There's a big grassy patch behind our townhouse that belongs to a family that owns the sprawling white farmhouse and once owned the land where Cedar Creek is built. Stephen was watching the birds from the backdoor while playing in his exer-saucer and we were both getting a little stir-crazy. So I packed up a big bag of magazines and water bottles and toys and a blanket and toted it out over the the squishy mud of community gardens past to a spot dappled in sunlight and shade from an old cedar tree. Stephen was kind enough to pose and look his utmost adorable self while I took his portrait.
Lately I've been a little anxious. I got really behind on reading my "What to Expect the First Year" and didn't realize that several milestones slipped through the cracks in the last month or so while I've been busy with various freelance projects and house hunting. Anyhow, I know my son is gifted, but he didn't start sitting on his own until recently and he's just now learning to feed himself Cheerios and gags on most of them. Not really a big deal in the whole scheme of things.... but immediately the flood of guilt washed over me: Am I not coaching him to try the skills that are appropriate for his age? Do I hold him too much? Is he neglected? Is he smothered with attention that's robbing him of the independence to try new things???? Gahh!
Well. Stephen is just Stephen. And he's fine. So what if he has no teeth. Or hasn't mastered the stomach to sitting position move? (Heck, I don't think he's even thought of it.) He can sit still for five minutes and focus on a tiny chipping sparrow plucking dandelion seeds from the stalk. He notices butterflies and fat house flies as they whiz by in the afternoon sun. He thinks the noise of a dog barking is hilarious and lets out a big belly laugh to show it.
I could spend all my time trying to get him to crawl or feed himself a cracker... but I'm sure those things will come in their own time. So maybe it's best to just focus on the milestones that are meaningful to me. He's becoming a happy little person who observes the things I also find inspiring.
There's a big grassy patch behind our townhouse that belongs to a family that owns the sprawling white farmhouse and once owned the land where Cedar Creek is built. Stephen was watching the birds from the backdoor while playing in his exer-saucer and we were both getting a little stir-crazy. So I packed up a big bag of magazines and water bottles and toys and a blanket and toted it out over the the squishy mud of community gardens past to a spot dappled in sunlight and shade from an old cedar tree. Stephen was kind enough to pose and look his utmost adorable self while I took his portrait. 
Lately I've been a little anxious. I got really behind on reading my "What to Expect the First Year" and didn't realize that several milestones slipped through the cracks in the last month or so while I've been busy with various freelance projects and house hunting. Anyhow, I know my son is gifted, but he didn't start sitting on his own until recently and he's just now learning to feed himself Cheerios and gags on most of them. Not really a big deal in the whole scheme of things.... but immediately the flood of guilt washed over me: Am I not coaching him to try the skills that are appropriate for his age? Do I hold him too much? Is he neglected? Is he smothered with attention that's robbing him of the independence to try new things???? Gahh!
Well. Stephen is just Stephen. And he's fine. So what if he has no teeth. Or hasn't mastered the stomach to sitting position move? (Heck, I don't think he's even thought of it.) He can sit still for five minutes and focus on a tiny chipping sparrow plucking dandelion seeds from the stalk. He notices butterflies and fat house flies as they whiz by in the afternoon sun. He thinks the noise of a dog barking is hilarious and lets out a big belly laugh to show it. 
I could spend all my time trying to get him to crawl or feed himself a cracker... but I'm sure those things will come in their own time. So maybe it's best to just focus on the milestones that are meaningful to me. He's becoming a happy little person who observes the things I also find inspiring.
