A Couple of "Things"

Last week my Everett turned 8 months old.

Almost 8 months old

Just when I wished he would slow down this growing business, he started doing this thing where he wakes up and screams (way more than is acceptable for someone his age) during the night. That's when I say, grow. Please, grow out of that. Because I'll be honest, the whole night-waking thing is NOT fun. Now, don't get me wrong I love my baby, and I try to soak in my one-on-one time with him. However, I would just rather that time be during waking hours is all, when we're all a little bit more coherent, a little more rational, and a little bit less tired.  So please, feel free to grow out of THAT any time now little one.

But in the meantime, while I try to find the joy in waking up in the middle of the night (it WILL be coming to and end soon), I've been thinking about the past 8 months and some of the "things" that have been a part of Everett's baby-hood. These are things that I'm sure when I remember down the road, I will get a flood of memories from when these things made up Everett's world.

Take nursing for example, I will not be able to see one of these and not think of my experience learning to nurse for the first time.

I used it from day one in the hospital, and it served me well for the first few months. I'm sure when I think of My Brest Friend, I will remember the good with the bad, but mostly the good. Like the joy of holding my day old baby in awe of how tiny and how perfect he was, and the responsibility I felt knowing that he depended on me for food and. . . everything.

1 month and 9 days old

All of that nursing meant lots of pooping, and that business was taken care of on a changing table sort of like this one. (I got mine used off of Craigslist.) One day I might refinish it. One day I might finish Everett's room. . . 

Source

I will not be able to look at a dresser like this without remembering the first time I was peed on (which I think was the first time I changed his diaper at home. . . rookie mistake), and all of the other times he peed -- on me, on the curtains, on the wall, on the crib. . . he had quite the range :) And let's not forget the accidental poop mess. Piles of it. Let's just say that being the amateur diaper changer that I was, it was nice to be able to be at the perfect height cleaning up mess after mess. 

Along with the messy side of things, I'm sure this changing station will also remind me of the first time he smiled at me. I mean, really smiled. It wasn't just a reflex. (Although I loved those smiles too. They are what got me through some of the sleepless nights.) He must have been about a month and a half old. He looked right at me and grinned. It was the kind of smile that said "Hey, I know you, and I like you." It caught me off guard and I think I literally did a double take and all I could do was stare right back at him in complete shock. I wanted to say "do you really know who I am?" I just remember feeling my heart pound in my chest with such joy. He might as well have opened his mouth and said hi, it was that exciting to me. 

Almost 2 months old

Now it's almost more of a hazard to be up there since Everett CANNOT stay still and MUST climb up on EVERYTHING. So we are going to the floor now, but the dresser still gets used for itty-bitty clothes, that aren't so itty-bitty any more!

This is fun, I think I will continue this walk down memory lane. . . more baby "things" to come.