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Perfect afternoon
Aug. 2nd, 2013 08:28 pmI recently read The Happiness Project (review to follow), and while there's a bunch of stuff there I have no intention of doing or am already doing, I think it's made me once again commit to noticing when I'm happy.
Which may be part of why this afternoon is haloed.
Nothing special. Just happy. ARR and I went on a walk and then sat on a blanket in the park. He explored the fascinating texture that is grass. (Side note--he seems to know that he's not supposed to leave the blanket. He does this at home, too. He loves to poke at the edge of the blanket, and reach off the blanket, but he never deliberately tries to scootch off the blanket for some reason.) The weather was perfect. There were squirrels and flowers and other children to stare at. I called Chuckro around the time he was leaving the office to come and meet us. He stopped at the newly reopened ice cream store that we'd feared was killed by Sandy and brought us ice cream. (I'm carefully starting to reintroduce dairy. No ill effects yet.)
Watching ARR enthusiastically trying to walk (charge) across the grass while Daddy held his hands, I had the sudden realization of how I'm going to look back at this time as semi-idyllic. Oh, there is whining and messes and there have been three ear infections in the last two months. But ARR is such an endearing baby and I'm trying to revel in his babyness even as it slips away. He's eating real food (badly) and starting to babble (badly) and able to hold himself standing while clutching the couch. And I'm thrilled for him and doing my level best to help him propel himself into greater independence. But that doesn't mean I don't already miss my cuddly little newborn who wanted nothing more than to lie in my arms forever. And I will soon have, if current evidence means anything, a cheerful, chatty, social little toddler who wants to explore All The Things. Which will be its own kind of awesome. But it makes me realize how much I need to treasure this (and every) stage. And to savor his little baby sweetness.
Which may be part of why this afternoon is haloed.
Nothing special. Just happy. ARR and I went on a walk and then sat on a blanket in the park. He explored the fascinating texture that is grass. (Side note--he seems to know that he's not supposed to leave the blanket. He does this at home, too. He loves to poke at the edge of the blanket, and reach off the blanket, but he never deliberately tries to scootch off the blanket for some reason.) The weather was perfect. There were squirrels and flowers and other children to stare at. I called Chuckro around the time he was leaving the office to come and meet us. He stopped at the newly reopened ice cream store that we'd feared was killed by Sandy and brought us ice cream. (I'm carefully starting to reintroduce dairy. No ill effects yet.)
Watching ARR enthusiastically trying to walk (charge) across the grass while Daddy held his hands, I had the sudden realization of how I'm going to look back at this time as semi-idyllic. Oh, there is whining and messes and there have been three ear infections in the last two months. But ARR is such an endearing baby and I'm trying to revel in his babyness even as it slips away. He's eating real food (badly) and starting to babble (badly) and able to hold himself standing while clutching the couch. And I'm thrilled for him and doing my level best to help him propel himself into greater independence. But that doesn't mean I don't already miss my cuddly little newborn who wanted nothing more than to lie in my arms forever. And I will soon have, if current evidence means anything, a cheerful, chatty, social little toddler who wants to explore All The Things. Which will be its own kind of awesome. But it makes me realize how much I need to treasure this (and every) stage. And to savor his little baby sweetness.
