Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Getting to Know You
I don't completely know Mae yet. If I had to pick one, most surprising thing about new motherhood, this'd definitely be it.
When I was pregnant, I had this naive idea that she'd be born, and then I'd know her... but, instead, she was born, and she was a little stranger and I was a stranger to her, too, and - ever since that day - we've been slowly working away at getting to know each other.
If I had to say who she was though... today... Tuesday, August 14 at 2:16 p.m, age 11-and-a-half months.... I'd tell you that she's a very joyful person, but also very cautious. She laughs a lot and loves to be around people... but only when you give her lots of space and time to adjust to new surroundings.
She loves to eat. Especially cheese and peaches. She dives for the spoon. She smacks her lips. She says "Mmmmmm" after each bite.
She grins ear-to-ear and babbles at strangers, but goes shy and hides under the brim of her sun hat if they respond.
She's a reader.
She's an explorer.
She's an excellent, steady stair climber. Solid on her feet. Careful, coordinated and curious.
She loves the wading pool, and the sandbox, and the science centre, but hates all other noisy places.
She goes bananas over doggies.
She started out quiet, but now she talks non-stop. She points at all the trees when we go for walks and tells big stories about them.
She's mostly laid-back and usually cooperative - at least - until she's not... and if she's extra tired, or very cranky, or feeling sick, she's really, really not.
She's gorgeous. She's lovely. She's scandalously cute, and I'm pretty sure she knows it.
And she's changing every day.
When I was pregnant, I had this naive idea that she'd be born, and then I'd know her... but, instead, she was born, and she was a little stranger and I was a stranger to her, too, and - ever since that day - we've been slowly working away at getting to know each other.
If I had to say who she was though... today... Tuesday, August 14 at 2:16 p.m, age 11-and-a-half months.... I'd tell you that she's a very joyful person, but also very cautious. She laughs a lot and loves to be around people... but only when you give her lots of space and time to adjust to new surroundings.
She loves to eat. Especially cheese and peaches. She dives for the spoon. She smacks her lips. She says "Mmmmmm" after each bite.
She grins ear-to-ear and babbles at strangers, but goes shy and hides under the brim of her sun hat if they respond.
She's a reader.
She's an explorer.
She's an excellent, steady stair climber. Solid on her feet. Careful, coordinated and curious.
She loves the wading pool, and the sandbox, and the science centre, but hates all other noisy places.
She goes bananas over doggies.
She started out quiet, but now she talks non-stop. She points at all the trees when we go for walks and tells big stories about them.
She's mostly laid-back and usually cooperative - at least - until she's not... and if she's extra tired, or very cranky, or feeling sick, she's really, really not.
She's gorgeous. She's lovely. She's scandalously cute, and I'm pretty sure she knows it.
And she's changing every day.
