Time with Family, Part Deux

(First of all, let me wish "Happy Birthday!" today to Papa Stan!)

The entry I wrote yesterday really just notified you readers of the new photos on the website, so I thought I'd take a bit more time here to write about how we're doing. Maia has just gone to bed for her first nap of the day (a bit on the early side . . .), and so I'll take some time for this fun "work" before I get down to the business of preparing for my first Childbirth Class tomorrow evening.

Yesterday's trip to K-zoo was very enjoyable. Maia slept on and off for the 1 hour, 45 minute drive over there, and then was wide awake from about 12:30 until 4:00 or so, when we drove home. That's a relatively long stretch for her to be awake, social, and busy, but she was in a fantastic mood and smiled at people all afternoon. :) Being in a baby-friendly house made it a piece of cake to change diapers and nurse, so it really was a relaxing visit. When we left, she fell asleep almost immediately as we drove out of their neighborhood, and she was out cold asleep for the entire drive home.

There were lots of little ones at the party, with Maia pretty much right in the middle age-wise. There was a 2-month old, a 4-month old, Maia (at 7 months), and an almost-year-old. It was cool to see the babies' various developmental stages and little personalities all in one room. Human beings really do make astounding developmental progress in that first year; we go from lacking the muscle strength to hold our own heads up to walking in the span of 12 months or so. Spending time with the babies yesterday was quite a reminder of how important this "groundwork" is that's being laid down at this age, right now, during this first year. Because the development is at such a rapid pace, I never really know for sure what Maia will be capable of from one day to the next. It's so important, therefore, for me to be consistent in the things that I consider fundamental: teaching her that I will love her unconditionally (even if, at some points down the road, I might not like her decisions), valuing her opinions and the things she has to say, and showing her that I really do enjoy being in her presence.

On the schedule for this week: as mentioned above, I begin teaching Childbirth Class this Tuesday. We'll have visits with Nana Dawn and Papa Stan (probably Wednesday), and then perhaps share a meal with some local friends of ours this weekend.