growing up

There's a lot of growing up happening at the Buck House these days.

Jonathan is officially teething. He can also sit up by himself. And he slept nine straight hours last night (don't worry--I do not expect that to happen again for months, so I have no fear of the blog curse).

All these changes are happening so suddenly and are taking me by surprise. Of course the sleep last night was a shock. And the sitting up thing--it seemed like one day I was watching him tumble over at any attempts to sit upright and then the next day he just stayed put when I sat him on the floor.

I suppose Jonathan has been showing the "signs" of teething for  a few weeks now. I have seen them. But I spend a lot of time at work unconvincing parents who are convinced that their (very young) baby is teething. I say a lot of things like "All babies put things in their mouths at this age." "It's normal for babies to drool this much." "Every baby will cry occasionally." I'm so used to these things being a normal part of baby-ness, I didn't consider that maybe something was up! And the teeth are also a huge surprise considering Jon and I both started teething at around ten months. JJ is so advanced.

The sleeping thing was great. The sitting up thing is fun.

But this teething thing... man...

That's the one that gets me. I get all excited when I look in his mouth and see those little white caps poking through. But then in the same minute I get all choked up and teary. My little baby is getting teeth. That seems like such a big kid thing. My little gummy smile is about to change. It's weird. I never would have expected this to be the thing that shocks me into the reality that my baby won't be my baby forever. I never expected this change to be the one to make me pause and reflect, or get teary, or want things to slow down just   a      little           bit.

I mean teeth are a big deal! Or at least it seems like it. Jon has actually been right there with me in the sentimentality over this event. For both of us, this change seems different than any of the others JJ has experienced. It's more permanent or something. There's no going back once these teeth are in. I can lay him back down once he's sitting up. I have nooooo fear that we will be entering permanently into this new realm of sleep. But that gummy smile? So long. These teeth are here to stay.

Sigh...

Little man we are so so proud of you. You take all this growing up in stride, while your mommy and daddy sit next to you freaking out. We'll take our cues from you--you're ok, we're ok. We are amazed at how strong you are, how brave. How smart and how beautiful, inside and out. 

Right now Jonathan is sitting in the high chair next to me. I gave him a cold teething ring from the fridge. He loves it. But he can't quite figure out how to get the cold part into his mouth and hold on to the ring part. He keeps flipping it out of his hands. The look of intense concentration is priceless. He is so cute. He is cracking me up. Ok I guess my baby is still here... :)

Mamas... Do you remember what was your big deal thing as your babies grew up?



(Don't worry... pictures of these new things to come!)