Six Weeks in the Life of an Infant

Neonates born in the hospital are either kept in the nursery [in or outside the incubator] or they may room-in with mom. Most Filipino parents in their overly concern for these helpless and frail progeny keep them in a sterile environment, and even visitors and  well wishers are instructed not to kiss or touch, some sort of a quarantine so to speak. To many parents the outside world after dusk and during rain is taboo for infants, and to go out with the head and limbs uncovered is unforgivable. Love may be the driving force behind such behavior and this is easy to understand.

Born in the 22^nd of June 2007, Kailee was destined to be on the go, because at the age of seven days she was already out in the opposite side of the city in a party, which lasted until eleven in the evening. She was present in church on the first Sunday after her discharge from the hospital and she enjoyed every minute of the service. She attended three farewell parties, one at the church, one at her great grandfather’s house 18 kilometers away and one at a friends place, and she was smug and relaxed all the while.

Twenty one days after she was born she was on a plane to Manila and then on another plane to Bangkok on the same day. She accompanied her mother on shopping trips to furnish the apartment that they recently moved into, and she was with her on every trip to the market for groceries no matter if it was seven or ten in the evening [shopping malls in Bangkok close at 11 pm] or whether it was raining or gusty. At 6 weeks of age she was practically all over Bangkok by either Chao Phraya Express boat, BTS Skytrain, Bus, or taxi, and she enjoyed every bit of these trips.

This incredible infant at six weeks had traveled through 2 countries, had 2 plane rides, a couple dozen of bus, taxi and boat rides, and it looks like she’ll be traveling all her life. “Well that’s life!” she may exclaim if only she could talk. But she’s only a babe!