Tag: 8 kids

My birthday present to myself was to relax and consciously enjoy my baby.


Her birthday present to me was to start walking.  Not her first steps; she’d already taken those, but walking across the room.




In a couple of hours I watched her default setting switch from crawling to walking.




Even when her legs got tired, she preferred holding my finger to being on her hands and knees.


It was a precious afternoon.  I’m so excited for her and for all the new adventures that she will now undertake on foot around our house.  She’ll be running soon, but I hope it’s a very long time before I lose moments like this:


Sigh.  Love this girl.

HH

Today my baby is 11 months old.


I set aside time this morning before church to take some pictures.  We went outside and she did this.


She’s got three new teeth in her mouth this morning, and by 9 a.m. it had already been a long day.


The only time she was cheerful was when her big sister joined her and their backs were to me.


Some things I want to remember about her at this age:

She loves to squat on her feet, then stand up in the middle of the room (instead of climbing up on something and then letting go) She’s taken 4 steps on her own.
She likes to steal her sister’s passa.
Yesterday morning she woke up saying “ma ma da da” in her crib.  So cute!
She’s amazing on her knees.  She can rotate from knees to feet and turn in a complete circle with her hands in the air.  I’ve never seen anything like it.
She loves to kneel, sitting on her heels and then bounce.  She can get her body completely off the floor by bouncing too hard.
She hasn’t met a food she doesn’t like.
She still likes to lay her head on my shoulder.  Now she puts one arm up around my neck and gives me a big squeeze at the same time.
She can sit in a “v” when she’s in the grass, with arms and legs up to avoid being pricked.
She loves being in the bath, and especially likes to stick her head under the faucet.


She’s a cutie, even when she’s hurting.

Hopeful Homemaker

My little one conquered the stairs in one great climb.
(Note:  the pictures aren’t great, but all that matters to me is that I witnessed it and was able to get pictures at all!)












Then she was on her way down the hall to the toy room and all the big kids (her fan club).

Watching children grow is bittersweet.  I was at once filled with happiness for her independence, satisfaction with her growth, and sadness that in 2 minutes I watched a part of my precious baby disappear – forever.  That familiar heart-clenching ache and tears stinging my eyes were a silent salute to all that growth entails, the beginnings and the endings, and as much as I’d like it all to just pause , I know that the best course is to gather yet another moment into my heart and adjust.  It’s what mothers do.

Hopeful Homemaker