Milestones

Is it true? Is this little bug almost 9 months old?

How could I ever express how much I love this little soul? My heart literally aches when I think of it. Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done. Period. At times, it's exhausting, frustrating, and impossible; But the joys are indescribable.

When I was seven years old, my mom bought me a pair of lavendar double velcro tennis shoes. I wanted them so badly, and when she caved and let me have them--beautiful purple ones, not sensible white lace-ups like most practical mothers would purchase--I remember feeling loved. And as I held my feet up to admire them in the back seat on the way home that day, I remember smiling. "She must really love me. She got me purple tennis shoes."

When Brett bought me my first piece of jewelry and waited with it behind his back as I stepped off the plane, home from my week-long trip to Michigan, I remember feeling it again. Loved. It was a heart necklace in white gold with little diamonds curled around the edges. Then I read the card and the sweet words that his lefty hand must have labored so hard to neatly write. I knew it then. "He must really love me. He got me a heart necklace."

When I was reading books to her tonight, watching her pudgy fingers trace the pictures, her lash-laden eyes looking up at me seeking my recognition; her toothy grin reassuring me that my presence is all she needs; her arm resting subtly yet oh so deliberately on my knee to keep me close, I felt it...tears. They come often these days, brought on by the smallest of things. For years, I was confused about God and the portrayal of Him as someone to be feared. Someone who demanded perfection. Someone who I thought of only as scary. Out of reach. So far above me. But, now I know. He's right here. He gave me a gift so far valued above purple tennis shoes or diamond heart pendants. I know it now. "Wow. He must really love me. He gave me Everything."

--Kelle Hampton (Blogger, mother, photographer...Seriously, if you're not reading her blog, you should be.)

Tyler has been doing the "army crawl" since he was 5 months old. Lately, he has been getting up on his hands and knees, but only rocking back and forth. Yesterday he actually "crawled" to me from over 5 feet away. I was so proud of my little guy. He looks so funny as he's trying to figure it all out. Sometimes he'll get up on his hands and toes, but he will just get mad because it doesn't really work like that.

He's also sitting up on his own. This has been in the works for a few days now, but today he really started doing it regularly. And by "sitting up on his own", I mean that he will be "crawling", then he'll stop and sit up. After putting him down for his first nap today, he was crying so I went into his room to check on him after a few minutes and he was sitting up in his crib. This kid is going to be launching himself over the crib walls (just like his daddy used to) before I know what hit me.

He is not quite pulling up into a standing position yet. However, I think that it's quickly approaching. If I'm sitting on the floor, he will crawl to me and pull up to his knees while holding onto me for support.

Tyler has been teething. I thought his two top teeth had come in last week, but today I realized that had NOT happened yet. Hurricane Tyler has been wreaking havoc on our apartment, but the storm had subsided by this afternoon. I can feel both teeth and I'm hoping the others decide to stay put for a little while.

I don't know if it's because he has been teething or if it's just a stage he's going through, but Ty has been very needy of his mommy lately. He has been favoring me, but not in the cute way he had been favoring his dad. If he sees me, he starts whining and crawling towards me until he reaches my feet. Then he just cries until I pick him up. If I leave the room, he starts crying. It's very strange; I'm not used to this.

Tyler is now only taking two naps each day. This started when he turned 8 months old. Just so I can remember this later, here is Tyler's typical schedule:

6am: Wake up, 6 ounce bottle, 3 tbsp cereal, 2 ounces fruit
9am: 5 ounce bottle, down for a nap
10:30am: Wake up from nap
12pm: 2 ounces veggies, 2 ounces fruit
2pm: 5 ounce bottle, down for a nap
3:30pm: Wake up from nap
5pm: 2 ounces veggies, 2 ounces fruit
7pm: 8 ounce bottle, Bedtime

I was pretty excited to feed Tyler some new food, and I've spent hours making baby food this week, only to be rewarded by a shivering, gagging, and coughing baby after trying most of the things I made. Awesome.

I should record his various nicknames because I will surely forget later: Benjamin Button, Magoo, Monkey, Mister, Boo Boo, Hurricane Tyler, Ty-Ty, Osborne Cox, Bugaboo, Tylerest. I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting. Our future children will have no nicknames because we've used them all up on Tyler.

Some mornings I find Tyler in Buster's cage:



With his Louisville Slugger from Papa:


In 3 weeks, I am off to Michigan for a friend's wedding. I will be leaving my baby boy for the first time. It will be hard, but this milestone had to come sooner or later.