I that I am biased when I say that my daughter is adorable 1500 hundred times a day. But really, she is.
We are a week out from 8 whole months of life. While I want to cry with every day that passes all too quickly, I love getting glimpses at the personality that is Ireland.
So Saturday we had two parties to go to. One was for the third birthday of a dear friend's daughter, Caitlin. Then we had a housewarming party that night.
Ireland did very well at the party surrounded with 'bigger' kids. She just dug her little grubby hands into Caitlin and Jake's toy bin and made herself at home. Really, she is comfortable so long as their are toys that can be promptly put her in her mouth. She learned to climb at Aunt Erin's and she even managed to knock herself square in the head a few times at Erin's, once banging it on the wall, good and hard. She looked like she was going to cry....but then she found a toy to put in her mouth....and we're back to good, comfortable and at home. Easy going? She must get that from her Daddy.
After a few cat naps and a few hours later, Ireland found herself playing on the floor of a brand new house. Along came cousins, little miss 2 year old and little mister pita child. LMP was all about antagonizing Ireland. About 4 years old, he thought it would be awesome just wave his hand all up in my child's grill, get in her face, 'pat' her head. The LM2YO just wanted to politely rub Ireland's head and point at her binky. As I wanted to nicely push this kid out of the way, I remembered that I cannot helicopter parent. So, no time like the current for Ireland show us what she is made of when bully kids get up in her face. Yeah, she just sat there, and hardly blinked at the kid...with this look....this look that made me proud that articulated: 'Yeah, that all you got?!' and he kept doing it, and she watched him act a fool a bit longer. Then, she sighed, like 'you bore me' and rolled to her knee's and started cruising away...to find a toy to put in her mouth I can only assume. But little miss and mister would not let Ireland get away so easily. Everywhere she went, they went. They wanted a piece of her and she was like, 'peace out, cub scout' and went about her business - you know, crawling, laughing, trying to weasel things like remotes and pulling herself up on things. A cute, but adorable, tough, handfull. Mine all mine.
Sunday morning MP ran to the bathroom while I was in the kitchen making Ireland baby food. (I was making a banana, blueberry and banana puree if you must know, delish!) Ireland was sitting on her playmat, torturing her mother by pulling up pieces of the playmat. Then I hea r THE giggle. The gut busting, belly full laughter giggle. I look over to see her and our cat Niki playing together. She is taking a piece of the mat and sticking it out, he would swat it and she would pull it back and giggle. Loud. It was the the most fun this girl has had in days. (Man, am I a boring parent or what?!) So, I can't get the video camera and I can't call MP b/c this would disrupt these two creatures in their 'natural' habit. (By natural I mean the fact that Ireland thinks Niki is her best friend and Niki has resolved to the fact that this pint sized, squealing midget isn't going anywhere, so he might as well join her). So I watched as she laughed so hard and he begrudgingly entertained her. Now, here's the kicker. She has never seen us play with Niki like that, even though that's what we do. How quickly they learn!
And finally, Ireland can turn her head when we call her name. She knows her name and I am certain she knows the word no. 'NO, Ireland, we do not stand in the bathtub.' "IRELAND AOIFE, I told you NO, we do not stand here". But, she'll stop. She'll look at me. She'll smile. She is my child. I'm certain she gets that from her mother.
I am doomed. But that's ok because for now, I am LOVING watching her personality unfold and this little tiny human become a personality. She smiles all the time, she shrieks and squeals with joy, she laughs when you tickle under her chin and inside her thighs. She LOVES the itsy bity spider and she is learning sign language. Her eyes light up when she see's her daddy and she crawls to me when I pick her up at day and squeezes my cheeks like I'm her favorite thing. She grabs my nose when I nurse her and strokes my hair before bed. She is the most amazing thing I have ever done.
I love you, Little Poops!
