Monday, August 31, 2009

MEMORIES

 


Memory is the mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences. The saved mental impressions that are embedded in our gray matter filed away like important documents tucked into a file cabinet. Just like the 1980 Andrew Lloyd Weber pop song compares memories "as a light comes from my mind", my flash ram recalls the yearning essence of new baby smell once again. It had been three long weeks since I had held little Ian in my arms and inhaled that calming delicious smell from his sweet perfectly round baby head. That's like eonic ages in Grandma years. Hubby started to note symptoms of grand-baby withdrawal once again and offered a trip to Ash Grove to get my fix. Did I ever mention that this man is too good to me? No need to ask this chick twice so last Sunday we jumped in the car after church services and made the jaunt.

I am the first to admit I can be compulsively crazed in some areas but when it comes to this new baby smell thing I have really not gone off the deep end. I'm not talkin' odors from spit-up, poop or anything else that oozes from their orifices, this is something totally different. I did a little research on 'new baby smell' and found studies on the subject. The sense of smell is the strongest memory trigger we mortals possess. It is critical of existence of all creatures for finding nourishment, avoiding predators and choosing that special someone to share our lifelong obsessions with. The chemical sensing system has many scientific life uses. A Sweden team of scientist uncovered the distinct new baby smell may act as a pheromone to reinforce the sensation that babies ARE cute and adorable. Yeah, like we need a reminder...right! Another study showed the unique smell played an important part in the bonding process between babes and their caretakers. Yes, Virginia, there is a 'new baby smell!' It may be completely indescribable but it exists.

Reaching our destination,this rockin' grandma excitedly entered the house with olfactories engaged charging toward the little bundle of love. I sniffed and inhaled cuddly Ian noting various baby smells exuding from him. Scents like the pure cleanliness of fresh clothes, new diaper and calming lotion. I deeply inhaled to the depths of my lungs.....nothing.....GONE! Gone like the fragrance of a rose as the petals wither on the ground. Gone like the weeks I spent missing this babe. He was of course seven weeks old and changing everyday. I enjoyed my visit taking in every stimuli during the time I had to spend. I was blessed to change him, feed him and give him the very special noisy grandma kisses I reserve only for grandchildren. I am looking forward to all the wonderful experiences I will have with this little one but as far a the new baby smells go, they will forever be filed away in my "Memories."
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26 comments:

  1. I still love to sniff my girl necks -- right in the crook where the neck meets and shoulder. I tell people that you could blind fold me and line up a group of teenagers and I could find my children. When my 22 yr old comes home, she still lets me (at least once) line down with her and hug her and sniff her neck. She's my baby still!!

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  2. But we must count our blessings. We wouldn't want our grandchildren to never leave the diaper-changing phase. Happy Blue Monday!

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  3. Hey! Thanks for the great comment on my blog today. You had me laughing a ton too! Great blog here! Hope you have a great day!

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  4. Hehhe.... what fun!! I'm this way with puppy breath... why I do not know other than I associate puppies with fun filled good times and lots of loving!

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  5. Cute baby! The smell of a baby is The best 'perfume' in the world.

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  6. Hi--Babies are soo much fun to hold and sniff
    especially if they have lotion or powder on.

    Thanks for stopping by and leaving the nicest
    comments, I enjoy seeing that you have been by.

    Have a terrific week!

    melinda

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  7. Sorry, I forgot to highlight "this". Here's the link...http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=1291826
    Your grandbaby is a sweetheart! You have a lovely blog here!

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  8. God knows what he is doing!! If our children continued to have that baby smell as they grew up, mothers would never let their children leave home and . . . they should. . .leave home. I'm just saying.

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  9. What a cutie patooti! New babies are heavenly to smell and hold. Nothing better! Traci

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  10. Ahh, new baby...what a delightful change, even if in memory, from Pepe Le'Pew.

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  11. I'm with you, I love that smell and it doesn't last long, but it does give way to even further joys for grandmothers. Boy, that makes me sound both really old and very sappy, and I'm really only a little of each.

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  12. Oh my gosh! You give Grandma kisses too! I used to call it giving "Mommy kisses" and now they are Grandma kisses!
    What an adorable baby!

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  13. Nothing beats that newborn baby smell and it sure doesn't last long. Be thankful you can get in a car and drive to see yours. Our grandchildren live in Houston and we are in Charlotte NC, which is severalhours by plane and a 15 hour drive in the car! We have another grandson on the way. He lives in Boston which is just about as far! It's awful!!
    By the way your little grandson is adorable, but I don't have to tell you that!!
    ((hugs)) Rhondi

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  14. ahhh,......sweet.....

    babies smell soooooo much better than skunks

    ;) lol

    have a great night~

    chasity

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  15. You described the baby smell to a tee! We are programed from birth to have these intense sensory reactors to babies. Great post!

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  16. Ahhh yes, baby smells. I wish I could bottle it! It's perfection and so is your grand-baby.

    Thanks a million for your kind comment about my More.com feature. As you could tell I was pretty excited about it. Your comment made it feel all the more special.

    xo
    Joanna

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  17. Nothing...just checking in to tell you that I appreciate you being there and for your so sweet words to me during my...um...days of whining! :)
    Hugs..
    Mona

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  18. I totally agree with you! I never thought to research it, but I'm convinced there's a chemical reaction there somewhere that triggers the whole momma feeling.

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  19. I may not be the first to agree but I am the next.

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  20. Being a grandma is the best! I get the joy of babysitting my youngest grandson daily!

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  21. Oh how darling!!! I want one!!!

    Enjoy!!!
    XOXO
    Cathy

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  22. Thank you for your encouraging posts on my blogs. We should be neighbours! I think I'd spend a lot of time with you! Blessings!

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  23. Awwwww, how blessed you are!!! I know the smell and although it doesn't last forever, the smiles and the love always do!!

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  24. Oh, that smell is wonderful! Thanks for stopping by and I am a bit envious! Cindy

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  25. Just spent a long wonderful weekend sniffing my own grands! You can never get enough of those giggly little sweet things, eh? :-)

    Blessings,
    Tammy ~@~

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  26. I can't wait. Well, I can wait, but you know what I mean.... Happy for you :)

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