic and several wardrobe changes for Ben.  I had dreamed about this day for weeks!
My expectations of what this day might be quickly changed.  What? My two month old who I woke from a deep sleep doesn't want to smile pretty while being propped between two hard vegetables twice his size while staring into the blinding sun while other monsters run and scream around him and his comfort system  is arguing over who should stand where and when to let go only to have said two month old fall over into crunchy hay?????
Ben reminded me yesterday that the blessings of my family are not about photo ops, that's it's ok sometimes to express to the world that you are not happy in this moment,  that any control I had before or think I have now is an illusion, and that I can keep striving for perfection in life as I did before he came or find perfection where I least expect it.

This is how the day began and went downhill from here

Perhaps the days single moment of contentment while reaching for a spiny twig

not liable for accidents, injuries, or unhappy babies trying to teach you a lesson