Happy Children's Day!!!

It's not a secret how much I love and adore children; especially babies and toddlers. They really make life a little more beautiful. They also keep us in touch with our inner child. There is so much that we can learn from them.

I've been around so many children and I've learned quite a lot. I've seen how babies completely trust the people that carry them to know what they want. They also never discriminate. Everybody gets a friendly smile. I remember a particular day I was sitting in a parked car with Solape (my cousin), she's 2. I get paranoid when I'm left alone in the car. At that time everybody that passes by is a potential criminal.

Suddenly, this very haggard old man came to the window. My side of the window. I had no idea what he wanted and I assumed he was mentally deformed. I've always had a soft spot for the homeless and far less privileged but I wasn't sure if he wasn't suffering from bouts of dementia. His words were all jumbled up and one minute he was fine, the next, not so fine.

I sat so rigidly in my sit and tried my best to ignore the man. I couldn't roll up the window because my brother took the key with him (because I felt if the key was left with me, wouldn't it be easy for some stranger to just enter and drive off with the car and me). Lol...told you I get paranoid. Anyway, as I was trying to ignore the old man, Solape was trying to engage him in a conversation and she kept calling my attention to him.

She was smiling at him and calling him BABA (old man). She actually reached out to the man and shaked him (we really taught that girl some manners). After that, there was nothing I could do but watch them both. I'm not sure they both fully understood the other, but the man had someone that actually wanted to have a conversation with him.

When my brother got back in the car and we were pulling out, Solape waved to the man and said, "bye-bye, I love you". She says that to people she really cares about. She says that to me! I was so proud of my little princess and so very ashamed of myself. Was it all that long ago that I was her age?  Have I already lost my inner child?

I watch children play and even when they fight, there's no malice. They get back together. They miss each other. Even when I scold Solape, or any of my other little babies, they still come to me with a smile. Because they know I love them. And I do. It takes all my willpower to not walk up to a stranger and ask to hold their baby.

I love children. The world would be so bleak without them and their awesome power of imagination. One of these days, I would love to get lost in that world of imagination again like I used to when I was younger.

I'm growing a year older next month. I've decided to spend that day doing everything I loved doing as a child. That day would be spent reconnecting with my inner child. I want her back! Besides, she still has plenty to teach me.

To all my babies; Oluwasolapefunmi, Morolayo, Igbayilola, Iwalola, Olaoluwa, Olaseni, Olatilewa, Oladayo, David, Oluwalonimi, Diekololaoluwa, Oluwafunmilayo, Tinuola, Olajiire, Eniola, Temilola, Inioluwa, Ayobami, Fife, Timilehin, Joel, Roseline, Eniola and Semipe, Happy Children's Day.

I hope you never lose your inner child as you grow. I pray that God grants you wisdom, knowledge and understanding. I pray that He watches over you for the rest of your lives. I pray you make your parents proud, that you make me proud. I pray you never stop loving me because I'll never stop loving you.

To my unborn children; Happy Children's Day. When mummy is ready to start raising kids, please don't make her wait. It would really hurt mummy to have to wait. I know you're going to complete me. I know you'll be the joy of both parents and grandparents. I know you'll be just what I need. All 4 of you will always make mummy proud.

To people who can still summon their inner child; Happy Children's Day. Don't ever lose it.

Adupeola loves you all....so very much. Kisses