This Just In: Latest Harry Update!

Post-swim-class visit to Great Beginnings
Originally uploaded by brownorama.

So Harry has been making a number of small but important developments over the last few of days. First, the big one, he is clapping his hands! Big change - lots of coordination and dexterity required for that one. He is SO pleased with himself when he does it to. It is just too cute to watch. Plus, he does it on cue! Very important when singing the "When Your Happy and You Know It" song. But also the fact that he understands what we are saying is exciting too. The barriers to communication are slowly but surely coming down. Second, he is starting to put things in other things. This may seem like a strange thing to observe. But to the mother who spends her day reconstructing the things her baby has just deconstructed, this is a wonderful light at the end of the tunnel. :-) He has a toy where there are these balls that you can take out and put into what looks like a baby bong - and no, I am not exaggerating there. :-) Anyway....the bong part is not important. What is important is that Harry now happily not only takes the balls out but he also likes to put them back inside. He gets great pleasure from doing so. Third, he raises his hands above his head - this is partly due to the prompting of his parents to "raise his hands in the air, and wave them like you just don't care" :-) but is particularly useful when you are say, trying to take a onesie off or get him dressed for swim class. Fourth, he went under the water in swim class. Didn't seem to mind. He did swallow some water this week, which he wasn't happy about. But at the same time, it did not make him cry. So we were pleased about that. Not much does make him cry other than being tired or hungry. He is a sweet, resilient little guy, who brings his parents such pleasure. I still can't believe how much my hearts swells with love when I think about him. I worry about him being safe. I worry about him being happy. I worry about him feeling loved. But when he smiles at us and giggles, I am reassured that he feels those things and I have a wonderful moment of calm as a mother - something that seems to be ever fleeting these days. :-)