My friends are having a baby girl in early August or
thenabouts. They both have names beginning with
A so they liked the idea of giving the baby a Z name.
Zara.
I’ve been thinking about that name quite a bit, without
really meaning to. I only just realized, after a couple weeks,
why it’s familiar. Not to relegate being born and parenthood
to the trivial. Those are momentous things. I know the name
Zara, however, because of knitting. Of course! It’s the name
of a Filatura Di Crosa yarn.
The baby registry included a tub which I liked the description of.
I ordered it. Yes, there were plenty of other gifts I’d like to have
given on the registry as well. I decided instead to go with a bath
time theme.
Who knows what people may be sensitive over! Color associations
are so strongly ingrained. In that sense, pink has got to be the most
powerful color going.
Why not give a baby girl something blue? Would she be more
likely to - I dunno - spit? Granted, girls of today can ‘get away’
with wearing just about anything. In this culture, I cannot see
giving a baby boy something pink (much less dressing him in
something pink) without some sort of hiccup from someone. I
don’t have a problem with it myself. And yet if I had a little boy
I’d be foolish if I wasn’t quite mindful of color discrimination.
That is my way of saying that, despite wanting to, I didn’t select
this darling hooded towel even though the turtle motif would have
been nice with the turtle tub.
The girlish counterpart is pretty adorable too.
I ordered it. Cover your ears: it screams girl!
Hey, wait, is that little duck a little boy duck?
It had crossed my mind to just get one of each. The cuteness factor
of all the baby items was rough on me though. Before long, there
was a knitload of items in the cart. I got a bathrobe.
And this looked useful too. The large mat is said to be a
handy place for baby, before and after bathing.
Then I went overboard and got a bath apron. It seemed like
such a nifty idea. It’s for the baby-bather to wear, to stay dry.
And now, dear reader, I am faced with the challenge of not buying
Filatura Di Crosa Zara yarn. After all, what is the rush? The baby
can be given presents from now until…right. And what do I know
about knitting baby gear? Precious little. A precious little outfit,
a sweater and matching hat… No! I’m covered for gifts for a while.
Let me get my bearings here. Very likely, it’s just not significant
that I knit with Zara yarn for baby Zara. It does strike me as
meaningful though. I cannot help it.
Same color. Different subject, a very touchy one at that. Flashback
to 1989. Does anyone remember Pink Thing by XTC? It is replete with
double entendre so think of it as being about fatherhood if you prefer.
If you’re not into anything playful or cute, don’t even bother looking
at the lyrics. Same goes for He’s My Best Friend by Jellyfish in 1993.
The 1990’s were maybe not so bad. Was it every Friday? It started
late into the night, at the Morrison Planetarium. Laserium shows
of Dark Side of the Moon. Pink phantasmagoria.
