Happy New Year! Lately, every time I write a post (which isn’t often) I feel like I need to apologize for my increasingly long periods of absence.
Sorry!
Okay, I feel better.
Honestly though, posting is getting more and more difficult as the boys get older. Those ‘lil rascals seem to think I am here for their pleasure and only their pleasure. If I try to sit down at the computer during their waking hours it quickly fades from an attempt to compose a post to two boys on my lap watching home videos. I’m not complaining. My two bits of deliciousness will win over a blog post any day of the week, but I do miss writing and documenting the everyday ins and outs of life with my boys. Lately I seem to be napping when they nap and I go to bed pretty much when they go to bed so that doesn’t leave much time for writing.
This year I am hoping to write more often. I’m plagued with mommy guilt over the fact that this blog has well documented the first 2 years of Charlie’s life, but has barely anything to say about Henry. While we are riding this guilt train, I also feel bad that we have a million photos of Charlie and barely any of Henry. I always said I wouldn’t be the parent who failed to capture all of the milestones of baby #2, but in fact, I have become that mom. It’s just so much harder to capture the details when you have 2.
One thing I have been quite good at is documenting Henry’s monthly birthday. He hates it. I don’t know if we have had one month where he hasn’t burst into tears when trying to capture his picture. Here are some of my favorite month to month crying shots from months 1, 6, 8, 9 and 10. It’s also amazing to see how he has evolved in 10 months from a puffy eyed newborn into baby boy.
Henry I apologize in advance for deriving so much pleasure from your tears, but they are absolutely and irresistibly adorable.
The boxer
6 months and he hasn’t quite learned to dislike the chair, although he kept vacillating from tears to smiles.
A hat, a rattle and a giraffe couldn’t keep the tears away.
We got so many cute, happy photos during his 9 month shoot, but this one is by far my favorite. I mean, that face!
At this point, his response is Pavlovian. We put him in the chair, he cries. This time we couldn’t even get him to sit up for a few pictures before the meltdown.
In other news, Henry just took his first step (yesterday) and did it again today! He is 10 months old, has yet to roll over, but is crawling, standing on his own, cruising, and now apparently on the verge of walking. This is all happening so fast! I feel like I haven’t even had a chance to appreciate the last 10 months because I have been so worried about his tummy issues, the fact that he hasn’t rolled over, the fact that he doesn’t eat solids, Charlie’s jealousy issues, moving and the daily nuances of life in general. Dumb move on my part.
Here’s a fun fact I’ve learned looking back on it all — babies/kids eventually do all of the things they are supposed to do. They may be ahead of the curve or behind the curve, but they eventually get where they need to be. From now on, instead of stressing out over every missed milestones I’m going to attempt to stay present and enjoy the special things both my boys are doing at this particular moment.
Right now I am very present and thankful that Charlie’s jealousy over Henry is turning into a genuine love for his little brother. It took 10 months but we have finally made it out of the “I want to throw Henry in the garbage” phase. Yes, Charlie frequently said he wanted to throw Henry away. But now he doesn’t! He wants to play with Henry, crawl with Henry, sleep in the same room as Henry, give Henry bottles and give Henry kisses when he falls. Ahh! Finally! It’s like a breath of fresh air to see how much the ‘lil guys love each other.
And with that, this grateful mama is off to bed. Yes, I do realize it is 8pm. That’s how I roll… and also why I don’t have time to write anymore. And we’ve come full circle.
Tags: 10 month bliss, 23 months apart and feeling the love, no pics for baby 2, parent guilt
