What an amazing month of loving you it has been.
I keep telling your dad, in an almost panic, that you are almost 1 and he keeps reminding me to ease up and let you just be the age you are. So I did. I tried my best to just let you be 9 months this whole month.
I know how quickly all of this baby stuff passes so I am taking every opportunity to slow down and “see” you.
An extra 10 seconds in the tub letting myself be fully present and only thinking about all of your delicious pudgy parts.
When I feed you before sleep, I am putting away my smart phone and just looking at you in silence as your eyes get heavier and heavier.
When I rock you and your wrap your body around mine, I walk over to the mirror in your room so I can watch us sway and move. I want to see you small in my arms.
I am crushing hard on your light brown curls that gather on the back of your head.
I am loving you doing things for reactions and waiting for them. You throw yourself spread eagle on the couch or sisters bed and then wait, with a twinkle in your eyes, for one of us to tickle you or come in for a wrestle.
We were driving back from Costco late one night and you were hungry and ready for bed and so understandably a little sad. I found this little toy and put it in my mouth and and spit in out over and over and you laughed SO hard. It doesn’t take much for me to get a sweet little grin or even a belly laugh.
Lots of amazing balance with your strong legs and amazing strength.
Your favorite game is climbing on the small rocking chair and standing on it while rocking it back and forth. At first when I saw you doing this I was terrified...but now you can climb up and climb off with ease.
I even saw you back off the couch by yourself this last week.
I also watched you pull yourself up the front of your crib. I need to video that as proof.
It’s so nice for you to feel so confident moving. I am so happy for you that you have that freedom and the choice of where you want to go and when.
We have never used a baby gate with you and try to just keep the house safe so you can explore away.
You love eating but always want me to top you off when you are done.
We have branched out and let you try and eat all sorts of things this month. Blueberries, cottage cheese, asparagus, bread, pasta. You are really good about trying it all but still prefer nursing. Which is fine by me. I am happy to nurse on demand. Works for us.
You do use a straw and sippy as well which kills me when you do because it makes you look so grown up.
You are more interested in books and I love reading the animal one to you where you touch fur. You are so curious.
It’s been a wild month because you had fevers twice. Which was NOT cool and scared your poor old mom.
The first time it was for 3 days and you were miserable. I even contemplated taking you to the ER because I was so freaked out. Taking medicine is hard for you but you were brave and let us help you. All I could do was hold you and feed you and be there for you. It’s in those moments that I really feel like this is what parenting is all about. Helping you. Loving you. And not wanting to do anything but that. I feel so blessed that I get to be the one to soothe you when you feel miserable. My love for you feels so fierce in those moments.
In the end you had roseola and survived. To my delight! You must always survive. Okay dokey?
Starting to feel like I need to dress you more.
I really think I am the type of mom that should be raising my babies in a tropical paradise because clothes and especially restrictive clothes seem utterly unnecessary for babies. But I can’t help but feel the social pressure to have jeans for you..or maybe a pair of shoes. I can’t believe your mom is such a hippie.
You found the slide and the swing and giggle and giggle when you are on them.
I still wear you a lot in the carrier..but not as much. You want to move so much now that to wear you we must be on the go.
Sleeping has changed. You rarely sleep in bed with me anymore. Your stretches are longer and longer and you really are just starting to sleep better with more space from me. Sad face but it’s OK. I can’t lie and say that the 8.5hrs of straight sleep you gave me last night wasn’t incredible.
Calling you Buh Buh’s a lot. Sister calls you that too. So cute.
She talks a lot about keeping you safe. “I’ll protect him mom” as she hovers over you while you climb off her mattress on the floor.
She keeps telling me she wants alone time with you and wants you two to play alone in her room with the door closed. I have to explain to her that you are still a little baby and I need to see what you are up to. I am just so glad you two have each other.
She loves coming in to your room when you wake up. Copying my sing songy voice as we greet you. “ A da zoozies!” “A da my zoozie baby!” I actually say these things to you and she copies. It’s some weird baby greeting language that has developed for you and your sister. Dad thinks I am a crazy baby lady (and I am).
My favorite is watching you with pure glee up on your one knee, bouncing and clapping your hands.
And you crawling around the house looking for me saying “ Mamamamamama…” will never ever get old. You reach for me and I reach for you.
You talk a lot to me. About this and about that.
You have also started laying in my arms while you are tired and just looking at me while I sing to you. Almost like you are singing yourself to sleep. I am you and you are me.
I am obsessed with the fact that we are so close. So connected. So intertwined.
You are yourself but not quite like another person. You kind of feel like one of my body parts. Other moms get this, right?
Such a fun fun fun happy age.
Hands down my favorite development this month was the attachment you formed to your blankie. Without fail, everytime we go to pick you up out of your crib you are holding one of the silky corners. Nova was never this way with a blanket and I am loving watching you form opinions about what you like and don’t like.
You have also started laying on my shoulder when you are tired. Almost like a hug.
I have to remind myself that I like every stage you are at the best. So far this one wins.
This month I wanted your photos to be about your relationships with each member of your family. We are all so attached and connected to each other and I want to remember what that looked like.
Today you gave me a kiss out of the blue. Ahhhhhh!!!
We are all so madly in love with you Fairbanks. So thankful for my sweet boy
xxoo- Mom