Under the Cork Tree: January 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

Big Boy Preparations...

Wow! It's hard to believe that it is almost the end of January and our little guy will be four months old in a matter of days. I have a feeling these next few months are going to be so special developmentally. Micah is truly taking the world in - smiling and laughing, grabbing and pulling (beards and necks are his specialty), and trying with all of his might to sit up like a big guy. He's a ways away from being able to sit on his own (ssshhh, don't tell him) but that doesn't stop him from trying. Even though we're about a month or so away from introducing any delectable purees and cereals (yum!) we decided to set up his chair so he could join the family at the dinner table. He generally loves it for about 10 minutes and then he would prefer to be held. I mean, who wouldn't?

Thursday, January 12, 2012

pause

there aren't many moments of pause these days, as you might have guessed, but in those moments of pause that do come i find myself amazed.

-amazed by how different life is today than it was a year ago (which is when we just found out that Brynn was pregnant)

-amazed by the wisdom of biology, human growth, and the human body. micah needs to eat and somehow he finds the breast. micah needs to learn to soothe himself and he finds his hands. he recognizes faces, he learns to laugh, he learns that baths are fun, and it all just happens. brynn and i need to soothe him and we do, brynn needs to feed him and she does, we need to support his space to grow and develop while getting out of the way and letting him grow and develop and we mostly do. all of this, not because we or he knows what we or he is doing - we just do because it feels right.

-amazed by partnership. brynn and i have taken on some things together - new jobs, marriage, moving to maine, adventures of all kinds, but none as monumental as caring for a baby, and this too just happens. we learn from each other, we support each other, we laugh together, and we give our love to each other.

-amazed by micah. he brings joy to the world, and a little fuss. he laughs and he lets you know when he is upset. he challenges us and gives us encouragement just at the moment when we start to question.

and in this moment of pause, as i write, i recognize that these feelings of amazement and trust in one's natural instincts are only highlighted by the experience of being new parents, not created by this experience.

amazing things occur every day. it is up to us to notice. we are all capable of amazing things. it is up to trust in ourselves and get out of the way.

i hope you all had an amazing day.

lots of love - jw

ps - this reflection reminds me of a Louis CK clip I saw once. it is pasted below. check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk&feature=related