Most people, if they remember the beginning through foggy, sleep-deprived memories, they don't usually tell me how fun the brand-spankin-newborn phase was. For me it was pure bliss. I fell so madly in love with that baby so frighteningly fast! He was so relaxed, slept "through" the night at about 3 weeks, and loved to snuggle.
Then before I knew it, he decided to wake up. He turned into the real Mason and never looked back. Now, that's not to say that I don't love the new Mason just as much if not more, but he is definitely not the easy, chill baby he came here being. We had our months of colic (p.s. I hate that term), reflux, rivers of spit-up, screaming, allergies and intolerances, and cardboard diets, but we all survived. Somehow during all that the child figured out he could sit up and crawl, but little did we know that the early mover would decide not to walk until he neared his birthday. My big plans for making all his baby food myself, much of it grown in our own backyard, completely and utterly backfired when the precious darling refused to eat any solid food for a full two months after we introduced it. He chose to eat such baby-friendly foods as celery sticks, olives, rice cakes, cucumbers, beans, apple slices. Applesauce? No way. He had to be in control of the situation and any spoons that tried to airplane into his mouth were flung across the room as he sputtered food in your face... and on the blinds... and in your hair. Good times.
So far, I think the biggest thing I've learned from the little person, besides selflessness, is that I really am not in control. He made sure that I started that lesson early. It's not about me at all, at least not for now. It's not my job to force him to do anything, even at such a very young age, but rather to show him the way, teach him about things (everything), and hopefully guide him to being able to control himself. You might think I sound crazy talking like that about a baby, but even at 6 months old this boy not only knew when he shouldn't touch something, but actually showed that he was learning how to resist the urge to do it anyway. Most adults I know (ahem, me!) can't even do that! I'm not saying he never does things he shouldn't, quite the contrary, really. But I'm often reminded that he is a person who is learning just like the rest of us, not a pet that needs to be "broken" of things.
The craziest part of all? The fact that we've just barely gotten started on this adventure! Words can't express how much I love that kid and I've only known him for a year! I'm so thankful that he and Heavenly Father decided to let us be his parents.
Let's hope we still like it as much when he starts talking ; )
No comments:
Post a Comment