Month 13: That Kind of Mom

Not sure when it happened, but we have crossed that invisible line from having a baby to having a toddler. Daniel has become a fun, interactive being - he questions, tests, experiments, seeks praise, explores, and seems to have a grand ole time doing all of it.

We've been spending more time at the park recently - letting him play with trees, grass, plants - yesterday, he noticed an ant for the first time. Bubbles have become a favorite - outside or inside. Daniel loves climbing anything, sliding, and swinging in the baby swings. We ran into a friend at the park and put our babies in the same baby swing, back to back. Pretty darn cute. (This pic is from a few weeks ago... but too cute not to post.)

Daniel has mastered the art of pointing to let us know what he wants, or just to hear us say it's name. Sometimes we'll go around an entire room, Daniel pointing at something, we'll say it's name, and he'll move on to another item. He's learning words too - in English and Spanish. Two weeks ago I said "Daniel, donde esta la luz?" and he pointed (repeatedly) to the lamp. He's almost got "cielo", "casa", and "zona" perfected too. HIs default word is always "otro" (it sounds more like "oto" when he says it) which means "other" in Spanish. This all started at his birthday party, when Fernando's mom carried him from balloon to balloon, saying "otro globo". From that day on, I was amazed at how quickly he picked up the concept of "another".

The kid is sprouting teeth like nobody's business - the past two days have been full of drooling and gum pain - poor little guy. I think he's working on #10 and #11. He does enjoy having his teeth brushed - we try to do it in the morning and last thing at night.

Easter passed in a blur - both Fernando and I were working all weekend, so Daniel spent some time during each day with his aunts. I love that they get time with him, and even more, I love that they enjoy it so much. It's funny how he seems to know his family. He's nervous with new people at church - adults that he rarely sees. He turns into a clingy little monkey. But with family - any family - he practically throws himself right at them. My parents came by earlier this month for a quick trip, and Daniel immediately latched onto them. It's been three months since he's even seen their faces, but you would have thought they lived next door. Especially my dad - Daniel claimed him as his own personal toy, and sought him out just to sit in his lap and rest on his chest. Heck - it melted MY heart - I can't imagine what Dad was feeling.

The most recent word du jour has been "ma ma", and while I'm not sure he totally grasps the label, it's nice to hear those little syllables fall out of his mouth on a more regular basis. I feel more connected to him than ever - more wanted and needed. I want to be the kind of mom he'll always need and want to be around. The kind that's good for advice in a tough situation, and good for a long hug after a bad day at school. The kind of mom that can "fix" his ailment, even when it's imaginary. I want him to learn from me that life can be fun, and to always look for the good in each situation - that humor is more than entertainment - it's a way of life. I want to be the kind of mom who won't car when grape juice spills on the carpet, who participates in food fights, and who laughs when she gets mooned by a passing car (which, consequently, happened yesterday. And I did laugh - all the way home). Above all, I want to be the kind of mom who sets an example of faith, of trusting God in every situation, and of always valuing people more than things.

This parenting gig is tough stuff - but I feel up for the challenge. Someone vented to me this week about how irritating it is when parents can't stop talking about their kids. How utterly boring it is to hear. How it's pointless to pour your life into your kids, as they're just going to grow up to be "more of us". After restraining myself from punching his lights out, I just said to call me after he was married with a child... that I wanted to hear him say the same thing then. It's just not possible to imagine before you've experienced it.