Pops here.
On Saturday Miss Bug will be 9 months. I maintain that this is going even faster for me than it does for parents who start younger. Ever since age 25 I feel like that scene in Star Wars when they go into hyper drive. Remember that? Still and placid stars in an instant blur into infinite lines and you are hopelessly catapulted into the future, each moment exponentially shorter than the last. I know most of you know of what I speak, but I have a way of stumbling upon “epiphanies” that are basically common sense and common to everyone. I tend to be a little slow…
Enough about me! Booger is crawling around like crazy. She’s so very fast, and even more stealthy; a moments diverted attention and she’s in the kitchen or her room or trying to get out the front door. She pulls herself up onto everything, whether it’s stable enough to support her or not. (papa prays that this trend does not figuratively follow her into adolescence…) She used to pull herself up and then panic when she realized that she didn’t have a clear plan on how to get down. Then she discovered the convenience of a diapered butt. Her Grandmother gets such a kick when baby stands up, looks around for a second, then leans back, and with a little *thud* is on her butt, rolls back to her knees and is off to explore more.
Speaking of Grandmother (yes, she actually prefers that moniker. ha), Boog and I dropped in for a surprise visit to Grandmother’s work yesterday. While she didn’t have long to visit, she was ecstatic. She snatched baby from my arms and proudly presented her to all her employees. Needless to say she was a hit. Grandmother put her on the bed of a tow truck and took a few staged shoots with baby’s hand on a ratcheting tie-down strap. Then papa and baby did some tricks for our captive audience, demonstrating lil’ miss’ strength and complete lack of fear. haha…
Yesterday the family also visited our first daycare. This was a real wake-up for me. My daughter’s going to have to be out in the world, away from our protective hands, with other kids who will demonstrate useful as well as not-so-useful habits, and will be watched over by adults I’m going to have to learn how to trust. But they haven’t seen her every milestone and they don’t know all her little quirks and preferences!!! No no… It’ll be fine, pops. These people are trained and caring; some of these kids are pretty advanced as well. Our daughter is flummoxingly observant, imitating much of our speech and mannerisms. I think being around kids similar in age to her will be better than just staying home will me. Not to mention these facilities often have more educational toys and more room for her to wander around and explore without someone rushing to take something from her or stopping her from eating something. That, and the time… I try very hard to do things with her at home. We read stories, I get down on the floor and play with her… But I’m often tired from working the night previous. And she’s extremely social, which translates to clingy when it’s just me around. If there are others in the room with whom she can freely engage and disengage, she’s a rather independent player/learner. No, this will be good. Thanks for your help talking me through that. :~P
Booger just woke up, so I’ll have to try and post more another time. Take care!
