February and its changes

The month of February is nearly over, making my baby boy all of 9 months old and bringing my return to work ever closer. February has been marked by activity in a usually boring household. Aside from a growing number of play dates and appointments, a significant part of this activity has been the comedy of chasing around after Ivor, discovering along with him what he can and shouldn't be getting into. 

Bruises and scrapes- all in a day's play

9 month old Ivor is full of gusto and giggles. He waves hello/good-bye, says 'Mama' (to ask for milk), crawls with some speed and he is working hard at pulling himself up. His desperation to get onto his feet means that the season of bumps and bruises has arrived. So far he usually ends up doing bear crawls or up on his knees (though this action alone has given him the height he needed to access previously out-of-reach items on the couch, coffee table and bookshelves) but soon he'll figure out how to balance those feet under him.

The discovery of coasters

Now that a certain someone has discovered opening doors/lids, each morning brings with it new opportunities for exploration- the recycle box and it's treasured peanut butter jars, the refrigerator and it's many colorful wonders, the cupboards and their clanking contents, the closets and their various accoutrements, the toilet bowl and it's watery depths... 

From sunrise to sunset, we conduct an intensive investigation of everything from light-switches and door jambs to the freckles on mommy's arms. Our investigation is accompanied by the happy and sometimes frustrated squeaks, grunts and giggles of my little master observer. While there are moments when I find Ivor's attraction to anything that could be potentially harmful or messy less than amusing, I have been basking in the sweetness of these last full weeks together. 

On Monday, Ivor will go in for his first full day of nursery- my first full baby-free day in 9 months. I am looking forward to the freedom and the time to myself, but I know that I'll be missing my boy and his big smiles long before it is time to pick him up. I honestly cannot explain the blessing that the last 9 months of maternity leave have been for me. For me, having had significant time to enjoy, adjust to and care for my baby mean that returning to work is now a positive new chapter for our family, instead of a heart wrenching one. I am pretty sure there will be tough days ahead as we figure out our new routine and as I get used to not having sole input into Ivor's day, but right now, I am feeling really good about this new stage. And Ivor seems thrilled to have new environments to explore!