Sliced bread

OK, I know it’s a little drab when someone goes on and on about their kid. I remember when I started blogging for P&N, and someone said to me, “It’s great to have an outlet to brag on baby.” She was totally right, but the bragging didn’t show up as quickly as one would think. My writing has been very reflective of my personal feelings, as I’ve navigated this season of my life. However, this post is definitely going out to my daughter, Bellamy, because I just HAVE to brag about her perfection.
If the eye rolls have started, I totally get it! The truth is the more you get to know your baby, the more you fall in love with her. When a baby is new, the return of emotional connection is sparse, and you don’t get a true feel for her personality until later on. Once Bellamy’s personality started to emerge, we were instantly enamored with her humor, her wit and her charming ability to play games.
One thing I find fascinating as a first-time mom is my baby’s ability to develop a pattern. For example, my husband plays music and will practice from time to time at home. During one of his days watching Bellamy, he showed her how to strum the strings of an electric guitar. She started this pattern of strumming the guitar and then doing this little wiggle dance afterward. She did it so many times in a row he was able to get a great video of her strumming and wiggling, strumming and wiggling. As a parent, my initial reaction is to wonder, How does she know what a pattern is? And how did she create this pattern out of thin air? No one taught her how to dance! She’s only 8 months old! Once she realized it generated attention, she kept performing. She is a total attention-lover.
Another thing I can’t get enough of is the baby talk. Baby babble is the best. If you’re having a bad day, just listen to a baby go on and on about who knows what with an occasional “dada!” and “nana!” thrown into the mix. Bellamy talks herself to sleep during naptime, talks to herself upon waking up, talks to herself on car rides (which definitely beats screaming) and will also babble to strangers. She is so, so happy. She honestly lights up the room. I never encounter others without some sort of recognition. I know I don’t share her face with many, but trust me when I say she has a face that attracts many. She’s basically a baby celebrity, and I am definitely a fan girl.
One last thing I find particularly adorable is how she falls asleep at night. She sleeps in her own crib, but she will sometimes hang out with us in bed and doze off before we move her to her own space. She has a ritual she does every night where one hand goes in her mouth (thumb-sucker) and the other holds the hand of the parent next to her. She then looks side to side to make sure we are both with her a handful of times before she allows herself to fall asleep. If we get up for any reason, she throws a fit, so thankfully it only takes about five minutes. It may sound like we are being held hostage, but we love it! We think it’s the sweetest!
I could go on. I really could because watching your kids grow and literally become people is so amazing. One day it’s noticing they can hold the bottle on their own, and the next it’s watching them speak full sentences (hopefully something nice!). I’m in a total honeymoon phase of thinking my child is extra special and recognizing the absolute gift she is in my life. She is nothing short of a miracle I received. I am nothing short of the most blessed woman to be her mom! I officially crossed over into the other side of parenting, where you annoyingly brag about your kid and literally think they are the best thing since sliced bread. My kid is totally the sliced bread.