Baby Shetler - Redux: January 2007 Archives

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January 19, 2007

My Baby Is Amazing

No, seriously, he is. I'm going to wax motherly right now, so if you can't stomach gushing, stop reading.

Dylan and I were sitting on the floor the other day, playing with the Animal Train:

Hop on board, the Animal Train
Come on, everyone (toot toot)
Learning about animals
Is really lots of fun.

Colors, sizes, what they say
If they're fast or slow
Learning about animals
There's so much to know! (toot toot)

Yes, I know all the words to the Animal Train song. Get over it. So anyway, we're sitting on the floor, playing, and the music stops. Now, there are two ways to start the music. You can push on the train's smokestack and it plays the Animal Train song (see above), or you can press on the floor of the engine, which plays one of four other songs about animals. Dylan was playing with the second car, so when the music stopped, I reached over and pressed the floor of the engine:

Polar bears live where it's cold
Lions like it hot.
Tigers can run very fast
And Hippos can not.

Some have two legs, some have four
Some are quiet, others roar
You'll discover animals
And learn a whole lot more.

The music started and Dylan started bobbing up and down to the beat. Oh my GOD so cute! Then the music stopped and he looked at me like, 'Huh?" So he reaches over, and PRESSES THE FLOOR OF THE ENGINE:

Oh when animals make their noises
They all sound really grand
You can sing along
And join in our lively band!

Big smile, I mean, we're talking huge, proud-of-himself smile. He knew what he was doing! I completely melted. I mean, a year ago, he was just this concept of a person, kicking my bladder and now he knows how to make the music on the train go. And I'm so proud. And then I was thinking, I watched all these shows before like Extreme Home Makeover where the kid is sick and the parents go on and on about how much they've learned from them and how special a person they are and how wonderful they are and blah blah blah. I was always like, "Whatever, he's a year and a half. How do you know what kind of a person he is? How can you say all that." But I totally get it now! Dylan is the most amazing little person. He's so affectionate, and he loves people. He cuddles up to you and tries to touch your face. If you're sitting by him, he reaches out to touch you. If there are a bunch of people around, he reaches out to each person to touch them, really trying to make a connection. He's got this great sense of humor - he's silly and when he's being silly or thinks something is silly, he smiles and sticks his tongue out. When something's funny he laughs and claps his hands. When you put a song on that he likes, he bops up and down to the beat. He blows raspberries and then laughs at it. When you reach down to pick him up, he lifts up his arms towards the ceiling and leans in towards you. He's just a great little person and I love him so much. I've only known him for a little while, but I couldn't live without him now.

Posted by Terri at 10:33 AM | Comments (1)

January 03, 2007

Maternal Instinct

One of the things I was afraid of when I found out I was going to be a mom was falling. Ok, maybe it sounds silly, but I mean, there you are, carrying your baby and you trip and fall. That's a long way down for the baby. And it's instinct when you're falling to use your arms to break your fall, right? If I fell, would I drop my baby?

Yes, these are the things I worry about.

Cut to today. Dylan had a doctor's appointment for his second flu shot. I picked him up out of his carseat and took a step to the side, out the door. My foot hit the curb and slipped off it, knocking me off balance. Not only was I falling, but Dylan was in front of me!!! I didn't think. Seriously, nothing was going through my mind. I wasn't thinking, "I must protect my baby," or anything like that. Ok, maybe I was thinking, "Oh shit!" but that's about it. I guess what I'm trying to say is there was no thought process that caused what happened next. I didn't decide to do it. I didn't choose to do it. It just happened.

Not only did I not drop my baby, but somehow, by a physical feat I'm still not sure how I did, I managed to twist myself so that I fell with Dylan on top of me. Not only that, but once I was down on the ground, I realized that my arms wrapped even tighter around him, completely protecting him. (Again, I would like to reiterate that I did not think to do this). Without my arms to brace me, I landed hard on my hip. (Luckily it is well padded). But I wasn't even thinking about that. I wanted to make sure Dylan was ok.

He looked at me with this little terrified expression on his face. I didn't think he was hurt - just scared - but I wasn't sure. So, ignoring the immense pain radiating from my hip, I put on a big smile and said, "Wheeeeeee!!" Dylan giggled. Thank God. He was alright.

I staggered to my feet. A mom drove up and said, "Are you alright?" I told her yeah, and she went on her way. I was alright - more shaken than anything else. I just, I don't know. It really amazed me how I just did that, without thinking. It may sound stupid, but it really made me feel like a mom. It was just one of those moments that afterwards, you're thinking about it, and you're just like, "wow!"

Posted by Terri at 01:45 PM | Comments (3)

January 02, 2007

Christmas Pix

Happy New Year!

I've been gone for a while, and to make it up to all the multitudes of loyal readers of this site, I have included lots of Christmas pictures of a rapidly growing Dylan. (He is just too cute).

He's very good at sitting now, and loves playing with all his toys. Still not crawling, but that's ok. It makes it easier since I can just plop him down on the floor in the living room and go into the kitchen for something and not worry about what he's getting into.

So, click below to see the pictures...