1- You are sleeping through the night! We have waited, waited and waited for this to happen and finally, it has. It has been nothing short of life-changing.
2- You are walking. You have been stumbling around for a few weeks now, looking like you are either drunk or dancing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as you attempt to keep your balance. You are getting faster and more stable. You love carrying things around, big things with your arms stretched out in front of you, little things that you scatter around from one room to the other. You are mighty proud of yourself and you should be. A whole new world is opening in front of you.
3- You have one tiny little tooth. After teasing us for weeks on end, waiting just below the surface, your first tooth finally popped out on your birthday. Good timing and no more gummy smiles for you!
4- You are almost weaned and it's all happening very quickly. In less than a month, we have gone from 5-6 breastfeeds in 24hrs to just one in the evenings. We're making it up with cow's milk which you seem to be enjoying just as much. I'm not sure how long we'll keep going with the evening feed and I think it will be more for my benefit than yours if it lasts a little while. Don't make me stop too quickly, I'm still coming to terms with this one.
5- You have a wonderful appetite. You like almost everything and anything we put in front of you. You eat with enthusiasm and have a good appetite, and these days, you barely make a mess.
6- You are little. It surprises people to see you get up and start walking because you look younger than you are. That's alright, you'll grow later.
7- You're not saying any real words yet, besides Dada and the occasional Mama, but you are starting to associate words we say with objects and point at them. That's where it starts and it won't be long before words come tumbling out of your mouth. I am looking forward to it and I wonder what language it will be in.
8- You are learning French. It's hasn't come very naturally but I am forcing myself. I owe it to you to try harder. Growing up in a bilingual and bi-cultural household is a wonderful gift which has opened up many doors for me. I want you to enjoy that.
9- You love to dance. It's incredible how instinctive dancing must be because I really don't think you are imitating me. I'm not much of a dancer but you are. As soon as the music starts, you stop in your tracks and I can see your body intensifying. You straighten up, wave your arms around, shake your head, bounce up and down. You know exactly what to do and I have no idea how.
10- You like to play on your own. There is a gate between our living areas and the kitchen so it's easy for me to go in there and cook or do the dishes when I need to. Once in a while you come and complain but often, you just go off and play with your toys (or our toys). I can hear you tinkering with things in a corner somewhere, focused and content, chatting to yourself or deep in concentration. Sometimes, you bring your toys with you and play with them just behind the gate. I think it's important for you to learn early that I cannot entertain you every minute of every day and that other things need to be done around you. It also means that when you are resting, I can too.
11- You are interested in others. Sea gulls at the beach, small dogs in the park, babies and children at the playgroup. They all interest you. Once something has your attention, you will stare at it for a while, arms outstretched and leaning slightly forward. I often notice you smiling at other children while they play. They just sort of ignore you as they are busy with their own games and even if you barely notice or care, it always makes me feel emotional. Soon, you'll be able to join in but for now, learn by keeping your big brown eyes wide open.
12- You are a thrill seeker. You laugh and wriggle in our arms when we walk down the beach into the ocean, completely unfazed if the top of a wave catches your face. You think swings and hammocks are hilarious. When sitting on the back of our bikes, you just look around taking it all in. More worryingly, you have started climbing objects and furniture, forcing us to update our baby-proofing. I think our role is to let you have the little tumbles and rescue you from the big ones. So far, no harm done...
2- You are walking. You have been stumbling around for a few weeks now, looking like you are either drunk or dancing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as you attempt to keep your balance. You are getting faster and more stable. You love carrying things around, big things with your arms stretched out in front of you, little things that you scatter around from one room to the other. You are mighty proud of yourself and you should be. A whole new world is opening in front of you.
3- You have one tiny little tooth. After teasing us for weeks on end, waiting just below the surface, your first tooth finally popped out on your birthday. Good timing and no more gummy smiles for you!
4- You are almost weaned and it's all happening very quickly. In less than a month, we have gone from 5-6 breastfeeds in 24hrs to just one in the evenings. We're making it up with cow's milk which you seem to be enjoying just as much. I'm not sure how long we'll keep going with the evening feed and I think it will be more for my benefit than yours if it lasts a little while. Don't make me stop too quickly, I'm still coming to terms with this one.
5- You have a wonderful appetite. You like almost everything and anything we put in front of you. You eat with enthusiasm and have a good appetite, and these days, you barely make a mess.
6- You are little. It surprises people to see you get up and start walking because you look younger than you are. That's alright, you'll grow later.
7- You're not saying any real words yet, besides Dada and the occasional Mama, but you are starting to associate words we say with objects and point at them. That's where it starts and it won't be long before words come tumbling out of your mouth. I am looking forward to it and I wonder what language it will be in.
8- You are learning French. It's hasn't come very naturally but I am forcing myself. I owe it to you to try harder. Growing up in a bilingual and bi-cultural household is a wonderful gift which has opened up many doors for me. I want you to enjoy that.
9- You love to dance. It's incredible how instinctive dancing must be because I really don't think you are imitating me. I'm not much of a dancer but you are. As soon as the music starts, you stop in your tracks and I can see your body intensifying. You straighten up, wave your arms around, shake your head, bounce up and down. You know exactly what to do and I have no idea how.
10- You like to play on your own. There is a gate between our living areas and the kitchen so it's easy for me to go in there and cook or do the dishes when I need to. Once in a while you come and complain but often, you just go off and play with your toys (or our toys). I can hear you tinkering with things in a corner somewhere, focused and content, chatting to yourself or deep in concentration. Sometimes, you bring your toys with you and play with them just behind the gate. I think it's important for you to learn early that I cannot entertain you every minute of every day and that other things need to be done around you. It also means that when you are resting, I can too.
11- You are interested in others. Sea gulls at the beach, small dogs in the park, babies and children at the playgroup. They all interest you. Once something has your attention, you will stare at it for a while, arms outstretched and leaning slightly forward. I often notice you smiling at other children while they play. They just sort of ignore you as they are busy with their own games and even if you barely notice or care, it always makes me feel emotional. Soon, you'll be able to join in but for now, learn by keeping your big brown eyes wide open.
12- You are a thrill seeker. You laugh and wriggle in our arms when we walk down the beach into the ocean, completely unfazed if the top of a wave catches your face. You think swings and hammocks are hilarious. When sitting on the back of our bikes, you just look around taking it all in. More worryingly, you have started climbing objects and furniture, forcing us to update our baby-proofing. I think our role is to let you have the little tumbles and rescue you from the big ones. So far, no harm done...
It's a delight to read all these signs of good health and joy. As parents you are clearly doing what comes most comfortably for Hugo and hence for yourselves, even if you don't feel the effects quite as instantly as he does.
ReplyDeleteBrava for the French which will feel easier and easier, I promise, and here is a helpful article on the subject which stresses the natural patient approach to bilingualism:
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Bilingualism-in-Young-Children--Separating-Fact-fr.aspx
Never listen to the nonsense about learning 2 languages at once slowing things down. It may seem that way but it's in fact a great leap forward for the child and can be very handy for the parent as in being able to mumble to one's child to say hello, please, thank you and good-bye in a different language from that spoken by the person they are meant to greet ...
Plus it looks like our mini MJ has a good ear!
I didn't see this! I am also glad about the French- I think about the language stuff a lot now, and am not even sure that one inputter is enough, but definitely better than nothing! I think it;s important because I didn't grow up in a bilingual household, and always envied those who did.
ReplyDeleteSo much has already changed since we saw each other! Love to you all and and a big kiss to your toothy son!
Rose
Good point, Rose. Being the sole "inputter" in a foreign country can be a struggle, particularly when one's children begin school and prefer to speak to each other in the same language as their classmates but nothing is lost and even if your children reply to you in the language of the country where you live, their brains are nevertheless functioning in your language as well.
ReplyDelete