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Modern Perspectives, Motherhood, Young Married Mom

June 14, 2013

Quick Takes 4 – Édition Henri

— 0 —

This is unrelated to Henry, but why does it seem that right after we install our air conditioners each year, it gets cooler for a week or two? I’m not really complaining, just curious.

— 1 —

Henry rolls! One night this week, he rolled tummy to back to tummy, from point A to point B (neither point itself was terribly exciting), for the first time. John got on the floor with him to join in, and Jacob was very close behind. It was pretty cute to have the three of them rolling around together.

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— 2 —

Henry scoots! Once he rolls from back to tummy, he is trying and trying to get that belly off the ground so he can start moving! He’s up on his arms, then pushing off with his knees, and back and forth. He also rotates pretty well (PIVOT!), but at this point, his only real direction is backward.

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— 3 —

Henry smiles! When he lifts his head up, the kiddo is all smiles. I love seeing how thrilled he is that he has this new view of the world. There’s a whole lot more to come, buddy!

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— 4 —

Henry laughs! Making your child laugh is a great thing, but I think laughing with him is even better. Certain motions—lifting him to “stand” on my lap, for example—make Henry lose it, which makes me crack up, too. This reminds me of one of my favorite passages from my very favorite novel, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson:

 

“It is an amazing thing to watch people laugh, the way it sort of takes them over. Sometimes they really do struggle with it. I see that in church often enough. So I wonder what it is and where it comes from, and I wonder what it expends out of your system, so that you have to do it till you’re done, like crying in a way, I suppose, except that laughter is much more easily spent.”

 

Beautiful, right? Add it to your summer reading list! Like, now, please.

— 5 —

Oh, Henry. This little guy brings me so much joy. A number of times this week, it’s occurred to me what a different place I was in last year, waiting for him, afraid I’d never really meet him. Each time, I whisper into Henry’s ear, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

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— 6 —

I’ve mentioned before that Jacob really likes to sit on or near Henry. As the mom, I feel like I have to stop these “hugs” because I value Henry’s inner organs. Twenty times a day I tell Jacob to get off of Henry. Up until now, Henry’s quietly gone along with it, and I thought he might just be on my side. This week, he’s started to laugh when Jacob “rides” him. I get that roughhousing is good for kids, but isn’t six months a little young for that?

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— 7 —

Six months! Next weekend, Henry will be six months old! What?!

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When he was born just a few days before Christmas, I thought we might make a point of celebrating his half-birthday in the future, so he had a day of his own (not that sharing a season with baby Jesus is a bad thing). Turns out, Henry’s half-birthday is John’s birthday. Oh, well. That’s what baptismal days are for!

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P.S. Speaking of John’s birthday, this weekend and next are the high points of the Month of John. Next week’s Quick Takes will be a smattering of all the salty, fatty, and sweet treats we’re making to celebrate. I love that John’s body doesn’t seem to know how to create fat. Makes it more fun for me to cook. Love you, dear!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

  1. tacy says:

    Henry is so cute! And I love that you have a _zero_ on your quick takes:)

  2. Joseph Schlegel says:

    When I saw the title to this post I got really confused and thought I had been spelling Henry’s name wrong this whole time haha.

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