The Lunge and Grab

Little Man has added a new skill to his repertoire of abilities: the lunge and grab.

Little Man has been reaching for objects for quite some time now but has recently discovered that even though he can't crawl or walk, there are ways of getting himself to objects he desires. And that way is to propel himself at the object with all his force.

For example: Husband and I were eating dinner on the floor and playing with Little Man. Husband was helping the baby stand and supporting him around the waist. Little Man bent those knees and pushed with all his might, surprising both his Dad and myself--and launching himself into my plate of tacos. Floor, meet my dinner.

Since Husband and I have gotten wise to the launch attempts when we're helping Little Man stand, he has had to figure out alternate ways to try to abscond with objects he isn't supposed to have (like my taco). He scootches inch by inch while sitting on his bum towards his desired target, then flops himself onto his stomach and streeeeeches out his hands until he gets what he wants. He has gotten many a magazine and game controller that way, and last night he got his hands in the bowl of M&M's for a brief moment.

This new-found freedom of being able to reach and grab things has led to placemats being pulled off the table, items found in the shopping cart that I didn't put there, and the discovery of the "ring this if you've had good service" bell at Kroger. You should have seen the look of pure joy on his face when he found that.

Since the discovery of the Lunge and Grab and the fact that crawling is going to happen any minute now, baby proofing is no longer imminent--it's downright necessary.

Baby Loves

Happy Hearts Day! In honor of Little Man's first Valentine's Day, a few things...

...He loves:
--Bananas and squash
--Waking up to find both his parents at home
--Story time at the library
--His jungle floor gym
--Mommy and Daddy's bed
--His Fisher Price telephone
--Playing with clean laundry

...He gives coveted baby kisses to:
--Daddy
--Mommy
--The baby in the mirror
--The giraffe on his floor gym
(kisses occured in that order)

...That make him laugh:
--Daddy's sneak-attack kisses
--Getting Mommy's glasses off her face
--Being the person on the bus that gets to go "up and down"
--Having his hands washed

...And a few things he doesn't love:
--carrots. Still.
--Getting his diaper put on
--Being on his back. Still.
--Having his face cleaned
--Having anything near his nose (tissue, etc.)

And his most favorite thing in the world? Watching ESPN with his Dad in the mornings. Still.

And it always makes me smile.

I Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident, Volume Two

As the mother of a 6-month old boy, I hold these truths to be self-evident:

--Drool happens.

--You will get peed on.

--When sitting in the highchair and playing with a toy, the toy will eventually be dropped over the side that is the furthest away from you.

--Taking an item away is the best way to make said item desirable.

--The most fascinating toy in the house is the remote control. FYI, this is a truth whether your son is 6 months or sixty.

--You will do laundry. Lots and lots of laundry. You have no idea how much laundry you'll do.

--You will begin to add "-ums" to the end of everything: "it's time for lunch-ums! What are we having today? Squash-ums!"

--Hair is no longer a beauty accessory for you. It is a mobile that hangs off your head for your baby.

--You will treasure every single moment of sleep you can get. Some days, you will get a lot of sleep. Do not let this lull you in a false sense of security that the baby is finally on a pattern. It will change. Enjoy it while you have it.

--The biggest compliment you can receive is not about an outfit, your hair, or a raise at work. It is "what a beautiful baby!"

--When your baby tries to make eye contact with someone at the grocery store, smiles at them, and gets ignored, you will have the incredible urge to punch the person.

--You will have discovered that your heart no longer beats inside your chest--it now resides on the outside, in the form of giggles, teeny tiny toes and fingers, and baby kisses. Be good to your heart.

7 Hours

It's raining, it's pouring
The baby is snoring
Went to bed
At 9 PM
And slept until 4 in the morning