How the Seventh Month Went

Dear Zachary,

We are fortunate to have many friends with older children who can alternately reassure us that you are developing normally, warn us about impending doom (read: crawling), or sympathize with our lack of progress with sleep training. The one thing they've all said, though, was that things get so much more fun after the six month mark. Unsurprisingly, they're right; you have become such a little character over the last month! I thought you were pretty great (minus the sleeping thing) before, but in this last month it's been like that part in Civilization Revolution when you discover a secret island and there's an explosion of great people...you discovered solid food and suddenly it's been an explosion of new skills and personality.

On the day that you turned six months old, you were sitting on your daddy's lap as he ate a banana and next thing I know, you had grabbed his hand and stuffed the banana into your mouth. Since then, you've been an adventurous little bebbers, trying to participate in every meal, whether we intended on feeding you or not. You know what you want, and what you want is food. Preferrably now, and you'd like to do it yourself, thank you very much. When we are the tiniest bit slow returning dropped food to you, you bang on your tray as if to demand faster service (what can I say, we're a Chinese eatery, and we all know those get minus one or two stars on Yelp for poor service), when we try to help you by feeding you soft, difficult to grasp foods like yogurt or congee, you protest loudly and try to grab the spoon to stick it into your mouth yourself. I feel vaguely like I should be trying to teach you better manners, but it's just so funny seeing you assert yourself.

We celebrated your first Easter this last month and I keep thinking about something I read somewhere, about how that first Holy Saturday just plain sucked for Jesus' disciples. They didn't know, despite numerous hints, that the resurrection was coming. All they knew was that their leader was dead, the revolution didn't happen, and they'd left their jobs and families for what? A tomb?

When I was in the thick of the newborn period with you and waking up every hour to nurse and getting peed on every other diaper change, I didn't really get why people thought babies were so great (sure, you were lovable, but you weren't exactly what I would call my top recreational choice). Now that you're blossoming into your own little person, I'm starting to see the light. Where before I was hopeless and exhausted and wondering if I'd made a huge mistake (cue "The Sound of Silence"), now I'm starting to feel a little more sure of myself as your mother and I'm able to really enjoy you. And through it all, God has been there, whether I felt Him or not, sustaining me so that I can make it through until the proverbial Easter morning.

In some areas of parenting I feel like I've reached the empty tomb and can rejoice (e.g. I don't have to wonder how to play with you or occupy you anymore...the answer is just give you food!), in some areas I'm still in Saturday mode (e.g. sleep training...ugh), and I'm sure there are many more areas where I'm still in the blissful ignorance of Palm Sunday. But I'll just keep meditating on the Easter story and remember that we know about the resurrection now; we know that Jesus has already triumphed. Even when things feel like Saturday, I trust that Sunday is coming. I trust that God has a plan that I just didn't get, despite the hints, and repeat 1 Corinthians 15:55-58.

“O death, where is your victory? 

O death, where is your sting?” 

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Sometimes, amidst the poopy diapers and scraping sweet potato off the floor, being a parent doesn't feel like the work of the Lord, but I know He has entrusted us with the raising of you, and I'll do my best to be steadfast.

love,
Mommy

Likes:

• Food: You are a huge fan of corn on the cob, cantaloupe, banana (you are your daddy's son all right!), pork (like a good Cantonese boy!), and 粥. If you see food on your plate and we don't get it to your tray fast enough, you will start freaking out and even dive toward the food if you can. If there is corn on the table and you are eating something else, you will throw the other stuff onto the floor and hold your hands out toward the corn. It's gotten to the point where we have to hide the corn if we want you to eat anything else during dinner. 
• Going really fast: When your daddy holds you and runs down the hall, or when he pushes you in your stroller super fast across a parking lot, you get this frozen open-mouthed face of joy, like you just can't believe your good luck.  
• TMT, aka 跳舞 Time: You make the same face as above when we swing your around during Sandra Boynton's "Barnyard Dance" song. 
• Pokemon: Best way to get you to crack a smile -- start making Pokemon noises! Your favorite is Diglet; Jigglypuff doesn't do much for you. 
• Your big brother, Walnut: Your eyes light up and you get this huge grin every time you see him walk by, and you will start bouncing in place hoping he comes closer. Should he come within grabbing distance, you will try to grab a big handful of fur and stick it in your mouth. 

So thrilled that you get to sit next to Walnut and stick your hand in his fur...and he's not running away!

The long-suffering cat heaves a huge sigh. 

Look at that expression of unbridled joy, to be so close to your big brother!

So intense, that focused stare. 

And lest you think it was a fluke, here's another picture from a different day, with the exact same expression of longing. 

Dislikes:

• Food: Like a stereotypical kid, you just hate broccoli. It goes on the floor instantly if it's handed to you and you make faces when florets mysteriously find their way into your mouth. 
• Wiping your face after eating: You're not a big complainer in general, unless I'm trying to clean you up. Then it's wild head turning in an attempt to avoid the washcloth. 
• This one teacher at school: You like most of the people at school, but your main babysitter reports that this one English teacher makes you cry, and yet you can't stop looking at him. Maybe it's like when one knows a spider is in the room, so one has to keep track of where it went? Our theory is that he's the only person you've ever seen that has facial hair; looks like you would not enjoy the month of Movember. 

New this month:

• Flipping over instantly during diaper changes: Neck-bridging, while annoying, was still somewhat helpful for when it came time to put your pants back on. But that was so last month. There is nothing remotely helpful about your flipping over. Thankfully, you are fairly easily distracted with a book to play with. 
• First Easter egg hunt: You were the youngest baby there, but we managed to artificially help you find an egg by holding you right in front of it so you could grab at it. 

• First meal at a restaurant: You've been to restaurants before, but this was the first time you actually partook of a meal at one! Sweet Tomatoes was an ideal first choice because there are so many unseasoned options at the salad bar. Your favorite by far was the baked potato; after that potato, you couldn't get enough of it fast enough, and when it crumbled out of your tight little grip, you started crying because there was no more potato in your hand. 

• Speaking of that potato, talking: You used to be a fairly quiet baby, not making much noise unless it was time to sleep. No longer! Something about that potato was a transcendental experience, because ever since that evening, you've been babbling and squealing. You favor the syllable ba, which makes me think your first word will sadly not be "mama."
• Actually playing with another baby at a playdate: You guys took turns patting each other's shoulder, grabbing burp cloths from each other, and trying to suck each other's toes, all punctuated by lots of squealing. It was pretty amusing to watch. 
• First time being put to bed without Mommy or Daddy: We went to the wedding banquet of one of your daddy's good childhood friends, so 爺爺 fed you dinner, gave you a bath, and did your whole bedtime routine. You were so good and went to sleep without a fuss! 
• First costume feature on Mommy's blog: You get all the geek points for having an awesome first cosplay. 

• Rotating on your tummy: It's apparently the precursor to crawling, so I'm scared. Looks like I need to start baby-proofing the house. 
• Finally catching the monkey on your bouncer! Ever since your first time in the bouncer, you've had your eye on that dangling monkey. You keep making swipes at it but it's always been too far and you've been too uncoordinated. Until now! The day you caught the monkey and stuffed it in your mouth, you were so pleased with yourself. 

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED.