We have had a lot of changes around here with my little man. Just this past week he has started sitting up and at just about the same time, he has started to army crawl! I can’t believe it. He doesn’t make much progress yet, but if there is a toy on the floor in front of him, he is going to get it eventually. Luckily, he’s not too fast, so we can catch him before he grabs something he shouldn’t.
This stage in a baby’s life is so fun, but it is also a lot more work. Finding ways to entertain the baby gets harder in some ways. But, easier too. My kids are so cute with their little brother. Now that he is older, and sitting up more, and getting more interactive, they are even more in love with their little brother. They run to him and give him hugs when he first wakes up in the morning. And, they want to give hugs and kisses before they go to bed at night. But, now that he is more aware, they love to play games with him like peek-a-boo. They also sing him songs. My little man just smiles at all of it. He definitely knows what is going on. He has even become more aware of trying to mimic behavior. If I show him how to bang two things together, he will try to do it and you can see his little brain working even though he doesn’t quite have the fine motor skills to make it happen yet. I am constantly putting him in the room with the kids now. He is safe from all the little tiny toys my big kids have because he stays in the saucer, but he just loves watching them play.
Last, it seems like my little guy has also become a lot more wiggly. Gone are the days where I could hold him in my lap and he would sit still. Instead, he wants to bounce, jump, lunge for something, grab anything, and be an all out crazy baby in my arms. It is fun, but it can also be exhausting. Regardless, the endless smiles that I get from my baby make holding him a lot of fun. Even if it is a workout for my arms!
Enjoying each stage of the first year is very important. Don’t get caught up in thoughts like, “I can’t wait until…” Instead, find the joy in what they are doing right at every moment. Even if it makes you want to take a nap!