Enoch's Eleven Monthiversary

Enoch's older babyhood has been fraught with teething and this month, the flu, to boot. Poor boy had a marathon month. We all did. But! We survived. Two more teeth poked through to bring the count up to six, and I thought we were in for a nice respite. It lasted less than a week before I realized another tooth was about to poke through on the bottom. Sigh. Growing teeth has been SO DIFFICULT for this baby. But someday his whole mouth will be full of them with nary a one yet to wait on, so we can endure together. 

Enoch is a little less dough-y than he used to be now that he's more mobile. Walking on his own is on the horizon, but it's hard to tell how close. My current favorite thing he does is pulling himself to stand, letting go to balance on his own, and then clapping for himself. Lots of self-congratulation these days. 

It's difficult to believe Enoch's been here nearly a year already. The whole family is glad to have him in it, and we're delighted to be able to keep watching him grow into himself. So many unique selves in this family stretching out and up. I've never experienced anything like it--seeing another human for whom I was once a home become more and more an honest-to-goodness Character. The house is filling up with all these people who are delightfully and mysteriously not me, and it is a wonder.

Enoch's Ten Monthiversary (10 and A Half Monthiversary?)

Posted, ahem, when he's closer to 11 months old. But a lot of the photos were taken at the right time even if they're late to the blog!

What a month! The November-December stretch is always crazy. It is full, most often good-full when you don't say yes to All the Things and sometimes just choose cozy nights at home to try to keep a precious sliver of rest in your tank. But still. FULL. Looking back at the photos, there was so much delight this past month. But I don't blog anymore, so I'm ruthlessly not posting any of them, really, except the Enoch ones. 

Enoch experienced all the firsts of Thanksgiving and Christmas this month. He enjoyed our kittens, one of whom we already said goodbye to. He continues to be intensely social, loving being included in the life and bustle of his siblings. He's like a little magnet, and they all enjoy being with him. The zenith of his existence right now? Being walked by friendly hands. Listening to bedtime songs and bouncing and clapping like the dickens. Eating. Jokes and tickle games that involve his expertise at hearty chortling. Experimenting with the VERY LOUD noises he can emit. The harsher realities of life that plunge him into the valley? When people get tired of walking him and put him down. Being told no when he's getting into mischief of the electrical outlet/cat food/kitten over-affectionating variety. 

It was a really good month with our boy. He's still teething, but the acuteness isn't unrelenting anymore. And he is surprising us with his mobility. All in the space of this month, he started butt-scooching like a speed demon, pulling himself to stand, and just yesterday, trying to walk between people with giggly, rapid-fire steps. After all his contented, lumpy, happy doughboy sitting for so long, this child might end up being our earliest walker! Wonders never cease.

We love you, Enoch Abel. We really do.

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Sleepy boy helping fetch his first Christmas tree.

Mr Sunshine's baby ornament about to go on the tree.

(Someone stopped walking him. See? Despair.)

"No, Enoch."

Christmas Eve.

First Christmas morning.

Nightly ritual.

Watching Mickey Mouse with the bigs.

Very focused during Bible study.