Some might say I’m easily pleased, but I am amazed by my children every day.
I know that’s a bit of an obvious statement but genuinely they do something every day that I will marvel at (and no-one else is all that bothered.)
Even the little things they do seem to make me think they’re both geniuses. For example, Rupert loves to help put the washing machine on. He gets the clothes, puts them inside, he gets the fabric softener from the cupboard and then presses the button to put it on. It’s not just the fact that he does any of these stages in isolation but it’s that understanding of the stages in sequence that is amazing. I know a lot of adults who can’t even grasp that.
To be fair he understands a lot and he knows exactly what you’re saying, although he doesn’t say too much. He’s started babbling in full sentences though, and then he looks at you with his hands out expecting an answer, so when I say: ‘oh wow, really?’ he looks at me with a cocked eyebrow like a mini version of The Rock.
He can sign for a lot of things, he knows when to whisper – if his sister is sleeping – and he climbs the stairs on his feet, as opposed to on his hands and knees.
As for his sister, Emi is at the stage where all she does is sleep, feed and smile. But she’s started grabbing and holding things and she holds her head amazingly well.
Regardless of their ‘achievements’ I never once look at what other children are doing at that age or Google ‘should my child be…’ I just enjoy the moment.
People can get so caught up in the ‘competition’ of how fast their children are developing that we don’t stop to appreciate the moments.
I am enjoying so much of watching these two grow up and in the age old cliché, I don’t want them to grow up too fast. I remember saying to my Dad when Rupert was six weeks old: ‘Time’s going so fast.’ And he replied: ‘One day they’ll be 34 with kids of their own.’
Too true, Dad.
