Right Before My Very Eyes

P.S. Please ignore my filthy child, I try to be perfect, but it does not always happen, sorry.

My baby is growing and changing right before my very eyes.

Somehow he looks the same every morning as he did when I put him to bed the night before.

So when has he done all this growing and changing?

Right before my very eyes.

I'm here all the time yet somehow I feel like I'm missing it.

I need to be able to do nothing but sit and play with him all day long, Like I did when Doodle was little. Now there are other silly distractions like 3 other kids, schooling that needs done, laundry and dishes for 6 people, 3 meals a day, you get the idea.

I just wish it could all slow down so I could sit and just stare at my baby. I want to memorize how he is right now, so even when he's grown I can still remember his cute grins and wavy hair and funny teeth.

Speaking of teeth he has molars.

Bring on the steak, baby!

His top 2 molars are half way through.

And guess what else? He is walking.

My baby walks.

Sort of.

He more lumbers around in the zombie stance than walks.

And so far his record is 13 steps without falling. He took his first official step on his Birthday.

It was the typical reach and step for the wanted item, then fall to the ground in a dazed and confused state, totally unaware of what he was doing. Once he stepped he tried to figure out what had just happened, what all the clapping and kissing and celebrating was for. He knew he had done it, but had no clue what it was or how to do it again.

A few days later he tried again.

Crash and burn.

Then Mr Bird and I stood him between us and sent him back and forth between the two of us. He thought that was the best game ever. He could still only eek out two steps though.

The next few days were filled with sheer determination. He knew he could do it and he was not afraid to try. We were playing in the basement and I saw him standing next to the couch and then purposely let go, turn and walk 3 steps all on his own. He did that twice that day. Now he does it all the time and can walk from one side of the basement room to the other all on his own. He loves it.

Doodle loves it.

She gets so excited to see her baby growing up.

Me? I just want to keep him a baby forever.

The Power of a Kiss

A mother's kiss is magic. When a brand new mother kisses her newborn for the very first time something magical happens. It instantly binds that tiny little heart that is beating wildly to hers. It is that bond that prevents her from doing rash things to said child for the fist 5 years of it's life.

Only a mother's kiss can make it all better when a 3 year old drops his cookie and it breaks. The 3 year old magically becomes OK with having two cookies instead of just one.

A mother's kiss has magical healing powers. They can magically suck the pain out of most minor bumps and scrapes.

A mother's kiss can make a 5 year old girl all better after her friends were mean to her at the park or at church (DRAMA!).

A mother's kiss, when paired with a short prayer and a quick verse of I am a Child of God at

2 am, can make even the scariest of bad dreams go away.

A mother's kiss can magically turn into raspberries when those lips find a cute naked tummy. Suddenly those raspberries render all those obnoxious battery operated toys that have mysteriously crept into your house useless for at least an hour as all the children line up for their turn at the fun game.

I'm starting to pray now that when I have teenagers my kisses will be more desirable than any smelly boy or girl's ever could be. Think it will work? I sure hope so.

A kiss is the only thing I know that can make a mother who has just dropped her 18 month old off at nursery for the first time feel better when he does not cry when she leaves. Doesn't he know he's supposed to miss you terribly when you're gone? Doesn't he know he's supposed to through a terrible fit because all he wants is you? All the other kids do. But it's OK. Just gather that cute little boy up and give those sweet little lips one gigantic kiss and your heart will be soaring all the way through your magically peaceful church meetings. You know, the ones you have not been able to actually listen to for about a year.

Now that's power!

A mother's kiss makes 7 1/2 months old stop crying after their mean older sister takes away the crumb they've worked for 5 minutes trying to get a taste of.

A mother's kiss has magical sleep inducing powers. After the good night kiss even the most wide awake, hyper child can settle down and get ready for sleep.

A mother's kiss can over power tears of most any kind. When the tears start flowing all it take is a kiss to find the magic shut off valve.

You know what else kisses can do? A quick one on the forehead can determine that the reason your 3 year old has gone potty 3 times during the night before 3 am is because he has a fever and not because he drank too much water before bed.

And no, the reason he has a fever is not because he was standing in the rain looking at the water without his coat on (where was that child's mother? tisk, tisk, tisk). That was weeks ago and it was not my fault. I was trying desperately to get him into the car but he was just too fascinated with the little rain droplets on the water.

Poor Dubs! Feel better soon buddy.