Look Who’s Growing!

Brady’s progress often gets lost among the many tales of Kyle and his antics. But make no mistake, this little one, my peanut, is forming a personality all his own. I can hardly believe he will be six months old next week. At least once a day I take a moment to look at him, really look at him, to see who he is becoming. If I don’t do this, he doesn’t even seem real to me. With the demands of a toddler whose only settings are Asleep and Full-Speed, the baby becomes a chore, an after-thought, only tended to when he cries. I know it’s sad, but it’s the inevitable fate of a subsequent child in a household that doesn’t have full-time help.

Overall, Brady is a happy, friendly baby. When people talk to him, he breaks into a joyful smile that takes over his whole face and then spreads to his body, until he shudders with pleasure and coyly dips his head. He chatters away to himself and others and he loves to chew on things.

It seemed like overnight he went from baby who just sits there to grabby little boy. I was sitting with him on my lap at a friend’s house. Next thing I knew I was wearing half a plate of pasta and meat sauce after Brady grabbed my fork and flipped it with a quick swipe of his hand. He is not yet sitting up or crawling but that doesn’t mean he’s immobile. When I put him on a blanket on the floor, he rolls over or wiggles and winds up in a place far from where I left him. No more unsupervised playing on my bed!

We have continued feeding Brady his solids. People think that I’m so earthy crunchy for making my own baby food, but it’s really not that hard. Plus, buying pre-made baby food requires a trip to the store, and I’m at the point where any errand is weighed by necessity. Time to feed the baby? What do we already have? A quick glance around the kitchen reveals so many options – bananas, check. Sweet potatoes, check. We still have an avocado that’s not black on the inside, maybe that will work. Frozen tamales? Hmm…that’s for later. Brady actually loves what I’ve given him so far. On the rare occasion that I miss his solid meal (still only once a day), he will let me know.

Luckily, and I almost don’t want to type this because I am afraid I will jinx it, he has become a good sleeper. He naps best in his crib, and he sleeps through the night with the exception of one feeding, usually 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. Stewart brings him to me in bed and I nurse him lying on my side. We often fall asleep together after that. I don’t mind. After all, it will only be another six months or so and then I will have to put his nursing infant days behind us.

So. Who is he becoming? Looking at his brother, it’s amazing to see how much life is contained in a little 2-year-old body. How much knowledge, feeling, speech, empathy, and frustration. I never would have been able to imagine that when Kyle was 6 months old. Now that I know, looking at Brady, I am filled with appreciation for who he is now, and edge-of-my-seat anticipation of every day to come.