The Things He Does

Here he is crawling over the little hills in the Into the Mist exhibit at the Museum of Life and Science.

I love that Stan Bear's at that age where he can really interact with us. He points at everything. Which I've mentioned before and was worried that that might stunt his speech but Auntie Sue said that if we continue to talk to him and tell him what he's pointing at that that would be helpful in his speech. We shall see.

The other day I said to him, "Can you say Mama?" and instead of saying anything he  pointed at me! So he knows that I'm Mama. When I said, "Can you say Kitty?" He said, "ti-ti-ti" or "di-di-di" almost as if he was practicing that T sound in the word kitty. When I say, "Can you say Papa?" and if Papa is not home he'll look at the door. It's so much fun to witness him learning at such a swift pace.

He had the hiccups the other evening and every time he'd hiccup, I would pretend hiccup and then he'd start laughing. When he sneezes I either say, bless you, gesundheit, or salúd and he gives me the biggest smile as if sneezing is the best thing ever. I love laughing with him. I can go, "Ha ha ha, ho ho ho!" and he will laugh back at me and we will go back and forth. It is lovely.

When he is done with his bath and I wrap him up in his towel and we leave the bathroom I say, "Can you turn the light off for me?" and he does and then he gets this huge, proud smile on his face. Now I don't even have to ask him he just goes right for the switch.

He is a hugger. He hugs Mama, Papa, Moose, Tomás the Bear, Cowstar, Dickie the Cat. I went to breakfast with my friend Jane and after sitting at our table for awhile he decided that he really liked her and showed her by looking at her and holding his hands up (which he does to say he wants up from his chair) and so she lifted him up and held him and then he gave her a hug! So sweet.  Do all babies hug like this? I feel like they must. I asked Mike the other night what happens to humans...to adults...how do we lose this joy, innocence, appreciation of everything? How can we help nurture it? How can we make it last longer? I know that the Bear won't be happy-go-lucky all the time (he isn't all the time anyways). I am as prepared as I can be for the angst of the teenage years but I can't help but wonder if he will he retain some of this sweetness? I hope so.

I should probably not worry about it and instead appreciate this very moment.