Our Super Trooper...

Last weekend was busy...

Seven hours in the car and we found ourselves in my hubby's hometown. We spent some time with Baby Bear's grandparents. We took out some time to also visit her 3 great-grandmas and a grand aunt (all separately). Towards the end of the weekend we managed to see some good friends and then packed ourselves back up for another 7-hour car ride home.

I was pooped.

Surprisingly, Baby Bear went through the whole weekend with a smile on her face. She enjoyed every moment and won over all the relatives with her charm. I felt bad throwing her into her car seat over and over again, but she seemed to take it all in stride.

What a super trooper.

She also picked up some interesting things on our trip...

She loved crawling under my in-laws coffee table. When I tried to pull her out, she would laugh and crawl away as fast as she possibly could. I didn't quite understand the fun of being under the coffee table, until Matt pointed out some drawings of his on the underside of the table from his childhood.

Great-grandma got a kick out of Baby Bear's talent at feet-sucking. Because great-grandma kept laughing, Baby Bear continued to suck her foot on purpose. What a ham!

Apparently, she's become quite the conversationalist. I'm not sure what she was telling my grandma in this picture, but she loved having a captive audience.

She's our super trooper.

Independence

Throughout our lives we slowly gain our independence, until one day we are on our own. As a baby I placed dependence on my mom and dad for nourishment, to pick me up and carry me places, and to change my diapers and keep me clean. As a child I depended on others for help understanding difficult things in life, to care for me when I was sick, to carry my burdens when I got tired. As a teen I depended on my parents for transportation, for funds, and for permission to attend certain events. Even in college, I was still dependent on my parents for at least a place I could call home and return on weekends and holidays. It was a twenty-something year process of slowly gaining my independence.

These days, I see the process already begun in Baby Bear. She won't let me feed her meals with a spoon anymore (She slaps my hand away when I try). I have to just chop up foods and leave it on her tray for her. I leave her a cup and her food. She happily feeds herself and sips her water.

She sits up, crawls around and happily plays on our livingroom floor. Even when she wakes up in the morning, she crawls over to her toys and keeps herself entertained. At naptimes, she takes her doll, sucks on her finger and falls asleep in her crib without rocking, without patting her.

9 months old and she's already exercising her independence.

Today, I brought her into our bed after she woke up. She crawled up to my side, doll in one hand and finger in her mouth, she lay down with her head on my arm. So I hugged her, and there she stayed until she fell asleep.

I'm glad she still needs me. I'm not ready to let her go just yet.

>

Hmmmm...

Do all babies do this? That is, do all babies smile with their mouths open?







Just curious, that's all...

Temper Temper...

I think Baby Bear just threw a temper tantrum.

I was feeding her breakfast (peaches and oatmeal), and in between bites she started to cry out at me and slap her table. I had no clue why she was doing that. Then she started yelling at me, slapping her table and pushing the spoon away from her whenever I came near. I gave up and I put her food down to wipe her face, but she started crying louder and started violently rocking in her chair. I was so confused.

So there I am just watching Baby Bear crying angrily (tears and snot!) in between rocking in her chair and slapping her table.

I just waited it out. What could I do?

When she finally calmed down, she made a noise, motioned towards the Cheerios box and then slapped her table. Apparently, she didn't want peaches and oatmeal. She wanted Cheerios.

Sheesh. She could have just said so.

Friends...

I have some wonderful friends. Some I have known only for a short while, some I have known since before I learned to walk. They are artists, businessmen (and women), doctors, lawyers, teachers, and more. They are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers. They are funny, serious, thoughtful, and lighthearted. They love their jobs, they hate their jobs, they dream about other jobs. We became friends in elementary school, or perhaps I met them in college. They've seen me change, and they've caused me to change. Some are blood-related, some are so close I call them family anyway.

I have some wonderful friends.

As I watch Baby Bear grow and change, it means so much to me that there are other kids around her age for her to grow up with. Some of them will become her dearest and valued friends.

As they grow, they will learn patience, responsibility, helping each other, cherishing each other, and supporting one another.

Baby Bear will have some wonderful friends.

Lost Art of Conversation

A couple weekends ago, Baby Bear and I went to Hazelnuut's birthday party. I realized while I was there that I have lost the ability to converse with adults. Okay, so I'm not the most outgoing person, and I'm terrible when it comes to small talk. I just felt like I had nothing to talk about with anyone. It's not a bad thing, I just didn't know how to talk to regular adults anymore. All those years of practice, and I lost it in a few short months.

I don't want to be one of those moms who always start conversations with, "My baby did the cutest thing today..." I love my Baby Bear, but I try not to be a gusher. So naturally, I don't bring up Baby Bear as my conversation initiator. Unfortunately, when you're carrying an 8-month old around who loves social events, she initiates the conversation herself.

But then, what else is there to talk about besides Baby Bear these days? Not much. She is so integrated into my life that she basically is my whole day. People don't really ask me how I'm doing these days. It doesn't bother me. I don't have much going on, so even if they ask, my response would be short and boring.

I was listening though...People were talking about their jobs, their marriages, their friends, their schooling, trips that they took or were going to take, moving plans, future plans, etc. I felt I had nothing of value to add to the conversation. So I just listened.

I guess that's just what I do best. So forgive me if I don't have much to say, but I'll definitely be waiting to hear what you have to say.