Moments

Today was a great day! We saw quite a few therapists. First stop was his Speech/Feeding Therapist #1 who has not seen him since he was 6 months old when he was miserable and in agonizing pain, and just not eating at all. She was simply astounded at how much different of a baby he is now. He ate his prunes with pure delight and drank his bottle of watered down juice so nicely. The moment the bottle of formula came his way he did the usual-took a sip, spit out the nipple and batted me away. Did I mention he really does not care for formula? But he will take the rice cakes any day.

Next stop was physical therapy with the therapist that has seen him since he was tiny in the NICU. We see her weekly and she is amazed at his progress and how he sits so nicely. This last week has proven to be a success with all of our hard work and FORCED tummy time and sitting. He is getting stronger and sits on his own stoicly and plays with his toys (or binky). He is getting three top teeth all at once and is a drooling, but  very cute mess.

Check out the drool!

We also saw Speech therapist # 2 today and she was so happy to hear his talking. He is babbling up a storm and loves to carry on long, in depth conversations complete with oohs and aahs for the drama effect. I think I even heard a "ma" and a "da" somewhere in between all the squeels of delight!

He has learned to wave "hi" and we are working on "bye." This is what I found when he woke up from his nap today- A big wave of "hi," He loves to watch his hand move. So sweet. He is soooo fun!

We took a walk tonight before bed with dad and he loves the front pack. It was a beautiful evening. It had just rained and it felt so fresh and clean.



And... Lincoln loves swimming! He loves splashin and of course his rubber ducky. It is his fav!!!

I am so enjoying my time with my little monkey! He makes me so happy and sometimes so crazy, but that is motherhood. It is meant to be enjoyed in moments. We have plenty of moments throughtout the day where I think to myself, "OK, enough of the whine," but my moments of basking in the joy he brings me completely out weighs the wishing he would stop whining from time to time.

I was reminded of a talk the other day that was given by M. Russell Ballard that speaks of motherhood and what a noble and honored role we play as mothers. In this talk he quoted Anna Quindlen, and I LOVE what she says, ... “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. … I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” (Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).

Isn't that the truth? My boy is only 9 months old and I already feel like the time is passing me by. He is growing and getting bigger and doing fun things, but sometimes I just want to freeze time for a few days and just enjoy every moment... every story, every head raise while I am reading when he looks back into my face just to make eye contact and make sure I am really there. Every wave and cheesy toothy smile. It is magical and precious and I HOPE I will live in the moment more and  appreciate every emotion... even the frustration of the whines. I will. I can't help it, I am head over heels in LOVE!

Enjoy the MOMENTS!!!