This stage is pretty amazing. Duke is the sweetest little boy, snuggling more, laying his little head on my shoulder, giggling and cracking himself up on a regular basis. He’s starting to say more words and really understand what we are saying to him which makes me beam with pride when he’s being a good listener and shake my head as he continues to test all of the new boundaries in his life. His tantrums are generally pretty entertaining {don’t worry, I hide my laughter} but I know how important this stage is for him and I’m doing my best to be consistent and help him communicate with us. I am doing pretty good at understanding what object he needs/wants out of the 27 options he’ll inevitable be pointing towards at any given time. We’re trying to get him to repeat back words but he’s not really into it. He thinks his nose is his tongue and that might be the funniest thing he does right now.
I am savoring the sweet sweet moments this baby boy gives me. He woke up unexpectedly and very oddly at 5:30 a.m. the other night. He was crying and restless and I could tell this wasn’t a time when he would get himself back to sleep on his own. I picked him up and he immediately gripped around my body and laid on my shoulder. I could melt into a million pieces for this kid. That feeling is the feeling I always hoped I would have with my own sweet baby. We ended up getting him a little ibuprofen because I think he’s teething again and he immediately snuggled in and fell asleep with us in bed. This generally means I am up for the day, but those little baby hugs are everything.
I had a perfect stranger tell me I was going to have my hands full soon as she noticed my ever-growing belly and wild toddler at the store. She was very kind and I just smiled and told her she was 100% correct. Life is going to get nuttier. And while I can’t even imagine what it will be like to have a newborn right alongside my wild toddler, I immediately tear up when I think about the love we are about to experience. I know that I have absolutely no idea what it will be like when we see this boy for the first time or when Duke meets him. I know that it’s impossible to know just how you could possibly love another child they way you love your first, but I have no doubt it will be the greatest feeling of my life {so far}.
In 10-ish weeks we will welcome him into our crazy little family. There will be more laundry, more diapers, less cleaning, less sleep, but all I keep thinking about is the more…more love, more smiles, more laughs, more snuggles, more quiet blissful moments in the wee hours of the night while the rest of the house is asleep. After looking back at the amazing ride we had in 2016, I’m getting more and more excited to see how this year unfolds.
-T-
