What's in a Smile

After two weeks of using a phone with a defective touchscreen, I am so grateful to have a new one that works!! I wasn't able to take photos or video and that was VERY hard for me.

I am so grateful to spend my days with this little guy, even if he does only take a ten minute nap (no joke). Perhaps it's teething? He does have two big molars coming in on either side. Neither have broken through yet.

Seriously, though. I get to spend my days with this cute little ginger. Watching him point to trucks as they roll by, wave to cars as they leave, and go down the slide over and over again.

I get to listen to him repeat me when I say "Oh boy!" or "Oh my!" I get to hear him make the smacking kiss sound when he places his hand over his mouth in an attempt to blow a kiss. The kiss never travels yet because he keeps his hand in front of his mouth. We know where he means to send them, though!

Yes, life with this boy is pretty great.

This photo makes me smile. Mostly because of his smile and the reason behind it. 

This bench is fairly shallow and narrow and somewhat difficult to climb onto, if you're too short to simply sit down from a standing position. When Ian first went to climb onto it, he got frustrated. He glanced at me, seeking assistance and a nudge which never came. I encouraged him that he could keep trying if he wanted to.

Well, he did want to. 

He tried two more times before successfully navigating his way up by reaching through one of the holes with one hand, bracing himself, pulling one leg up, and then the other. Then, since it is so narrow, he had to navigate getting his feet down and out of the way so that he could sit. It was a whole ordeal that you'd never know from looking at this picture, but it's one that I wanted to document.

There are so many moments like this in parenting. They sometimes seem mundane, but it's in these moments that he's learning his own ability, developing his own determination and gumption. It would be so easy for me to swoop in and help him, but I'd be depriving him of the chance to have this proud smile and sense of accomplishment.

Yep, life with you is pretty great, Ian. 

We're so proud of you.