Guest blogger: Heather!

I'm out of town this week and some fantastic guest bloggers are stepping in for me! Today is Heather, who is just awesome and unique--I wish I could meet her in real life! Her son is about the same age as Zoodle, and two-toothed Zoodle is totally jealous of all the teeth in Asher's mouth! (See photo below!) Be sure to check out Heather's blog, Strangers in a normal land.

****

When Beth asked for help on her blog (and wouldn't let us roll our eyes knowingly) I was very excited at the idea of being a 'guest poster' on one of the very first blogs I started following almost 9 months ago when this whole blogging thing began for me. I have so much enjoyed getting to know Beth and her family a little through these snapshots we share with each other. I especially cannot get enough of Zoodle. He is only a couple weeks older than my little man and they both have these great big infectious grins that I just love. I am in tears over some of the conversations with Chickie. I find myself both excited and mildly terrified of the conversations I will someday soon be having with my son.

Okay, I know, you know all this. After all, if you're here, it's likely because you follow Beth. This is merely to set up the inspiration for my post today. I often get so caught up in my day, I forget to take the time to just stop and look at my little man and really soak him in. Beth's blog often reminds me of the importance of soaking it all in. The other day, I was suddenly struck by how in awe I am of my guy:

Sometimes the industriousness of my son enthralls me. He does something as simple as taking each and every one of his toys out of his basket and putting them on the coffee table with such seriousness, such intent. He curls his lip to take a bite out of my table, catches me watching him and slyly puts a toy in that gaping maw instead. He accidently pulls a kitchen towel off its rack and spends the next half hour trying to put it back, never once getting upset or frustrated that it's not working, just trying different ways of getting it to stick. Finally he decides it just doesn't want to be there anymore, leaves it to its new home on the floor, and goes after his original target, my pots and pans. He holds up his red socks to me with such pride in what he's accomplished (I still don't know exactly what it was, but he was very proud of it). He goes from trying to clap his own hands one minute (with limited success) to taking his bear and making him clap his hands (with quite a bit of success) the next minute. How does he do it? How does he grow so much, not just in a year but in a week, a day, a nap. I'm just in awe, not of who he is becoming, but of who he is. Every day I get to discover more of what's in there.



****

I love this, Heather! Beautiful post. (And beautiful kiddo!!)