I was recently reminded to take a step back from life's craziness, and just enjoy my time with my daughter. Laura is now a little over seven months of age, so this first year is flying by more quickly than I'd like to admit. Our little family has been so busy lately that I've neglected to truly see how Laura has been learning and growing.
For instance, she now does this cute commando-style belly crawl, and each day she's getting a little more coordinated. This morning, she lifted herself up on her hands and knees for the first time, one step closer to crawling. It happened in a second, and was over the next, and if I hadn't been sitting with her I would have missed it. I really hope that I witness the first time she crawls, and don't just look down to find her beside me, when I left her on her play mat on the other side of the room.
Someone said a baby's brain changes so rapidly that even a week makes a world of difference. How true. Laura used to hate tummy time. She'd last for mere seconds, even though she was strong in other areas — neck muscles, leg muscles. Then almost overnight she rolled from her back onto her tummy, and there's been no stopping her since. Similarly, she's starting to get the hang of sitting. She can now sit comfortably in a highchair; a few weeks ago she'd slip to one side, stick out her arm, and recline there. Just this past week, I've noticed she can sit unaided for a few seconds longer than she used to (not quite sure when that changed). I can see how it would be possible to miss the onset of each new milestone, they happen so quickly.
Her personality is also developing, which I love to see. Some days she'll quietly but intently watch when someone interacts with her; other days she'll smile and babble away at them. She's begun to notice other babies and children — her face lights up when she sees them, she turns to watch them or rolls/belly crawls over to join them, and she 'talks' to them. She knows they're the same as her. She has the most infectious laugh (akin to a shriek), which she treats us to when we play peek-a-boo. As I'm writing this, she's singing happily to herself in her cot. And she's so curious — her head bobs right to left, left to right as she takes in the world around her.
Best of all, she rains affection on her parents. She's started to really hug me, like put her arms around my neck and bury her face in my shoulder. The other night when her dad came home from work, he was talking on his mobile out the front of our house. She heard him, turned to look at the door, and gave him the biggest smile as soon as he walked through it. It's such moments that make you feel truly blessed.
I know that because I see Laura every day, some of the changes she goes through don't appear as noticeable to me as to someone who hasn't seen her for a couple of weeks. She's becoming a little person now, with her own characteristics. When I think back to what she was like seven short months ago, it highlights just how much she's grown and learnt. However, it also highlights just how much she's grown and learnt, and how quickly it all changes. Many people have told me how fast the first year flies by, and to make sure I enjoy every moment of it, because she won't be a baby for long. Boy are they right!
