You can do all the planning and list making in the world for your birth scene, nursing, sleeping, eating, pooping, and playing needs, but you always comes back to being humbled by this little person in your life to put all your plans aside and just be whatever he needs you to be. Before I had Jack, I was a person who liked to plan. I was a list-maker. Who am I kidding, I still am, when I can be, and I am already planning my list of things to bring with me to Nashville in about 2 weeks… My favorite part of any story is the preparation for the journey ahead. But being a mom to Jack, he’s taught me that sometimes, lists are really just good for eating.
Jack is 10 months old today, and has already had some great experiences to put on his Great List. He’s been to Michigan, Tennessee, Deleware, and South Carolina. He’s eaten hummus, cherries, spinach sauteed with garlic, and a teensy bit of chocolate cake (and other stuff, of course, like dill pickles and lemon, and, oh yeah, actual baby-type food).
He’s been to a beach and hung out on the front lawn and been to the Adironacks. He loves the sun on his face and the wind in his long hairs. He got his third tooth today, a real beauty of a right canine, and the left canine is not far behind. Without the other top four middle teeth, though, he looks a bit vampy. It will only get better worse the longer they get, and I can’t wait to take pictures. I mean, poor kid, people will think he’s evil.
At night, when we put Jack down for bed, he’s started to stand in the corner of his crib and bang on the top rail. Tonight, when Ben went in to go lay him on his back, Jack was almost asleep standing up with his head on the rail. When he heard Ben, though, he jerked his head up and started crying, as if he suddenly remembered what it is he was supposed to be doing.
I love that he will crawl up to me, and scale me like a ladder to plant a big open-mouth kiss on whatever part of my face he can reach. I love that he accosted the little neighbor girl and kissed her, too, and she put up her hand all like “oh no…stay back!” and kept trying to get away from him. What can I say… he likes being affectionate, and I love that he is.
He’s learned how to take things out of boxes. But not put them back. I hear that this won’t ever be something he learns. I’m not sure either of us are the parents who can teach him that, either!
[crack was intentional]
I love that he has learned how to lure the cats to him with a cat toy,
and has an obsession with the broom and dustpan.
I love that he can’t handle dominoes stacked up and I take advantage of his inability to sit down from a standing position to taunt him.
So, happy birthday to my boy, who has a long list of things he can do ahead of him. I hope I can help him to accomplish some of them, and encourage and help when he needs it.
