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Biting Through Barriers (to Maturity)
Our lives trek on through the chaos. Perhaps the biggest news of the week was that Hakan finally [hesitantly] gave up his pacifier. It had been his loyal companion for naps, nights, and many a minor injury since exiting the womb. It will be fondly remembered.
He had already chewed through one several months ago, and made his way to the backup. After a lot of hard work, he had gotten it down to a thin strand of silicone, which finally broke earlier in the week.
When he first showed me, he seemed almost proud that he had finally chewed through it, but shortly after that, reality set in. We told it “goodbye,” and he made it through the night very well. Each nap or nighttime since then, however, he brings it up. We explain that it’s gone, and that it was a very good friend for while he was getting bigger, but that now he is becoming more like Carver and Avey, who don’t use binkies, and less like Merritt, who does use a binky. He complains very little, so we think this will turn out okay.
The transition may have even spurred some other maturity – when getting dressed for church today, he buttoned his shirt all by himself! We keep hoping that he’ll be ready to use the potty soon.
A few of the days this week, the kids miraculously decided to get along. We had a family discussion about how home is supposed to be a place where peace and love are abundant, and that we did not want people to feel like they were going to be picked on while in our home. We don’t know if that made a difference or not, but at least they seemed to stop actively trying to traumatize one another for a few of the days this week. Carver and Hakan started some new favorite game where they play “family,” and Carver is a grandpa.
Merritt’s next tooth is still sitting right below the surface, not yet actually through. Fortunately, it does not seem like he’s affected too much by it at present. He had been joining Kira and me in our bed early in the mornings most nights (falling back asleep, thankfully), but has not needed to do so in the last few days.
Avey and Carver have been doing swimming lessons each morning this week, and will continue into this coming week. Avey’s been progressing nicely through the stages, but Carver has been quite comfortable in the same place. He decided on Thursday that the water would be too cold, so he refused to go. Kira and I debated our next move, and decided to offer him a reward (doughnut) if he went, and I had a crucial conversation with him about the importance of doing hard things. He eventually went (probably more for the doughnut than my pep talk), and came home quite proud that he put his head under the water three times (supervised, of course).
We’re looking forward to the celebration of Independence Day and Kira’s birthday this week. Maybe we’ll take a break from all the feedings and diaper changes to get a breath of fresh air. Happy Fourth to all!