June 22, 2016

Dear Baby,

It’s been a long week. Teething has all but consumed our day-to-day and we are a whirlwind of boogers, Infant Advil and popsicles. I don’t know how long this usually takes but it feels like we have been dealing with your mouth for an eternity. Because that’s how things go with you- every day feels really long and then I look back and wonder how the fuck we got to 9 months so fast. The conundrum of time.

Anyways, the bad news is you are still a snot faced little teething monkey. The good news is you give zero fucks and have been a total delight. If anything you have laughed even more these past few days so I’m thankful you are not suffering (for your own pain and for my sanity.)

Since we have been spending a lot of QT at home just doing fun stuff I have gotten to really watch your development closely. Sometimes rushing around, running errands and hanging out with people I feel like I miss the little nuances of you. You learn so much stuff every single day and then all of a sudden we are watching you and you have totally mastered something new without us noticing. It was cool to get to notice.

You gifted us with an awesome thing to notice. Language. We have started to see that you will repeat actions we make. One of your favorite things is we stick out a finger at you and say “stick” (yup, your dad and I call fingers sticks- and we did before we made every word cute for you- this is just how we roll. Sorry for all the embarrassment that will cause you.) So we do the stick and then you extend your finger and touch our finger with yours and laugh. It is delightful. Anyways, recently we just say the word “stick” and you bring your finger up. We don’t have to show you our finger to initiate the action which means that you are learning to recognize language patters and associating them with actions.

Now how fucking cool is that?

You do it with sticks, kisses (and then I just die of happiness that you willingly kiss me on the lips every time I ask- never stop ok?), and if we say “shake-a-shake-a-shake-a” you will move your arm like you are shaking a rattle.

Honestly. What could be cuter.You are such a big girl. Today shaking your arm, tomorrow going to prom. I can’t even.

So with that, today’s thoughts are this: enjoy the little things in life. Whether it is stopping to smell the roses or taking a day to watch your babe shake an imaginary rattle, these are the moments that make your life full. It can get hard to just slow down and really focus on the tiny little details of everyday life but it is in those details that we can sometimes find the most joy and shape the bigger things that we have. One day I probably won’t remember this one little moment of development for you (or I guess I will thanks to this blog) but it has helped shape the entirety of what I will remember- your development of understanding and language.

In the meantime STOP GROWING UP SO FAST. Just kidding (sort of) keep doing your thing- it’s amazing.

xo

Mom