How Alder Does Being Him

The little boy is back to his usual magic. Today he figured out how to stand himself up while holding on to things (like a chair or a Mama), how to crawl without the belly flop in the middle, and how to climb up stairs. Where does it all come from?

The funny thing about all of his new things that he's doing is that he has been really needing to be in Mama or Papa's lap or arms a lot since we got back from our trip. This is unusual for Alder who is usually straining to get free and roam around. I admit I'm liking the extra cozies. Last night he fell asleep in my arms while I watched a movie. For the first hour or so he just contented himself at looking at the jade plant and other things in the room but after a bit of squirming he fell off to sleep. Then today he kept crawling to where ever Kevin or I were and reaching out his arms.

Once I got the bread started I gave up the idea of getting anything else done and just hung out on the floor with him. He spent a lot of time climbing Mt Mama trying to hold on tight when the earthquakes would come. He laughed every time I would make 'earthquake' noises and shake.

I forget sometimes to play with him. That sound awful, but often we do things like explore what's on the floor or go for walks but rarely do we just play. I used to try playing with him but he usually is more interested in finding what ever book or grownup object we've left within his reach. I guess as he is getting older there is more place in his mind for interacting.

Being with him just enjoying ourselves felt completely in balance. Alder has always been like a deep breath to me. There was one point in the pregnancy that I could feel his spirit swirling a golden glittery glow up and down my spine. Now when I see him looking at me, just watching I can feel the same glittery goodness. I don't usually go for the spiritual side of things but Alder seems filled with it and it is infectious.

The way he looks at the world around him is so full of awe and a need to understand it, not in a scientific way but to taste it, crawl over it, and run his hands over it way. I understand this need to feel somethings wholeness. I guess maybe the spirit I see him looking for is one that I've looked for too. Except I'm not going to bring him up in a world of scientific laws and anthropological theories like I was. There needs to be a balance between the two. Or at least that is the world I want to introduce him to.