Double digits are here, and, oh boy! we've had some changes this month.
Athan's on the move! After we decided he just might skip this stage altogether, Athan surprised us by crawling after a lamp cord on April 10. I saw him take his first successful lunge on a Sunday afternoon right as I heard Jay pull up in the driveway. I sprinted outside to tell him to hurry in, and then we all got to witness this exciting milestone together. Athan has been struggling to figure this out for over a month, so the entire Felker family was delighted to see him put it all together. Walking won't be far behind because he's pulling up well and loves to walk. He often only crawls to get to something to help him walk.
His fine motor coordination is increasing, too. That has made meal time more enjoyable for everyone. He can pick up food from his high chair and feed himself. I love the finger food stage! It took some time, but he has also starting drinking from a cup. For the longest time he seriously only thought it was for banging on the highchair!
All this, of course, means more sleep disturbances. He now knows how strong and capable of movement he is, so it's hard to settle down in his crib. We did lower the bed today as he started standing up in there. His naps are still a little shorter, but I'm hopeful that he'll get back to napping longer again. He's always happier when he does.
Hudson just may be his biggest fan. Although it's a challenge for Hudson to share all the time, he really does enjoy picking out one of his toy that Athan could play with. He's quick to comfort Athan if he cries when I leave the room. He'll say to Athan, "it's okay. I'm here with you. Mommy will be right back." Seriously melts my heart! He also loves to tell people all about Athan's accomplishments. They occasionally bathe together now. Athan doesn't enjoy it quite as much since he normally bathes laying down, but Hudson is all about that. Sometimes he strips his close and jumps in before I can stop him.
We have laughed at how we're seeing Athan's emotions and will being expressed. We said early on that he seemed a bit loud and maybe even dramatic. These seems true this month. When we take something from him or do something he doesn't like (come inside, change his diaper), he protests by screaming loudly and arching his back. I can help but think, seriously kid?? On the other hand, he is expressive in good ways. His laugh is contagious at our house, and I love all the fun noises he makes.
Pictures will come soon, but with a move coming next week, I thought I better post while I can!
