Four Months- Maeve Edition

Man, already missed three months. Oops. 

At four months, you are becoming so much fun! You adore your brothers, and are dying to be just as big as they are. You love to sit up or be held vertically. No more of that little baby stuff anymore. You eat your hands constantly. Your newest trick is blowing raspberries and you are so proud of yourself when you do it. You are mostly in 6 month clothes. (Ah- so big!). You have tried the teenist, tiniest bit of food. A bite of rice and a bite of banana. You were pretty stoked about both. You are really interested in everything around you, and try to grab at our food, so I might start introducing it a little more to you even though it's a little on the early side. 

Still no rolling over really, but I think it's coming soon. Kieran is by far your best friend. He stays by your side most of the day, and is always making sure I know where you are. "Maeve! Maeve!" "Is that my baby sister?" are the words most often coming out of his mouth. 

Every day you have more and more personality. I can't wait to see how you continue to fit into our family. 

Firsts but not Lasts

You guys. Something happened today. Something that just thinking about makes my stomach ball up into a knot, my heart beat a little quicker. Something that, while today was really the first time, is far from being the last.

Someone. A stranger. Was unkind to my child.

It honestly wasn't a big deal. (I'll preface the story by saying that Dex is in a big Wall-E phase right now) We were getting some foam egg shapes so he could create more EVEs. (He already had six, had turned an egg carton into a space ship for them, so obviously needed six more so it could be full) He was up at the counter, gave the cashier his purchase and- as he does- was going on and on about EVE and Wall-E and the foam shapes and the movie and exactly how he was going to draw on the foam and how they didn't have the right size to make a foam Wall-E and... you get the picture. It's hard to imagine he gets enough air in with all the talking sometimes, and she looks right at him and says

"You know I'm not listening, right?"

And my heart stopped. Because- no, he had no freaking clue that she wasn't listening because he was in his own world, but that's NOT the point. Who says that to a four year old? I'm not asking her to listen to him... but in my book, there is zero reason to be unkind to a small child. This time he didn't hear her, but maybe next time he will.

And I'm terrified that he'll want to change a part of himself to fit into her idea of how he should be. And I can't protect him. And while I know this is a pretty big overreaction, especially considering that he didn't even realize anything happened... it makes my heart hurt to know that this is only the beginning of me not being able to protect him.

My boy that when I heard her say that, my only reaction was to get him far away. So I asked him to help me with the store door. And he did. And then he insisted on waiting and holding it open for his dad, too. My boy that when his sister was fussing in the car, put her pacifier in her mouth, and when that didn't work held her hand. And I didn't even know he was doing anything until he said "This silly baby is crying with her binky in her mouth. But she does like holding my hand."

My boy that is far from picture perfect, but is perfect in my eyes. Just the way he is.

I have fears every day about the future and if I'm doing enough to prepare him. I stay up nights thinking about tools I can give him to be successful. He's four.

Because yes, he's four. But the life that I can't protect him from is already showing itself. And I know that I have a lifetime left of alongside all of the wonderful glorious moments, watching my child struggle and get hurt. And even though that's life- I'm not looking forward to it.

Two Months- Maeve Edition

I haven't been here in awhile, but the other day I was looking back through the blog, and was able to take a look back at Kieran's first year. I really want that for Maeve as well.

Maeve,

At two months, you are starting to show so much more personality. You are starting to smile more and more, but you save most of those smiles for Mommy. You also love to have conversations, but also save those for when you are one-on-one with someone (mostly Mommy, but sometimes Daddy). You have mostly outgrown your 0-3 month clothes, and are in mainly 3 month clothes. You are spacing out feedings (nursing) a little longer, which makes the day a lot easier for all of us! You love tummy time, and are amazing at holding up your head. You rolled over at the doctor's office for your two month check up (11lb 10oz), but haven't really since then. (Though you are starting to try).

I am still working on transitioning into a stay-at-home-mom-of-three, but you found your niche in our family on day one. It feels like you have been here forever. Your brothers adore you, and we can't believe how lucky we all are to have you.