Eight months

When Peeper was just born, her awareness was mostly limited to the eight inches in front of her face. Then her eyesight improved, and she just drank in whatever she could see, from cars driving by to the wind-whipped trees overhead. She demanded to be carried facing out so she didn’t miss a thing. Then she learned to roll and suddenly she was more in control of her own body.

Peeper at 9 days old
Peeper at 9 days old

Now that Peeper is mobile, her world has expanded even further.

Most photos I take lately are blurry. She won't stay still long enough for a decent shot!
Most photos I take lately are blurry. She won’t stay still long enough for a decent shot!

Anything within crawling’s reach is fair game. We visited my parents this weekend, and their big, open, carpeted living room allowed Peeper to show us her stamina. She boogied from one end of the room to the other—of course heading directly for the gas fireplace.

(Did I birth a daredevil?)

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It sometimes seems as if there are too many exciting things for her to explore. She’ll grab at one toy only to whip her head to the side and reach for another. But before her hand even touches the second toy, she’s back at the first—and on and on in a dizzying display of excited indecision.

Yet sometimes the world is too unfamiliar for her taste. She’s showing the first signs of stranger danger: We were visiting some friends who recently had a baby, too, and I stepped outside to grab something from the car. I could hear Peeper crying inside after I shut the door. I was gone for mere seconds, and she reached out to me when I returned.

I’m a gooey mess a lot of the time, what with my heart melting constantly.

Yesterday morning, she let me know again precisely what she wanted and how unhappy she was to not get it immediately. She had urped all over herself and her bed at 6am. I zipped her into new jammies and set her on the floor as I struggled to change her sheet in the dark. Crying, she crawled across the room and hugged my ankles until I was done and could pick her up. I always hate changing the sheets, but the chore had never felt so awful. I couldn’t finish soon enough.

I admired her will that morning and every day, really. I want my darling to go after what she wants, even if that’s the dog bowl or yet another cereal puff.

The world is so big, but she is ready for it.

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0 thoughts on “Eight months

  • March 10, 2014 at 11:55 am
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    She’s a doll! I love those shots of her teeth coming in! I tried capturing that when Oliva was in this stage but she wouldn’t cooperate.

    Reply
    • March 10, 2014 at 4:09 pm
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      Teeth shots are hard to come by! This one was by happenstance. It helped that she looooved the swing.

      Reply
  • March 10, 2014 at 3:55 pm
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    My little guy is in the same stage right now. He loves everything unsafe. He wants to eat computer cords and splash in the dog water all day long.

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    • March 10, 2014 at 4:09 pm
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      Our kids are kindred spirits! That’s all she wants to do—plus chew on my husband’s free weights.

      Reply
  • March 10, 2014 at 9:20 pm
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    What a darling little girl! I miss my kids being that young!

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  • March 12, 2014 at 8:30 am
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    I can see how your heart may be in a constant state of excitement as she boldly explores as a daredevil and melt as she so much wants your love and reassurement – both moving away and so attached to you!

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  • March 12, 2014 at 8:36 am
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    What a sweetie. Btw, are you looking for freelance work? I’m working on a business writing project that will go through the end of the year. Dry topics (e.g. “Why Planning for Future Leadership Transition is Essential for Law Firm Management”), but a steady paycheck is always nice. Let me know if you’re interested!

    Reply

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