One Year Old, Week One

Thoughts on Parenting...


It's hard to know where to start talking about Eamon.  He's such an engaging, intelligent child.  He's truly a delight to watch grow up.  We are so fortunate to be blessed with him, even in his challenging moments.  The first year with him was mostly about parenting him in an attached, gentle, responsive way.  Until very recently, his wants and needs have been one in the same.  Now that he is growing old enough to have wants separate from needs, it's a little bit of a struggle for him to understand the changing dynamic.  This venture into toddlerhood is the beginning of frustration and exertion of will.  Eamon is quite advanced in his motor skills, but his reasoning is just where a one year old's should be, so teaching him safe and respectful interaction is sometimes challenging.  He just doesn't understand that running half way down the aisle at the grocery store could be potentially dangerous, or that everything in a store is not for him to touch and toss around.  


We generally try to limit him based on a few simple questions: Is he in definite danger (not the "if he falls just right and the fork is turned up and the planets align he could poke his eye out" kind of danger)?  Is he putting someone else in danger?  Is he potentially destroying property or violating someone else's person?  If the answer is 'no,' we don't usually stop his behavior.  I constantly see children who are limited in their actions at every step, and then parents wonder why the child is so scared of everything.  I want to raise a child with a healthy outlook on life, a sense of respect for all people (self included), and a good head on his shoulders.  So far, we've succeeded.  Eamon is bold, kind, thoughtful, curious, and appropriately cautious.  


A Birthday Week...


As I mentioned yesterday, Eamon's birthday party was this past weekend.  Though we haven't gotten to see pictures yet, here's a little video of his birthday walk.  It's such a neat tradition in the Montessori method, I really enjoyed making it our own.  It will be really great to do this each year.

The Delights of Eamon...

These two pictures were taken eleven months and one week apart.  Clearly Eamon doesn't use the baby bucket seat anymore, but when he saw baby Eli get out, he wanted to try it out. Really shows you what a year of mama milk can grow... 

There are few things Eamon loves more than brushing his teeth.  Each evening, he spends about ten minutes gnawing on his little adorable toothbrush.  He's very into imitating us, and this week he's learned that spitting is a part of tooth brushing.  Unfortunately, he doesn't spit into the sink...  But watching him "pa-toohy" is so sweet, I can't bear to correct him.