Ari

I realized tonight that there hasn't been a lot of Arrow on the blog.  I've been focusing a lot of energy into home schooling, which I think shows on my blog as my posting has gone down to only once a week, and its home school related which means Arrow is not involved.  I'm VERY excited that my passion for home schooling is really taking off.  Its certainly an answer to prayer.  But I thought you'd like to see a bit of Arrow too.  Here he is.

 

He naps in his own crib now, in the boys' room.  Just the fact that he's napping is huge.  He's only been doing that for about a month and a half.  And he's doing a good job at it too!  It sure is amazing how things flow so smoothly when a baby takes regular naps.  I'd forgotten.  :)

 



"I sing he a little song and he go to sleep."

Boy was she happy to have him asleep and STILL in her lap so she could inspect his ears, his downy hair, and his chubby rolls.

"Look at his tiny hands Mama!"

 I very reluctantly let this happen.  :)

7 1/2 months I had being the sole food provider for this boy.

And I loved every second.

Now I share this job with solid foods, and I feel a bit displaced.  :)

Arrow is joining us just for dinner right now.  He usually only manages to get a small portion of what is served to him, in his mouth.  The rest goes onto the floor, much to Denver's delight.

So far he's tried banana, peach, avocado, yellow squash, carrots, zucchini from the garden, potato, artichoke, applesauce, and O's.  Oh, and he and I shared our first raspberry find in the garden tonight.  So far he's very go with the flow about it all.  He accepts it all, keeps it in, and just rolls with it and likes it all.  He hasn't balked at anything yet.  Mostly, I think he just thinks its fun.  And though I miss being his sole source of nutrition, I have to admit, it IS fun having him at the table.

 

 He started cruising this week.  That box there is his favorite toy right now.  In the morning I carry him into the living room and he lunges for it while still in my arms.  He LOVES to stand and cruise so much that we wondered if he'd skip crawling.  But tonight he got up on all fours for the first time and did the belly flop thing.  He wasn't too happy about it, but it got him to his toy a few feet away.  I have a feeling he will be an early walker.

 

Being the fourth baby, Arrow benefits from the fact that I've learned over the years just how fleeting these days are.  This baby is babied well.  He is kissed and squeezed all day long.  He is worn nearly whenever he wants.  He sleeps next to Mama.  He has a routine but when he needs to switch it up, no one bats an eye.  I don't worry about creating bad habits yet.  Just last night he nursed all night long.  Yes, I woke very tired.  But he woke with crusty eyes and there have been germs in the house.  I think his body maybe just needed to bulk up on immunities last night, and I'm happy to let him.  I was so nervous about forming bad habits with Logan and Felicity that I wasn't this relaxed.  I am so very much loving and hanging on to his baby days.

Tonight, he didn't nurse down like he normally does.  Kian bonked his head and so our nursing session was interrupted to tend to Kian.  Arrow couldn't quite calm down after that.  So when he was done nursing, we rocked.  I rocked him so much his first few months of life.  I'd sit on the porch for hours, watching the big kids ride bikes in the street, while rocking baby Arrow until my back was stiff and sore.  Now days, he's usually too busy to rock.  Tonight, though, we rocked.  He was just tired enough, and just milk drunk enough, to settle down on my lap.  I hope I never forget how the dusk light fell across his face, coming in through a small space in the curtains.  I sang him "It is Well, With My Soul" and "10,000 Reasons" while we rocked in that peaceful light, on my Grandnana's old rocker.  Every few minutes he's sit up and look at me, smile, and give me his classic LONG blinks that just look like he's saying "I love you" with his eyes.  Then he'd put his head back down on my chest and just melt into me.  It didn't take him long to fall asleep.  I hope I never forget rocking him tonight.  He is my joy.