Tonight, just before shuttling Kenny off to his bath, Casey found a video of Kenny from March 26. Doesn’t sound so dramatic, but I couldn’t believe my eyes at the little Wiggler that was on the screen. He had no teeth. He could strenuously roll himself over, but not yet crawl. He was barely eating rice cereal. He had a bald spot on the back of his head. As I watched the video roll, my mouth gaped open. I see him all day, every day… I had no idea how much he had changed! To be honest, I almost didn’t believe that it was really baby Kenny I was watching on the screen, that he really used to be that small and immoblile. The only thing that was the same was his wild cackle. His laugh hasn’t changed a bit.. it just got bigger.
It started me thinking on all the things just this week that he has learned. He has started repeating whatever I say, however garbled it might be. “Waffle!” “Ouusside!” (outside), and “BaTiiiii” (bathtime) are pretty clear as new words. The rest of what he repeats is mostly just vowels with haphazard consonants thrown in.
He’s also been mimicking my actions more. I was dusting earlier today and, noticing that he was watching, started singing, “Dust, dust dust” as I skimmed the furniture with the feather duster. Kenny reached for it, then spent ten minutes “dusting” every bit of furniture he could reach, singing, “Da, da, da!” When I got out of the shower, he hopped in (after opening the sliding door himself), and grabbed the squeegee and started wiping down the walls, just as I had done moments before. I am already formulating a plan to play “Let’s clean the house!” in the very near future…
He is also starting to do what I tell him to, when I simply state what I want. It’s a little amazing that he reacts and does what I say. A good reminder that he understands more than I give him credit for. Thank goodness he hasn’t learned how to say, NO! yet…
My favorite new skill he has acquired is that he’s learning to give hugs and kisses. My heart melts so, I swear I can see it in puddles on the floor. And he really squeezes, too. Tonight as Casey took him upstairs to bed, I asked for a hug and he reached for me and wrapped his little spider arms tight around my neck and nuzzled in. He really is a little kid.
And he is almost fully weaned. We’re down to one or two nursing sessions a day. I didn’t expect it, but the one that he’s not letting go of is mid-morning. He’s fine going to bed (as long as it’s someone other than me!), fine waking up (as long as there’s an eggo in the toaster pronto!), but there’s something about the mid-morning that sends him over to our living room couch where he looks up at me with those huge brown eyes, smiles, and signs, “milk?” I had said that November 1 was my goal, and we may not be more than a week away. I’m going to miss it, I have to admit. He’s so kinetic that nursing is the only time I can guarantee that he’ll relax in my arms and let me snuggle with him. But I guess Boys will be Boys.