Saturday, August 27, 2011

Sunbeam

There was a bright sunbeam shining into X's room this morning, the day after Hurricane Irene. We are far enough inland that the storm didn't do much harm to our property -- a few small branches and lots of pinecones and acorns are down all over our yard. The weather is always insultingly glorious after a major storm, isn't it?

X used to love to play in sunbeams. When he was not yet mobile, I would sit him down in a sunbeam and he would smack it with his hands and try to pick it up, and sometimes try to taste it on the floor (yucky!). When he started to crawl, he would go into the front hallway and sit in the sunbeams from the setting sun, and follow them as they climbed the wall. Random bits of sunlight were a delight to pluck at on my shirt, or my arm.

It seems he barely noticed the play of the light on his bedroom floor this morning. He didn't shriek with delight, or try to grab up the glow. He is the sunbeam, now.



Saturday, August 20, 2011

One Year Old

X's birthday was on Tuesday of this week -- one year old already!

I'm sad about the fact that I spent the day at work, which, of course, I regret now. X was a little grumpy grump when I got home due to some major teething pain, so it was pretty anticlimactic.

We had a small celebration last Sunday to do the traditional first birthday cake and presents, with some friends. I made cupcakes from scratch because we suspect X has an egg allergy or sensitivity -- so he's a total hippie kid, having eaten vegan for his first ever cupcake! He seemed mesmerized by the candle and didn't really know what all of the fuss was about (of course!) but he took everything in stride.

The night of his actual birthday, I rocked him to sleep and sat holding him for a while, thinking back over the last year. There were so many transitions, so much that my husband and I had to figure out, so much that X had to learn and master. It's astonishing how much he has grown, and even more amazing that I have been blessed to have been there for each and every day.

Happy birthday, funny boy. I love to watch you grow!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

A Year Ago Today

I was in hospital, agreeing to take drugs to help me sleep through some rough back labor. We were hoping that being able to relax and get some rest would help things progress. We didn't know what we were in for...

Friday, August 5, 2011

Big Boy

My X is getting so big -- almost a year old now. He is just about walking, and the proud owner of 3 pearly whites!

I can't believe how quickly it happens. One day, he was a snuggly little worm, content to lie in my arms and sleep. Now, he's all OVER the place, laughing, shrieking, playing with toys, pulling up, pulling things off of tables and counters.

I miss the baby times, but I'm looking forward to everything that's coming up.

My sweet boy -- how I love him!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Bloody Lip

Well, he's gone and done it. X had his first bloody injury, and for all I thought it was a doozy, I guess we were lucky.

He was cruising around the kitchen, walking holding on to the cabinets for balance. When he came to "his" drawer, he pulled it out. Because he was starting to get tired, he lost his balance abruptly and sat straight down. I don't know if he banged his chin or his mouth, but he immediately started crying. I picked him up and comforted him, and he stopped crying pretty quickly, but then I noticed the blood.

He had given himself a bloody lip, poor thing. My husband got a baggie of ice, and X sucked on it -- he actually seemed to enjoy it. However, the bleeding took a little while to stop.

X was totally unfazed by the fact that he was bleeding from the mouth. He wanted me to hold his hands so he could practice toddling around some more. I, on the other hand, was too traumatized to be helpful at that point. So, my husband picked him up while I mixed a bottle of formula. It was almost time to start the bedtime routine, which is usually my time with X, but my husband looked after him, and I tried to get myself together. Two days later, and I'm able to sit down and write about it.

The astonishing thing is how QUICKLY it all happened. But, equally fast was X's recovery. The bleeding was nothing. It was the shock of the impact and the initial pain that got him going. He was able to shake it all off much more quickly than I did.

I know it's the first in what will become a long and illustrious history of bumps, bruises, scrapes and cuts. Maybe I'll get tougher, as the injuries happen. It was hard, though, this first time.