Becoming an Older Baby

There are many things happening to our little boy now that indicate he is growing up and becoming more of an older, independent baby.  It is both wonderful and a bit sad to watch this happen.  It is difficult to put into words, because I love this stage of babyhood, but I also miss my tiny little baby who was so utterly reliant on me. 

For months now, Luke has thoroughly enjoyed his mornings.  It has been a time for play, pleasant chatter, and general happiness.  He also sits up on his own (often teetering over after a minute or so, if left without Mommy's support), and reaches out with his hands to play with his toys.  He smiles and laughs at things now, not just people.  He has a little basket of toys just for him, maybe 8 or 9, mostly beloved items that we often find strewn across our living room floor, which is a sure sign of his growing older. 

Luke now eats food besides Mommy milk, and he loves his solid food, although it definitely isn't always solid!  So far, he's had bananas, peaches, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes.  We will be examining avocado this week, to introduce something green amongst the orange-tinted food he's been enjoying. 

Another development has been Luke's incessant desire to stand.  He would stand all day if he could!  He can stand quite well-balanced by firmly gripping my thumbs.  When he does, he looks around happily with a grin of pride, and I praise him like crazy.  He's also attempted a funny kind of crawl that involves all parts of his body except his head, which he keeps planted to the ground like a weight.  However, he can move quite successfully using his current maneuver. One day last week, I placed him at one end of the living room carpet, and he made it all the way to the other end in just a couple minutes. 

He's also experiencing some slight reservations when around new people or people he doesn't see too often.  This is only just beginning, so we're hoping he doesn't dive too deep into a Mommy-only mentality. 

And so, this is my older baby, who was once so tiny and unable to do any of the things I have highlighted in this post.  I love this little boy!