Merry go round moments – week 31.

Family fun: top shot.

He is loving playing ‘peekaboo’ these days. He will hide, then pull the cover off with a flourish, laughing his head off. And his sister loves joining in, making him laugh even harder.

Memories are made of this.
Little man, recognising and responding to his name. I thought it was a coincidence the first couple of times.  But it has happened enough now for me to be sure that he knows his name.  He looks so impressed with himself when he hears it and turns to look at you!

 

Laugh out loud.
Missy has been reunited with her best boy buddy, who had been away in England since December. I watched them, sat side by side, bundled up in towels after a swim, eating their snacks.  They were chattering away and swapping food. She gave him a whole breadstick, he gave her the end bite of a baby rice cake. I think she’d anticipated something a bit more generous in return for a whole breadstick; she took it with grace, although her face was a picture!

 

Quick quote.

“People who love to eat are always the best people”

Julia Childs.

I feel very strongly about empowering my children right from the start to be happy, healthy, confident individuals. I want to give them the tools to love themselves, and respect themselves. I think our cultural relationship with food and the societal pressures around body expectation and body image do so many unhealthy things to us, mentally, emotionally and physically.  Food is not the enemy. Our attitude to food, and exercise, and our bodies is.  And it starts scarily young.

So I find it increasingly annoying that people who I don’t even know, feel the right to comment on the size of my son for his age. He’s a baby, and up until fairly recently he was a pre-mobile baby. He’s a breastfed baby, now weaning onto a very healthy, very age appropriate diet. He has a good appetite, but is not greedy. He is totally in proportion, but he is big for his age. Why do total strangers feel it is acceptable to comment? Would they walk up to a 25 year old and say ‘wow, you’re on the large side! Do you eat a lot of junk food, or do you just not do enough exercise?’ Of course they wouldn’t! They might think it, but a). it’s none of their business and b).how utterly inappropriate.

Don’t get me wrong, there is banter between us and our family and friends about his size – he IS big! But I love my chunky baby boy exactly as he is. I have no worries about him at all.  He’s a bundle of happiness and sunshine, all day every day. May that never change.

 

Music makes me happy.
Humpty dumpty nursery rhyme.  Singing this to my little man while he sits on the pool side, then launches himself forward into the water when I encourage him and say ‘had a great fall’.

 

Good times.
With my friend Angelica, while she cuddled the little man, and the other kids played together.  I still can’t quite believe that my girly is old enough now to want to go off and play in a bedroom when she is with friends, rather that wanting to stay with us mums in the living room.  My baby is growing up.