Baby Shuffle

Watching a tiny human in the first year of their life is a sight to behold.

I find myself constantly in a state of wonderment at each small accomplishment and subtle development. It will never cease to amaze me that she can fall into a deep sleep in the evening and then wake up the next morning having “learnt” something while in dreams. A new sound she can make with her voice, a new flick of the wrist, or lately, the spunk to try forward solo movement on the ground. It’s amazing, the awe and joy that I experience watching her learn the smallest things. Somehow, it’s the diminutive things that mean the most to me. 

That said, this week’s venture into wide-scale movement has me mesmerized. August has been a collection of small victories leading us to today. Today, the day that Louella set her sights on a sock that she wanted to hold, all the way across the room. Instead of forlornly eyeing it, acknowledging it was beyond her capabilities, and settling with what was at hand, she started her half-raised army crawl. The past few weeks she has graduated from rolling to a destination, pushing herself backwards (accidentally to another destination) and reaching with all her might while pulling herself forward with the other hand to an object she wanted to, more often than not, taste. Because we are teething now as well. 

It’s incredible how much happens in the first year of life. The days seem to roll into each other, but 6 months ago seems like a lifetime ago. With how quickly this year is going by… I’m afraid I’ll wake up one day soon and she’ll be 18 and packing her bags (is it unrealistic to hope she’ll live here forever?). 

If one thing is for sure, it’s that this little bebe has entranced me. I will never stop internally (and usually visibly) celebrating her triumphs, little and large.