Disclaimer: The traditional numbered sign is missing from the 8 month photo shoot because I forgot to pack it with our beach vacation items. Please use your imagination to insert the sign in the photo on right.
My Sweet Girl,
Im so proud of you. In the last month you have become a highly mobile baby. And really thats not even why Im so proud of you, though I do admit that I am jealous of your excellent posture as you have mastered sitting upright and find your flexibility and dexterity something short of Houdini amazing. Im so proud of you because you are fearless. And while I see this being a dangerous character trait in the future if a suspect man in a conversion van were to offer you candy, in your present world its quite an asset.
You have no concerns about gravity or physics as you pull yourself up onto unsteady baskets or attempt to reach for a toy well out of your grasp, sending yourself flipping into an impromptu belly flop. You race toward anything shining, flashing, spinning or making noise and consider the cats mere mobile playthings.
Some could consider this behavior reckless and ignorant, and yes, perhaps it is as you have yet to learn about the dangers of sharp corners and lost footing. However, I choose to marvel in the reckless abandon you show while truly living life. Your adventure is not hindered by caution, your excitement is not depressed by worst case scenarios. Your view of the world is not only from two feet off the ground, but also from a glass half full. And I hope that as you grow I can replicate that attitude, albeit with a healthy dose of caution for both of our safety's sake.
And I hope I can replicate your bravery as well. Last week when we introduced you to the pool you stared straight ahead and marveled at what seemed to be the biggest bathtub ever imaginable. Beyond an annoyance at the water temperature which quickly receded as your own body adjusted, you accepted this new environment with an inquisitive and adventurous spirit. You splashed in the water and kicked your feet, you leaned back to float and forward to drink (luckily we caught you before you were successful at that attempt), you stared at the water ahead and blinked only to take it all in. And later when we walked to the ocean shore you didnt hesitate, looking at the waves crash on the land as if you've done all this before. You sank your feet in and let the waves swirl around your ankles, strong and sturdy after only a week of standing on your own two feet. And to me, this was bravery in a two foot and 17 pound package. Granted you were ignorant to the massiveness of the ocean and the danger that waves can bring. But you also didnt know what was facing you just a few feet ahead, matching your height and chilling your skin. You had never seen this pebbly ground and had never felt sand sift over your feet. You had no idea what would happen as the water rushed toward you, seemingly able to swallow your entirety. Yet you stood, and you stared, and you accepted what would come without protest or concern. I cant say that Ive stood that strong or that brave in the face of my own unknowns.
So I look to you my brave girl, on a few days past your 8 month birthday, to show me how to live life more fully; spending fewer moments worrying about obstacles, backup plans, and safety measures and more time basking in the unknown and seeking adventure in the most mundane situations, like our living room! I look to you my brave girl to remind me that anything that shines, flashes, spins, or makes noise is certainly worth my undivided attention.
All my love,
Momma
I'm so happy I randomly decided to look at your blog this afternoon. I was just thinking about this while watching Sawyer repeatedly fall on his face trying to crawl. You think about babies and kids not understanding consequences as a bad thing, but they would never learn how to walk (or anything else) without that kind of simple abondonment. We could all use a little more of that wonder and faith that everything will be fine when faced with a new situation, instead of having our minds automatically go to the possible problems and worst case senarios. Sometimes a little recklessnes is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteCharlie taught me another favorite kid-directed lesson a few months ago. He was eating chocolate pudding, and I have NEVER seen anyone enjoy something as much as enjoyed eating that pudding. It was like he was in his own little world of chocolate euphoria. He wasn't eating it AND trying to have a conversation, or watching TV, or worrying about how many calories were in it, or thinking about what he needed to get done that night. Every fiber of his being was focused on enjoying that pudding. It was amazing. I try to keep that in mind now and really take a moment to stop and enjoy what I'm doing more often. It's nice. And not always easy with two little boys to run after. But I guess that's something I should stop and really enjoy more often too :)
Hope things are going well! Maren is adorable. I'd love to meet her someday. You know, like before her college graduation which will be before we know it. Ugh. Weren't they just born yesterday?