Well you know my name is Simon

First things first - Happy Birthday Nana! Hope you’re enjoying your holiday.

Please excuse the almost three week gap in posts. It’s been very busy around here while I do endless paperwork to get ready for teacher’s college and we spend time enjoying summer before it slips by. I know it’s a totally unoriginal sentiment, but why does summer seem so short? I love fall, but it’s just a precursor to another long, long winter. But I do have some things to look forward to, like watching Simon play in the snow and seeing him experience Christmas (he was sort of out of it last year - didn’t even notice). I’ve also signed us up for a slew of activities to get us out of the house including more swimming lessons, Baby Time at the library, and Mother Goose and Rock a Bye Babies at the Early Years Centre.

Last week we had our second family photo shoot. The first time Simon was only two months old and what a difference eight months makes. Getting him to sit still was like wrangling a wild horse. That coupled with the photographer’s loud, high pitched baby talk made the entire photo shoot kind of crazy, but I’m very happy with end result. I’ve sprinkled the pictures through the rest of this post.

It has become obvious that Simon greatly prefers standing up to being on all fours. If there’s something to hold on to he’ll cruise around until he has no choice but to start crawling again. I think it will be a month or so until he’s walking, and I’m alternately thrilled and terrified at the prospect. Other than his first word I don’t think there will be a more significant moment.

Simon is pointing at everything these days, so it’s hard to pretend I don’t know what he wants. Lately his favourite thing is opening and closing the microwave door, which gets old after about 10 reps, but he points with such gusto that it’s hard to say no. The cutest pointing by far is when I take him for a walk and we get close to the playground. He gets visibly excited and starts babbling and pointing at the swings and the slide. Simon has also started to offer us his finger food and feed us. He thinks this is really funny, so much so that he’ll often forget to feed himself.

I’ve started the weaning process, mostly because once Simon started sleeping through the night my milk production dropped significantly. Right now I only breastfeed in the morning, and I could easily cut that feed out too but I don’t think I’m ready yet. I had a really great experience with breastfeeding and once I wean Simon for good that part of our relationship will end. I’m struggling with that. I know this is just the first of many stages to end, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

-Leila