The Dawn of Mobility

In the spirit of contradicting parenting advice, everyone told me that I would either (a) love when Will becomes mobile because he can entertain himself or (b) hate when Will becomes mobile because he will get into everything.

I'm just gonna go with YES.

At first there was a comedy of parenting errors that had me seriously considering buying the kid a helmet. I was all about helicoptering when he would fall safely on his bottom, and attempting to play it cool "no rescue" style when he proceeded to fall flat on his face. Now I get the whole mom guilt thing. 

A few weeks later, here we are.

Just trying to ruin our stuff one wobbly death-grip at a time.

For the most part, I love that he can happily entertain himself without any parental involvement. Notwithstanding the fact that I injured my shoulder doing a ninja roll in our living room yesterday trying to get him to laugh. You definitely have to supervise (see below), but it takes a lot less energy to reactively supervise than to proactively entertain. In my opinion.

While there are still a few bumps and bruises now and again, I'm mostly having to adjust and come to terms with the fact that nothing is safe. His two little fangs mixed with his acidic drool can cut straight through anything. I must know - what kinds of enzymes are in that drool of his that can tear through thick paperbacks like a knife through butter? It is an anomaly of the physical world, I tell you.

And he moved the little turtle walker over there to sit next to him . . . ? Best buds . . . ? I hope he makes the turtle his lovey because that would be the WEIRDEST. Talk about "grace-filled parenting" if I started letting him take the turtle into his crib. 

But SERIOUSLY what is it about dog bowls that attract crawling babies like a moth to a flame? I know I'm not the only one who wonders with a shaking fist to the heavens. He makes a bee-line straight for the water bowl every. single. time. I set him down and try and do a load of laundry. He can't wait to dive in head-first and start splashing around! But put him in the bath tub, and he immediately tries to stand up and get out. Only bacteria-ridden liquid for this little aquatics lover.

FURTHERMORE, why must he lick all the things the dogs lick? He seems to have a penchant for winding up with the one, single dog toy in the house in his mouth each time I turn my head. 

These questions, they need answers.

Babies. They are so weird.