Happy 9th Months Sweet Boy!

Today Harris is NINE months old. Crazy. He has been alive as long as I was pregnant and that seemed to last forever. Funny though, these 9 months have flown by. Over the last 9 months we've arrived at many milestones and each one has been bittersweet. We've said good-bye to the sweet NB size Pampers Swaddlers that are like 2 inches long and NB size clothing like his adorable blue and white Kissy Kissy outfit that he wore to his first church service. We've said farewell to sleeping with Mommy and Daddy and moved on up to the crib like a "big boy". We've left eagerly eating every two hours and have arrived at the "please eat and quit looking around at EVERYTHING" phase. We no longer play on a blanket with the same toy but we crawl EVERYWHERE to find any and everything we AREN'T supposed to play with. We said sayonara to the bald head and have landed at the mother ship of hair (to my great pleasure). Our most recent good-bye has been to nursing and although I knew it was time for us, it still hurts my heart.  


I know I can't keep him tiny forever. Why would I want to? Isn't one of the joys of motherhood seeing your children grow and learn and discover the world? Of course. BUT...it is still bittersweet. I have tried to find peace in thinking to the future and the wonderful things we have to look forward to but I know, in a way, that's foolish. We are, after all, only guaranteed today. So this has had me thinking this morning...what do I love about Harris today? This week? In this moment? 


In honor of Harris' 9 month birthday, these are 9 things I love about him...today. 


1. The way he literally begins jumping in his crib when he sees me. Eliot doesn't even do that...
2. The look of pure joy on his face when something delights him like Mickey Mouse. 
3. His look of determination while he tries to figure something out. That broom is perplexing.
4. His laughter. It simply doesn't get any better.
5. The way we cuddle and rock while he rubs his face with his bobbit (blanket)
6. His face while he rides in his wagon. The only way to describe it is that he zones out. Loves it.
7. His hugs when he first wakes up.
8. The way he plays with Emmie. I can see mischief all over his face. Poor dog...
9. The way he cuts his eyes right before he goes for the plugs or Emmie's bowl..again with the mischief..


In Proverbs 31 it is said of the "wife of noble character" that her children will rise up and call her blessed. I pray that one day Harris is able to do that. In the meantime though, I don't really need anyone to call me that. Today, I know I am.

~Psalm 118:24

        "THIS is the day the LORD has made; let us REJOICE and be GLAD in it!"