Celebrating Words and Kicking Cows

Oh, the joys of feet!  The mystery of words!  The allure of solid food!  Julia London, aka Little, is in a world of wonder.  Little appreciates the, well, little things in life just as Hallmark movies and cross stitch pillows instruct.  Little needs not Smartphone nor interweb when she has her own fingers to admire.  In contrast to the snarky-funny pessimism so prevalent around us (and often perpetrated by us), Little lives pure happiness.

Even without coffee, Little wakes up on the right side of the crib each day and takes in the beauty of her monkey mobile.  She absorbs the sounds and movements and doings all around her with sheer intrigue.  She pushes herself to try new things without fear of failure.  At less than three months old she is actively trying to talk – so much so that we’ve already set up her high chair just so she can join in mealtime conversations.  And while Little sits in her chair she studies the textures and colors of our food with such fascination that we now also stop to appreciate asparagus.  Yesterday while Little was nursing and I was sneaking Halloween candy, she looked at me, looked at my chocolate, looked back at me and in perfect baby diction asked why her food is so different from mine.

Little loves her body in the most refreshing way.  She delights in her wrists, shows off how she can lift her legs and can’t help but smile when you touch her nose.  Body insecurity is far from her mind as we tickle her tummy and “eat” her feet.  Recently she’s learned – through experimentation – to not just kick but aim.  Her stuffed cow is her very first frenemy; cooed at one moment and then kicked right in the gut the next.  Her toy pig leads an equally nerve-wracking existence, drooled on lovingly and then smashed between two small balled up fists as Little hones her motor skills.

Little is a master of taking it all in stride.  Last weekend in the space of ten minutes she encountered giant, potentially terrifying aliens called horses, was accosted by the tongue of a puppy and surrounded by the commotion of extended family who all wanted a snuggle.  She responded to the onslaught of stimulation with a gurgle and smile.  She watches, watches, watches with those big blue eyes, observing and analyzing all the new quite calmly.

Mostly.  I mean, she’s still a baby not the Dalai Lama.

I like her perspective on things.  I enjoy her optimism and sense of adventure and love of learning.  Her decision to embrace the foreign with curiosity rather than with fear is inspiring.  She reminds me to see things as positive until proven otherwise.

Little has it right.

Cow Kicking not Cow Tipping