And Just Like They All Said...

The good news is: My child loves me! The bad news is: I cannot leave his sight! Just as the books, the daycare teachers, my mother, Dr. Spock, and basically the entire child rearing community warned, separation anxiety has begun…

I cannot tell a lie. I have had it relatively easy up until the last month or two. Isaac has been the happiest, most well adjusted, fully sleep scheduled baby I could ask for. Mathew and I would sit and marvel at his angelic demeanor and cherubic smile. A few weeks ago, however, it happened. I left the chubby little cherub with his father to run to the bathroom. No sooner had I rounded the corner than I heard the ear piercing wails and the earth shattering cries of “UMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Again, I cannot tell a lie. It made me feel good to know that someone wanted and needed me and was upset when not graced by my presence. Like all good things, though, the novelty is now gone, and the wails have turned into full fledged Dragon Baby tantrums. The distance that I can safely travel has also changed. Before, I had to be completely out of sight. Now, I can be in the same room, but not holding him in a forward facing position with direct eye contact, and oh the terror!

Interestingly, none of this happens when I leave him at daycare. I can barely give him a kiss goodbye before he is crawling maniacally toward another baby (victim) or toy (soon to be unrecognizable plastic heap). This is a good thing, though, and speaks volumes about the unparalleled quality of the daycare. I really wish that I could spend my days there, and probably couldn’t care less who was leaving me or when they were coming back.

Isaac’s latest developmental milestone has been standing alone! He has been standing holding on to objects and furniture for a few months, but just started letting go last week. There is a collective gasp every time he weebles and wobbles, but luckily God (or Luv’s) was on it when they designed diapers, and the extra booty padding really breaks the fall. I know what comes next and I am in no way prepared for it. I really pushed the crawling and later realized there was no reason for that, so we are taking a very laid back approach to walking. Isaac doesn’t do anything in a lackadaisical manner, so once it’s on, it’s ON. I have begun research on running shoes and plan to begin my endurance training Monday. Someone once asked Sarah Jessica Parker how she stayed so skinny and toned. She swore that the only exercise that she got was taking care of her son. I thought she was a total cracked out liar at the time, but I now see that parenting done right can definitely come with a new set of calf muscles. I am still pretty certain that my abs will never be recovered from the wreckage, but baby chasing does have definite benefits for other, less s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d body parts.