1. On January 9th you figured out how to crawl. You had been thinking about it for a while, but you just seemed to rock back and forth on your knees for about a week. On this day I decided to tempt you with a cereal puff. I put it just out of your reach. You wiggled and stretched and flopped over so you could grasp it with the very tips of your fingers. Cheater. I moved it further away and tried again. Sure enough, you embarked on your first shaky crawl. Within about five minutes, you were motoring around the TV room in search of puffs. It was amazing to see how fast you were able to figure it all out!
2. On January 18th-22nd, Nona and Papa came to visit and help us while Daddy recovered from eye surgery. I was anxious to see how you would react to them, as you'd been better around Daddy but not many other people. You were great. Nona got to hold you and finally get the cuddling for which she had waited so patiently (for almost 8 months!). You were happy as a clam with both her and Papa! Papa was over the moon that you would finally spend time with someone other than me. He told me that you had made Nona's day. :)
This seems to have sparked a new chapter in your life, which I have entitled, "People Really Aren't as Bad as I Thought They Were." I finally figured out that if we treat you like a wild squirrel, you will respond positively to new interactions. My grandmother (Papaw's mother) used to sit on her back stoop and feed the squirrels. They would eat right out of her hand. Now, they didn't start off doing this. Mamaw had to slowly ease into their world, inching closer and closer day by day. The "wild squirrel shuffle" is how we convince you that it's really ok to sit next to someone other than me or Daddy. I sit right beside you as New Person enters the room. If you look anxious, I put you on my lap. We sit for a few minutes and visit, and I shift to sitting behind you, so you are in between me and New Person. Then I slowly scoot back, little by little, until you are much closer to New Person than to me. At that point, I can actually leave the room and you are fine. It's really something to witness. Thanks to Mamaw for the inspiration.*
3. Almost immediately after the crawling began, you started standing on your own. You would pull yourself up using some sort of furniture or person to help, and then you would simply let go. You started off being able to stand for only a brief second or two, but by the end of the month, you were standing for quite a while. The length of time you can stand is directly correlated to your excitement level. If you are very, very pleased with yourself, you start panting and bobbing and you are destined for the floor. The calmer the better for duration challenges!
4. January was also the "Month of a Thousand Sounds." You started sticking out your tongue, making pbbbbbb noises with your lips, and (much to Wyatt's delight) you discovered how to make tooting sounds with your mouth on certain toys. It's been a wonderland of slobber and hilarity. We love it! You make us laugh every day.
On the last day of the month, we finally got to have another playdate with the Poehners. You were much more interested in Leo than you've ever been before.
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| You couldn't pull Leo's hair because it's so short. That didn't stop you from trying, though! |
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| The start of a beautiful friendship. |
Don't forget that this was also the month of the sleep-training saga. Now you know why it's the middle of February and I've just finished writing January's news. What a month!
*Mamaw also planted bamboo in her backyard. If I'm ever inspired to do this, it is your job to hog-tie me down and refuse to let me go until I've come to my senses. Get your brother to help.
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