Getting to the Fun Part

I won't sugarcoat it: The first few months of new stay-at-home mommyhood offered infrequent moments of great reward. It's a challenge to entertain a baby who can't yet crawl or communicate, and I was reminded by one of my trusty baby books that those who ask moms of newborns, "Isn't being a mom just the best?" and "Aren't you loving it?" aren't, in fact, in it. Yes, I love my baby (and her father), but days expand and contract in curious ways, and slotting in weekly chores between changing the baby, feeding the baby, washing the baby and walking the baby does not necessarily make for a glorious sense of fulfillment. (Isolation is another issue, and in that experience, I know I am not alone.)

At four and a half months, however, things changed. We experienced a return on investment in the form of greater interaction, new vocalizations, stronger eye contact, willfulness and enhanced fine motor skills. The shift was notable for me in the day-to-day caretaking, and of that time, I said, "This is when the fun begins."

It's a full month later and Taylor is ever more interactive. On Easter Sunday, April 8th, 2012, she held herself up on all fours for the first time. Over the few days that followed, she began launching herself forward from this position, engaging in a somewhat laborious form of locomotion that has ushered in a new era of care and vigilance for us, her parents. Taylor is possessed of a positive disposition, preferring more stimulation to less, and displaying a strong sense of determination. She seeks out objects she wants and will advance on them as her skills allow, reaching out and drawing them to her mouth (my phone) or raking and grasping with a tight-fisted grip (the dog); dear John Henry has been highly tolerant of Taylor's new skills.

The six-month benchmark is nearly upon us and this little baby who, through the wonders of nature, has subsisted on breastmilk alone, will soon be sampling sweet potato and her first bites of banana. We expect she'll be walking before the year is out, and we're likely to hear her first words, too. The ROI just increases from here, and being in it is becoming a very rewarding place to be.