Charming Our Pants Off

Many many months ago when we EH was only about two months old and we were still those painfully difficult early months where there is no schedule and no sleep and not much of anything but baby and chaos, we went to a wedding where DH asked one of the guests what her "favorite age" of her kids was.  She said, in a sort of whimsical tone, (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Oh, I don't know... I know its sounds crazy but I like all of the ages. I think they're all good." 

In my mind I was thinking, "Woman, you are crazy.  There is nothing good about the age of two months!"

And I am not here today to tell you that my opinion on that has changed. I still can't find many redeeming qualities of two months old.  (Sorry baby lovers - harsh, but true.)  But now that EH is over 13 months old, I have an inkling of understanding with what she meant about each age being good in it's own way. 

Ever since EH turned about 6 months (basically, ever since we pulled him out of day care) he's been healthy and growing and charming our socks off each and every day of his life.  Each month we love him more, and each month we remark on how "this age" is our new favorite ago. 

He's seriously the light of our lives. In the morning his goofy smile is brighter than any sun that may or may not decide to come up that day - the smile is always there.  He can charm the pants off of anyone he meets with his southern accented, high pitched "Hhhiiiii!" He is oozing with personality, picking up on new words, forming new habits, mimicking things that he sees us do. 

There are so many moments in the day when he does something and it makes me stop whatever it is that I am doing because I realize that I need to be more physically and emotionally present for him in the few hours of each day that I get with him.  I look away for a moment and I could miss one of the cutest things he's ever done.  Lately he has protested when we pick him up from his babysitting - he would rather stay with her than come home with us.  This made me sad in a sense, but then I realized that I don't blame him.  When he's home with us DH and I are usually both doing something else - cooking dinner, washing dishes, lesson planning, reading something on the internet or one our phones.  When he's with the babysitter he has the dedicated attention of something who is kind and loving and is giving him the feedback that he is looking for.  Too often he doesn't get feedback from us unless he's getting into trouble of some sort, or unless he's fallen and hurt himself. 

My god, are we crazy!?!? That's totally not right!  He may NEVER be this fun, or cute, or charming, or innocent, or at the very least, this "13 months" old age ever again.   Look at that face in that picture above!!!! How in the WORLD could dishes be more important than that? I know I've said this before, and I feel like it needs to be said again because it's SUCH an important thing that I want to remember.

Be more present. 


That is my goal.  It's harder than it sounds, but I already know it's worth it.