8 Months

Is it truly true?! I cannot believe Ms. June is 8 months! Wasn't she just 7 months yesterday?! This month she continues the fine art of cracking us up with her army crawls around the house and her funny faces and her toothy grin and her beautiful babble. Everyone and everything is "Dadada," even Dadada, himself. She thinks pureed baby food is for the birds (not to mention babies). But she is a big girl who likes green beans and carrots the way big girls eat them. Not to mention that she flips her shit when I shake the canister of rice puffs her direction (which, by the way, taste like mildly flavored, textured air) Lots of jumping and squealing insues. She sleeps with her butt in the air. With her arm wrapped around Sammy the Lamby. Oh, and she is obsessed with electrical cords. She can spot a cord from across the room and scoot there in 20 seconds flat. In a house full of cords, this is an issue. Right now, our temporary solution involves putting blankets and pillows over them, because, you know, thats really safe. Okay, we need a new child proofing plan, stat. Oh! And big news, June is sitting up, like a champ, just in time for the interventionist to come tomorrow morning. She'll probably tell me June Apple is a genius.

Animal Whisperer

In one of my classes this past week, we began talking about what influences children's interests. Is it entirely the 'nurture' that leads children down certain paths...say toy trains, or the Republican Party? Or are children born with innate leanings that shapes them? I'm sure its both, as thats how the whole nature/nurture thing usually works. When I was pregnant with June Apple, Amos' number one worry was that she wouldn't be a musician. My number one concern is that she wouldn't be funny. Clearly these are two talents that have served Amos and me well. And, naturally, we would want any child of ours to possess such social lubricating talents as these (who doesn't LOVE a funny musician?) And now, as we watch Juju's personality and individuality emerge, it has become evident that she does love music and she does love to laugh, so its looking good on those fronts.

There is also another love of June Apple's that has emerged that seems to be so innate. Something that clearly brings her so, so much joy. Animals. Whenever an animal comes close to June she shrieks with delight. Amos comes from a long line of animal whisperers. You know the type of folk who can get chipmunks to eat from their hand in 3 minutes flat. So its no wonder, June Apple has seemingly inherited this gift. Amos and I both have grown up with many beloved animals in our lives and we absolutely plan on encouraging this love of June's. Perhaps she'll become a vet, or a primatologist, like Jane Goodall. Or maybe she'll be an animal hoarder. Who knows? In the meantime, we will nurture her nature as much as we can. Luckily, we have two animals that are very tolerant of her screeching and tough love. Other animals, like the guinea pig, Peeve, are not as tolerant.

Sunday Reflection

A moment from the past week, that sums it up, when words don't suffice....

Rainy Day Man

‎4 years ago today, there was a double rainbow over Deer Mountain which ended in the Saxman Tribal House. For just a moment, it was a triple rainbow. Everyone should be so lucky as to have it rain on their wedding day! An amazingly blessed beginning to what has been a beautiful 4 years of marriage to an amazing friend, husband, and Papa. Happy Anniversary, Amos Hopkins...

A Sunday Reflection

A moment from the past week, that sums it up, when words don't suffice....

Today teeth, tomorrow boobs

I forgot to mention in my last post that June has TEETH! Two of them to be exact. The first tooth came at about 6 1/2 months and the second came a couple weeks later. The first one was a complete surprise...well, almost. At her 6 month check up, the doctor mentioned that she would be getting teeth soon, as her gums looked pretty swollen. But I had friends whose baby had swollen gums for 5 months with no teeth, so I didn't really hold my breath. And then one evening as I was putting her to bed, there it was! She hadn't even seems crabby or especially cranky to me. I couldn't believe it. I felt emotional, like she'd gotten her period or something. Our little girl is growing up so fast! Today teeth, tomorrow boobs. Okay, okay, maybe thats a bit of an over-reaction, but I really did feel like she has passed this huge milestone and was truly "growing up." Amos and I both realized that we could no longer let June Apple suck sweetly on our pinkies, which she has done for comfort since she was born. Shit, if she can't have that, she might as well move out and get her own place. She clearly doesn't need us anymore. Maybe I can convince her to stay.

Seriously speaking, I really did get a little choked up over her new tooth. At first I couldn't really name why it meant so much to me, but then I realized that getting teeth means that she has begun the process of moving away from me, more specifically, one day she will stop breastfeeding completely and only eat big people food. For some reason, when she started eating solids, I did not have this reaction. But her first tooth was real, physical proof that she is not always going to be my little baby who relies on me, solely, for her complete survival. And while much of me celebrates this milestone, another part of me mourns the inevitable evolution of our closeness, our proximity.

The days when she needed me....

Knashers and a Bad Parent Confession

June's second tooth did not come as gracefully as her first. After nearly two weeks of misery for all those involved, her second tooth, right next to her first, made its grand appearance. I have read that once the teeth break through, the pain lessens considerably, but June Apple is still pretty miserable and chews on everything (including me-more on that later), so I am guessing more teeth may be on their way.

Did I mention that these teeth are SHARP? We've had to learn together how to deal with biting. And here comes the mega- shameful parenting confession. I hit June Apple. Okay, hit might be a strong word. This was before her first tooth came in, but she was definitely teething, and she bit down especially hard while she was nursing. Without thinking about it, I screamed OUCH and bopped her on the head with my hand. Her response was to look at me a smile. My response was to consider turning myself in to Child Protective Services. I felt completely awful and horrified. Now, I did not bop her hard at all (clearly, because she smiled). But what disturbs me most, is that I did it without thinking. As if it was instinctual. Oh my God, I am a terrible, unfit mother, if my instincts are to harm my child. I never thought I would do something so awful. So, I think I need to do some soul searching about what that means, and check myself before I wreck myself (and, more importantly, June Apple).

Needless to say, she has gotten better about the biting, but I don't attribute it to my head bopping episode. I think that the fact that I stop feeding her momentarily whenever she bites me, hopefully, sends her the message that Biting=The Kitchen is Closed. We'll see what happens when she gets more teeth. In the meantime, I am hoping that my bopping instincts lie dormant.