Where did my baby go?

"Where did my baby go?" This is the question I keep asking myself. Because Daniel really isn't a baby anymore, he's a real little boy. (I just realized that sounds like Pinocchio...) It wasn't that long ago that we could just put him in our bed with a stuffed animal when he woke up early in the morning, and he would entertain himself while we dozed for a little longer. But now, that is just not an option; he'd crawl right off the bed in two seconds flat! At the rate he's going, soon Danny will hop off the bed and run out the door.

I've told you that Daniel has started to pull himself to a standing position and even cruise the furniture a little. Today, I was on the floor, and Danny pulled himself up and was standing with just a few fingers touching me. Then he let go, and for a few glorious seconds, he was standing without any support. Go, Big D! Now he's standing all over the place and getting into EVERYTHING. You know those things hard-core campers use to keep their food away from bears? That's what we need to keep all our stuff away from Daniel. As I type this, Danny stood up, pulled my purse down from a table, and is emptying the contents all over the floor. Oops, there goes the diaper bag...

Daniel's social calendar has also become busier than Eric's and mine. On Sunday, we stopped by a birthday/adoption party for two little Guatemalan friends. There was also another really nice couple we know from our agency, with their little boy. I think one of the little girls there was also from Guate. We could only stay a little while, because we had a potluck/parent get-together/orientation thing at Danny's daycare (which he will start in August). He was a little shy at first, but then started playing and having fun. He even sat at the table with the other little kids and ate a bowl of macaroni and cheese - his first taste of the good ol' orange Kraft stuff. He sure liked that! (He takes after his Mom; that awful orange stuff is the ONLY mac and cheese I like!) He also had some hummus. For me, seeing him sit in the little kid chair eating with the other kids, I felt all teary. My baby's growing up! Sniff sniff.

Daniel's been teething off and on since he came home. A few teeth have been so close to the surface for awhile. The other day, I was brushing his teeth when I noticed two molars had erupted up top, one on each side. Molars! Those are for big kids, aren't they?! (Yes, I knew molars were the next teeth that are supposed to show up, but still, it seems like such a "big kid" milestone.)

I think Danny is also trying to say some new words. He learned the signs for "ball" and "book" a little while ago, although they both pretty much looked the same. Then he started making the "ball" sign a lot better. Now, he tries to say the words verbally while he makes the sign. The words come out as "ba" and "boo" (imagine an umlaut over the "oo"s, so it looks like the "oo" in "book," not like he's trying to scare someone.) I think he's also trying to say "diaper" while he makes the sign. Anyway, I'll bet it won't be long till he's running around naming everything he sees. And asking "Why?" a lot, right, parents?

The best moments with Daniel right now are when he gives us hugs. (Eric would agree!) He puts his head against my shoulder, wraps his arms around me, and makes this special "Ahhhh" sound. In that sweet moment, Danny is still my baby boy.


This is what happens when I take my eyes off Daniel for a minute...which is enough time to pull the extra Kleenex boxes out of the hall closet and wreak havoc!



There's a weird reflection on his teeth in this photo, but he still looks so cute!


I asked Danny to stand up by his crib, and he did!


Daniel is cuddlier than his three big bears put together!