Watch and Learn

I am continually amazed at how this babe learns. It is, by far, one of my most favourite things about sharing each day with him.

He picks up on things that I try and teach him, like sign language. But then there are the things that I haven't really taught him. I wonder: "How is he ever going to learn to do that?" And then one day he just...does it.

Like in the past week or two, he's learned how to eat with a fork or a spoon. When I first offered him cutlery, he would just play with it and then throw it on the floor. He'd either feed himself with his hands, or I would feed him. Lately, though, he's become very insistent that he hold the spoon himself. He would tap it in his bowl, push the food around, bring the empty spoon up to his mouth. Within days of doing that, he figured out how to scoop, and then how to maneuver the food up to his mouth, and now...he's mostly feeding himself!

I think, too, of his sleep habits. In the first 6 or 8 months of his life, I remember thinking: "Will he ever be able to sleep without me at his side?" I read books and listened to advice from other mamas, but I never really did anything, other than try to creep away once I'd put him down, and hurry back to his side when he awoke crying. One day, he stayed asleep for a half hour after I put him in the bed...then it was an hour, then two or three. And now I can put him down for a nap and have time all to myself--which is much appreciated!

It takes patience on everyone's part, but it's so wonderful to see that, with time, little ones will reach these milestones all on their own. I wonder what he'll learn next?