Julian Ridley: Month 6
When you were born my heart felt like it exploded. There was no way I could ever love you more than I did that moment. I was sure of it. Then a week goes by, a month and now an entire half of a year and that same heart that was maxed out continues to grow and grow and grow allowing me to love you more with each passing second. Somehow these last months were quite a blur yet leaving behind thousands of deep memories that are permanently etched in my mind. It is these memories and the promise of new ones that make each day with you better than the last.
Watching you grow is watching a miracle in action. It is simply amazing how someone once so helpless and tiny can turn into an independent, healthy, strong little boy. I love to set you on the floor and pile up a bunch of toys around you and step back and watch.
I like to see what interests you and watch your little creative mind in motion. You sit there so big and tall just playing away, occasionally toppling over. I set up the Boppy right behind you to catch you so we can't blame any of your future quirks on too many bonks to the head. You hardly need it but if you do tumble you try and try to sit up, flexing those abs which sometimes still aren't quite strong enough. This is when you call out for me.
Someday soon you won't even need me for that. You will be mobile in no time. Right now you get up on all fours and rock back and forth. You are also starting to scoot along forward, although ever so slowly before belly flopping onto the ground. And now you are beginning to move each leg independently if only you can figure out how to move your arms without falling face first. You are getting it though and there will be many sleepless nights until you do. We put you to bed and I hear a peculiar noise on the monitor, I go in to check on you and I find you half asleep, crying but up on all fours doing your rocking at record speeds. It's as if you have been possessed by the need to master it overnight. It's paying off though, now you are getting so strong you are going up on your toes. I'm not quite sure what you are trying to do, but whatever it is it's impressive.
You are so determined to do everything. You surprised me a few weeks ago while in the bathtub. You scooted forward on your legs as if you were a little frog. You grasped onto the edge and struggled with all your might to stand. I was amazed at your unwillingness to give up until I realized an unstable infant attempting to stand in a wet tub probably isn't a great thing for me to allow.
All these signs of mobility have forced us into the dreaded baby proofing territory. Our bedroom was already aesthetically challenged but even more so with the white mesh barriers on both sides of the bed. Which by the way, you find incredibly fascinating. You love to run your little fingers along it, scratching it with your nails which closely resembles nails on a chalkboard. Also, when you are half asleep you ever so gently reach up and caress our faces with your feathery hands. Often you softly slide them across my chest with your eyes closed looking for the necklace that keeps you entertained. Once you find it you wrap it around your hand as if to tell me you aren't going to let me sneak off this time once you are asleep.
You are even sleeping more grown up. Well to clarify that does not mean sleeping through the night by any stretch of the imagination. Instead of sleeping as if you are in a permanent cocoon there is an oldness about the way you sprawl yourself out now in random positions all over the bed. You are still easy to get to sleep which is fortunate as we have to put you back to sleep about a thousand times a day. One of your father's favorite things and I must agree, is how you light up when we greet you after a nap. Your face lights up the room as you lay there on your belly, head against the mattress smiling at us almost bashfully, slowly tapping your left leg and letting out a soft coo. You remain so cuddly for a period of time after these wonderful naps. If only we could freeze time.
You are even brave enough to try to play fetch with the dogs but they don't quite understand why you are unable to throw the ball for them. You will do anything to get their attention. Unfortunately they try to avoid you.
Soon enough they will be your best friends once they start thinking table food is falling from the sky as you learn to eat solids from your highchair. You still have yet to have your first taste of solids but soon enough. I am having a hard time figuring out which foods I can eat let alone you. For now you enjoy playing with your grown up utensils.
I recently started teaching you sign language and I'm just waiting for the magical moment for you to sign back. I need to get a little more consistent with it myself. But as soon as I move my hand you watch it intensely. We started with milk, Mama, Papa, play, music (so you can request a personal concert from your father), doggy, gentle (for when we need to tell you the dogs don't like when you try to pluck their eyeballs from their heads) and jump. I have a feeling jump might be the first one you learn as it's one of your favorite things to do and you love when I make the sign as you jump cheering you on. You also are beginning to reach out for us when you want to be picked up. Right now you aren't very selective as to who you are reaching for.
I remember when we were leaving the hospital to bring you home I was upset because you were already so much older than the few days before when you were born. I was afraid I would miss that smallness and newness but to this day I am still in awe of you and how much you change and thrive. Everyday is new. There is no newness to miss but so much to look forward to.
to 
Watching you grow is watching a miracle in action. It is simply amazing how someone once so helpless and tiny can turn into an independent, healthy, strong little boy. I love to set you on the floor and pile up a bunch of toys around you and step back and watch.
I like to see what interests you and watch your little creative mind in motion. You sit there so big and tall just playing away, occasionally toppling over. I set up the Boppy right behind you to catch you so we can't blame any of your future quirks on too many bonks to the head. You hardly need it but if you do tumble you try and try to sit up, flexing those abs which sometimes still aren't quite strong enough. This is when you call out for me.
Someday soon you won't even need me for that. You will be mobile in no time. Right now you get up on all fours and rock back and forth. You are also starting to scoot along forward, although ever so slowly before belly flopping onto the ground. And now you are beginning to move each leg independently if only you can figure out how to move your arms without falling face first. You are getting it though and there will be many sleepless nights until you do. We put you to bed and I hear a peculiar noise on the monitor, I go in to check on you and I find you half asleep, crying but up on all fours doing your rocking at record speeds. It's as if you have been possessed by the need to master it overnight. It's paying off though, now you are getting so strong you are going up on your toes. I'm not quite sure what you are trying to do, but whatever it is it's impressive.
You are so determined to do everything. You surprised me a few weeks ago while in the bathtub. You scooted forward on your legs as if you were a little frog. You grasped onto the edge and struggled with all your might to stand. I was amazed at your unwillingness to give up until I realized an unstable infant attempting to stand in a wet tub probably isn't a great thing for me to allow.
All these signs of mobility have forced us into the dreaded baby proofing territory. Our bedroom was already aesthetically challenged but even more so with the white mesh barriers on both sides of the bed. Which by the way, you find incredibly fascinating. You love to run your little fingers along it, scratching it with your nails which closely resembles nails on a chalkboard. Also, when you are half asleep you ever so gently reach up and caress our faces with your feathery hands. Often you softly slide them across my chest with your eyes closed looking for the necklace that keeps you entertained. Once you find it you wrap it around your hand as if to tell me you aren't going to let me sneak off this time once you are asleep.
You are even sleeping more grown up. Well to clarify that does not mean sleeping through the night by any stretch of the imagination. Instead of sleeping as if you are in a permanent cocoon there is an oldness about the way you sprawl yourself out now in random positions all over the bed. You are still easy to get to sleep which is fortunate as we have to put you back to sleep about a thousand times a day. One of your father's favorite things and I must agree, is how you light up when we greet you after a nap. Your face lights up the room as you lay there on your belly, head against the mattress smiling at us almost bashfully, slowly tapping your left leg and letting out a soft coo. You remain so cuddly for a period of time after these wonderful naps. If only we could freeze time.
You are even brave enough to try to play fetch with the dogs but they don't quite understand why you are unable to throw the ball for them. You will do anything to get their attention. Unfortunately they try to avoid you.
Soon enough they will be your best friends once they start thinking table food is falling from the sky as you learn to eat solids from your highchair. You still have yet to have your first taste of solids but soon enough. I am having a hard time figuring out which foods I can eat let alone you. For now you enjoy playing with your grown up utensils.
I recently started teaching you sign language and I'm just waiting for the magical moment for you to sign back. I need to get a little more consistent with it myself. But as soon as I move my hand you watch it intensely. We started with milk, Mama, Papa, play, music (so you can request a personal concert from your father), doggy, gentle (for when we need to tell you the dogs don't like when you try to pluck their eyeballs from their heads) and jump. I have a feeling jump might be the first one you learn as it's one of your favorite things to do and you love when I make the sign as you jump cheering you on. You also are beginning to reach out for us when you want to be picked up. Right now you aren't very selective as to who you are reaching for.
I remember when we were leaving the hospital to bring you home I was upset because you were already so much older than the few days before when you were born. I was afraid I would miss that smallness and newness but to this day I am still in awe of you and how much you change and thrive. Everyday is new. There is no newness to miss but so much to look forward to.
to
posted by Julian at 11:08 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home