Sunny days

Chase fell asleep after music class today. This has become a routine for us due to the timing of class clashing with the usual nap time. But today I decided it was far too sunny to sit in the garage while he slept. Instead, I stopped it at home quickly to grab some magazines (that I rarely have time to read) and headed to Sellwood Riverfront Park. I sat in the parking lot with a view of the river and read my latest Sunset while Chase napped.

And then the inevitable happened - someone noisy parked next to us and Chase woke up. Instead of going home, I popped him into the Ergo and we went for a walk along the river. We also walked along the dock, and I let Chase out to crawl around. He loved it, despite the rough wood. Well, how would he not? We were practically IN the water :-)
It was so peaceful, and wonderful to be out in nature. It made me feel so ready for spring! I'm loving these sunny days.

One Year Old!

Dear Chase -

It is hard to believe that it's been a whole year since I stood next to a hospital bed push, push, pushing you out of my body. Though you were small and slippery, it wasn't an easy task, and I was very tired when you finally arrived. But oh! what a thrill it was to finally see your face! You looked at me with such amazement and wonder, and I'm sure I looked back the same. It seems the three of us - you, me, and Daddy - couldn't take our eyes off each other for days after you joined our family. Your little fingers curled around Daddy's big one; your tiny mouth latched onto my giant-seeming breast. We both thrilled to hold you skin to skin, feel your breath, feel your heart.

You have grown so much since then, and not just in size. You can do so many things now that I had a hard time picturing you accomplishing back then - you can crawl like a speed demon, babble like your Grandma Lonnie, and hit the high notes of an opera diva. Though you only have 6 teeth, you like to munch on whole apples, love carrots, potatoes, and green beans, and have start "demanding" that you eat exactly what Daddy and I do.

Every day now it seems you do something you couldn't or didn't do the day before. This week, you have started "offering" us items (or are you merely showing them to us?) - holding them out in your hand, putting them into our hands, then taking them back. One day soon, you will walk. You will utter your first words. You will draw, drum, and continue to delight us just by being you.

We love you with all of our hearts, Chaser. Like we never thought possible.

Love, Mama and Daddy

Chase at one week:

Chase at (almost) one year:

Chop chop!

I knew it would happen one day - the mom hair. I got to where I could no longer stand Chase tugging on it while he nursed, so one night last week, I asked the hairdresser to chop it off. What I hadn't entirely counted on was losing the last of my blonde hair. I've always been blonde, from my days as a towheaded toddler, through gloriously golden teenaged years, and finally into my highlighted 30's. Now? Mouse brown. ugh.

It's taken me a week, but I like it now. Or maybe I've just gotten used to it. Either way, I no longer bash my neck when brushing my hair, and I've figured out the right amount (much less!) of shampoo to use. Still working on the styling. I figure by the time I figure that out, it will be time to cut it again!

One of those days

I'm having one of those days. Chase is getting new teeth, which makes him an Unhappy Boy.

At least, I think that's why he's unhappy. He was restless last night - I woke up once to find him wrong-side 'round in the bed - and woke up early. He keeps shaking his head and tugging at his ear, but he has no fever, no snotty nose, none of the things that would otherwise signify an illness. So, by default, teeth.

He was up early and now refuses to nap. When we try, he ends up climbing all over the bed, and me. I gave up. Just now he is very happily busying himself with the dog door and the curtains across the sliding glass.

I got so tired of him tugging on my hair all the time that I cut it off on Monday night. Or rather, my hairdresser did. No pictures yet, but everyone tells me it looks good. The strangest difference to me isn't the length but the color. I stopped coloring my hair when I got pregnant, and lost the last of my blonde with this cut. I have never NOT been blonde, first naturally, then highlights, then full-on artificial color. It's strange to have dark hair, but I can be satisfied at least that I have no grey hairs as yet.

Very Busy Boy is now playing one of his favorite new games - Open and Close. He's using the baby gate right now, but he often plays it with a kitchen drawer, the bathroom door, or someone's dresser.

Meanwhile, I've been knitting him a sweater for his birthday. Today, I did up the shoulder seams, and if I get a chance I'll start on the neck/collar. It gets striped sleeves to finish it up. I hope he likes it when it's done!

Leaping forward by sliding back

I think everyone knows babies go through growth spurts - where clothes seem to get too tight or too short overnight. I suppose it makes sense that they would go through a similar process mentally, but I hadn't really noticed that with Chase. Every new skill was preceded by weeks - sometimes months - of trying and practicing.

Until recently...

One day last week, I was sitting on the couch with Chase and he started scooting backward toward the edge. "Careful, baby, " I said, as I have said many times before. "If you get too close to the edge you might fall." Usually, this was enough to stop him, at least breifly. Not this time! This time he kept going, bracing his hands on the cushion and letting his legs, then his torso, slide down the front of the couch until he was on his feet. What??!! "I didn't know you could do that!" I said, as he grinned up at me.

A couple of days later, he tried the same thing off the bed, which is much taller. I nearly stopped him, then decided to just "spot" him as he slid (just enough to keep him from banging his head on the hardwood floor!). My spot wasn't needed, though. He had a tight grip on the comforter and used it like a rope to "repel" down. And although he managed it just fine, landing solidly on his feet, I think the distance to the floor surprised him a bit. He had a shocked look on his face instead of the "I did it!" grin.

What was so surprising to me about this is that I've only shown him a couple of times, and not at all recently, how to back down off of things. Actually, I can only remember doing it once, and it was definitely before Christmas, maybe longer ago than that. So, did he remember that lesson once he'd acquired the physical skills to achieve it? Or did he somehow figure it own of his own accord?

Either way, I'm looking forward to what my baby can show me next.