36: Three Quarters of a Year with G

Dear Genevieve, 

You are at such a fun and interactive age. Loud noises (my voice, the dogs barking) bring a huge smile to your face. Scaring you sends you into fits of laughter too. Twirling, dance parties, and papa flying you around the living room are a few of your (growing) list of favorite activities. You even sing along (vocal and eyebrow inflection included) to the special playlist I created for you. A smile is (nearly) always planted on your face. You love playing all around your house, visiting friends, or going anywhere we take you. Going with the flow is natural for you (unless its nap time and then you want your crib and for the room to be very dark). 

You are sitting up more, love rolling (with an impressive back arch) to get where you want to go, and really started crawling forward this morning. Racing past milestones is not your way--you are very chill and content. The only time you really race--in fact--is when you're trying to get to your dresser to pull the drawer open (and so the babyproofing begins). You love elevating your feet and doing leg presses on EVERYTHING. Your legs are pretty strong too (mama's hams and papa's quads for sure). When you're done sitting up, you throw yourself backwards and you're learning that doing a back arch while wedged under your crib results in pain (as I told you: some lessons in life hurt). 

Your eyes are continuing to shift into whatever their permanent color will be and are absolutely stunning.  Four teeth coming in simultaneously on top (and honestly, I think more are on the way). You've been a trooper handling the discomfort and your papa and I are impressed by your pain tolerance. Your hair is growing longer, especially on the sides by your ears and on the top-middle of your head. For height and weight, you are in the 39th percentile and just now filling out 6–12-month-old clothing. Your little voice is often chattering, or you are conducting experiments with the sounds of your tongue. 

Burlioz is quickly becoming your favorite pal. He guards you and has even taken a couple of your wooden blocks for himself. You pat him and he lays very close while you play now. Heidi gives you kisses on your toes and head throughout the day, too. Sometimes you pull a hunk of hair off of them, but they quickly forgive you for it. When we do family walks, Heidi stays as close to you as possible and Burlioz will sometimes bark when someone gets closer to you that he deems appropriate. 

You have been joining me for at least one of my runs each week as we prepare together to work towards the 10K we will be running together at the end of March. There are days that you love it and days that you don't, but you are tolerating longer distances as the weeks go by. Unless the wind or sun are in your eyes, you seem to really enjoy the running stroller and facing forward.

An independent girl you are. You entertain yourself with toys or your activity center throughout the day but love closer snuggles and bonding time in the evenings. Your "You are My Little..." books, Touch and Feel books, and Paddington Bear books are your favorite. Wooden blocks, animals, and silicon teethers have also given you relief from those pesky teeth cutting in. 

Solids are solid! You gobble down "kibs" three times a day and thus far enjoy (or tolerate) everything. Your least favorite food is brown rice, but you will eat it with mango. You are obsessed with yogurt and your eyes get so big when you know it's coming. Heidi and Burlioz enjoy your breakfast scraps, and you love listening to music while enjoying your meals. You make less of a mess these days while eating, and drink well from an open cup (with support). You finally moved into solid poops (yay) and blowouts are much rarer (thank goodness). 

GG, we love watching as your personality continues to bloom. You are so chill but have bursts of intensity too. I was listening to a book by Michael A. Singer and the way he described a Taurus (which you are) seemed to personify you well. You have been with us now for as long as it took to grow you in my belly. Because of that, I wrote you a poem that can be read from start to finish or from end to start. As time goes on, we only love you deeper. We are grateful for the stages of you that we experienced and have passed, look forward to all there is to come, and are truly appreciating the place you are right now. 

With All My Love, 
Mama 

For nine months you grew inside of my womb, 
in our house and hearts, we easily made room.
With immediacy our love was deep and true,
words cannot convey how much we care for you. 
So tiny and mighty, So active and strong
your personality buds, though I knew you all along. 
With confident ease you contemplate and seek, 
your intensity reminds us you certainly aren't meek. 
Your eyes sparkle, and you melt all with your grin.
Yet we are met with sass and anger when we say "give me min." 
Transitions are incessant--so much letting go. 
But Genevieve, darling, this you should know: 
we accept that you'll change.  Here with you we'll be
with our minds on the present and *this* version of G. 
Time doesn't go fast, though change quickly you do, 
embracing these nine months we've had with you.