Michelle, on Kinship. Sling Diaries, Vol VII.

The Sling Diaries, Volume VII. A photo-documentary chronicling the art of baby wearing in the lives of families around the world. Over the course of six months, Sling Diarists will create their own Sling Diary though a series of diary entries interpreting a unique theme given to them each month.

Meet all of our Sling Diarists here.

ON KINSHIP

Our hands melded together my age fourteen and his age sixteen, at this point I already knew that this dimpled faced boy was not only my best friend. But he was going to be part of my history, part of my life forever.

In the fours years to come each time his presence wasn't in my life I felt that piece of my puzzle missing. We all thrive with that ONE specific person. We feel stronger with them, melded together, we feel built up.

Jump now 13 years later (8 of those years being married to my best friend). What do I have with this dimple faced boy? I have kinship. Kinship we are passing onto three incredible children.

What name will we leave for them? When they smell a certain scent, hear a certain strum of noise, or see something familiar from childhood. What will they reminisce?

I want the wisp of pancakes to enter their nose with a yearning of my voice calling for everyone to come to the table for breakfast together, for them to feel the cold tile as they ran to get the first hot pancake, and I want the sounds of them with their siblings fighting over the last of the syrup.

When they hear a song from the decade they belong too, I want them to hear the beat deep in their soul that reaches down to their feet, allowing themselves to see the days of us all dancing in the living room. Dancing with silly bootie shakes and groovy moves only seen within the walls surrounding us.

And foremost I want them to hear a limerick from a childhood book that instantly makes them think of the days of them too young to walk and how their father was always present along my side. He was present in the bedtimes and early wake up calls, how he forever has taken priority to care for us. Night after night, book after book. Our children’s kinship.

Let them wear this kinship proud. Let them wear the memory of all it held and still holds for them. Let it allow them to always feel an ease with its name and its past. Let them be able to smile at this kinship knowing how hard mom and dad strived to make that name stable and strong. Let them meld to that kinship as they grow. Let it allow them to feel proud and build it prouder.

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Follow along with Michelle over on Instagram, @sunmoondaises, and The Sling Diaries on Pinterest.