a couple of guys being dudes

i have now been apart from hugh for thirty-three hours and it is really weird. since i am out of town for work, brent has taken off of work to watch the boy. they are both doing great. part of me thinks "hmm, i must not be necessary for hugh's day-to-day happiness" and another part of me is so proud of my excellent boy product, "wow, he is so adaptable".

i've known this for awhile about hugh, he just rolls with the punches and constantly amazes me with his flexibility. my boy is growing up and starting to figure out how to be his own entity within the world at large.

this is only one small step in his maturation. one day, not too long from now, he'll be off to pre-school and then kindergarten and then grade school, etc. there will come a day when i am not the center of his world and his constant. this is such a weird and disconcerting realization for me and part of my maturation as a mother. these few days are only the start of him cutting the proverbial apron strings.

i want to see him flourish and become his own person, someone whose identity is not contingent on me. but for now, and for the forseable future, i'm going to hold him tight, not so fast schmoopie, it's not time for you to make a break for it.

ten months

you are truly becoming an amazing, sweet and wonderful little personality. every day is filled with little moments that i just want to put in formaldehyde so i can store them away and retrieve in the future. for instance, yesterday evening we were playing in the front yard and you were rolling your ball and then chasing it around, laughing the whole time. after about 10 minutes, you crawled over to me and put your head in my lap and then crawled up in my arms for hugs and cuddles. kissing you repeatedly was the height of hilarity.

so many odd, strange little things throw you into a riot of giggles. what is it exactly about a fake cough that is absolutely, thigh-slapping funny? i haven't quite figured it out, but it's a fail safe way to get you in a good mood. also, saying "up!" and "down!", when did this become an inside joke? i want to think that you have a witty sense of humor, but i really think that it's going to be knock-knock jokes, bathroom humor and slap stick before too long. that or the three stooges.

over the past few weeks, you've taken to waking up at the ungodly hour of 6:15am. why? we really can't complain, however, since you generously let your father and i sleep in until about 6:45am. thank you.i appreciate that i can tell that you are ready to be 'rescued' when i hear your pacifier being tossed overboard and the blind-rattling gets racheted up a notch or two.

i do have to say that my personal favorite moment this month was when you said "momma". at least that's what we think you were saying, it's still a little hazy. don't think i didn't notice, however, that "da da da da" came first.

some days it's "ma ma ma ma ma", other days it's "da da da da da". the past few days it was all about the "ba ba ba ba ba". what's great about this one is that you make this hilarious little face and suck in your bottom lip.

hugh, thank you for a great ten months. and if you want to crawl back in my lap for a cuddle again? you can do that any time, in fact i'm counting on it.