I took Hayden for his check up with the baby nurse this week. He weighs 9.3kgs and is 73cms long. He is wearing size 1 clothing and "toddler" size nappies. I have already filled 2 suitcases with clothing that he has grown out of. His healthy development does nothing to ease my sadness that he is no longer a tiny newborn.
Any day now Hayden is going to crawl and just a little bit more of his babyness will be gone. I know there is so much wonder and excitement still ahead of us, but there is just something so intoxicating about this age. The smell of his warm little head snuggled into my shoulder as I take him to his cot. His delicious, chubby arms that just beg to be nibbled. The big, gummy smiles that light his face when Skye plays with him. Actually not entirely gummy anymore since he has cut both his bottom teeth this week!
Hayden has discovered his voice and spends every waking moment experimenting with the sounds he can make. He is saying mum and bub and what I am positive is his version of hello. Most mornings I wake to his playful gurgling rather than crying. Except for the mornings when he has rolled over and can't get back. Those mornings I need to move quickly.
He is a happy, easy-going joyful little boy. His beaming smile is rarely far from his face, but he is not much of a laugher. Although tucking his sheet under the mattress when I am putting him to bed has him in hysterics. I see a spark of cheekiness already in his eyes that makes me fear his toddler years.
He has me wrapped around his finger, and he knows it.
Hayden has a healthy appetite and is thoroughly enjoying being able to feed himself chunks of all kinds of foods, but refuses to drink anything other than breast milk which he has 4 times a day. After such a rocky start, I didn't expect we would still be breastfeeding by now, but it has become second nature, and its yet another thing I will miss. The kicking me in the shoulder while he feeds... not so much.
Aside from some hiccups with teething and a cold, Hayden is sleeping through at night and has 3 or 4 naps during the day. I would prefer 2 longer naps during the day, but given that he falls asleep on his own and wakes happy, I am not about to complain. He has shown that he has a liking for blankies like Skye, I held off as long as I could, but gave in a couple of weeks ago. I made sure it was a plain white muslin wrap this time just in case it ever needs replacing later on. He has never liked the dummy.
Last night he started waving. He gets so excited when he masters a new trick. But probably not as excited as we do, especially Skye who will insist he repeats his new skill over and over until he is completely bored of it and refuses to do it any more.
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| The blankie that started it all. Too hard to replace if needed. |
Watching the relationship between Hayden and Skye grow fills me with joy. He idolises her and watches everything she does, desperately trying to figure out how to make his own body jump and skip and dance like hers does. Skye in turn is the adoring older sister racing me to greet him each morning and piling the toys high around him to play with as they sit together in the lounge room. She loves that he is big enough to share bath time with her and is the first one to pick up a dropped piece of food or toy. I am holding on to these moments while I can, before the squabbles take over.
Why oh why do they have to grow up?!?
Why oh why do they have to grow up?!?
