I think they’re talking about now.
Leading up to Finn’s arrival, I asked a lot of parents that question: What was your favorite age? Of course, to some extent, their answers varied. Yet, there seemed to be a large number of parents who remember the last half of their babies’ first year particularly fondly. Many, many people told us to look forward to the 6-9 month period, especially.
And, now that Finn is nearly 7 months old (WUT?!), I am starting to understand why–even though every age brings with it a new set of adventures–this time, right now, is super special.
A good friend–one who is looking at having kids within the next couple of years, himself–recently asked us, “What’s the most surprising thing about having Finn?” And my reply was instant: “He’s so much fun!”
I knew there would be all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings associated with having a little one. I knew there would be lots of challenges, too. But I truly didn’t anticipate just how much I’d love hanging out with our little dude. I feel like, now, I understand what parents mean when they say their kid is their best friend.
The truth is, Finn is my favorite person to hang out with (next to Sona, of course). And, once he turned 6 months, he became even more fun. He’s interactive and curious. He is constantly doing something new. He’s funny–without trying. He’s showing interest in all of the things around him: new foods, new textures, new toys. He screams at the cats and begs for food and tries his best to constantly win our attention.
And, now that he’s bigger, stronger, and a little braver, we have been trying all sorts of things as a family. We let him experiment with food almost daily. We’ve taken him to the park–riding swings, pushing him in little cars, and going down the slides. We’ve started going to family swim each weekend.
All of these activities allow for meaningful and intentional family time–time spent focusing on one another. Best of all, rather than just being a sleepy, albeit cute, bystander, Finn can actually participate in these activities! He enjoys them as much as we do–or that’s what we tell ourselves, at least.
It’s also ridiculously and obscenely exciting to watch him try new things. I’m embarrassed by how giddy I was to see him in a swimming pool for the first time. Like most parents, we went positively bonkers each time he did, well, anything. “Look! He moved his feet! He must be kicking!” “Oh my gosh, he just blew bubbles!” “Did you see that?! I swear he was trying to hold his breath!” “Did he just do a perfect backstroke?” (No, no he didn’t.)
The point is, Finn is at an age when he can be an active participant in our lives. Since this is the first time that’s happened, every single experience brims with excitement and anticipation. He is constantly experiencing a new part of the world, and we are constantly thrilled by watching him.
I know there are a lot of fun times ahead, too. Still, if you offered me a chance to push pause–to keep this chubby, giggly, sometimes clingy baby exactly as he is right now–I’d be very, very tempted to take it.