Take as a positive or negative?

Some one told me that the baby's teeth make him look like SpongeBob SquarePants.   I admit they are a bit kooky looking.  I'm hoping he will grow into them.  Should I be offended by this or not?  Opinions please. 

13 months old

* This is the silly baby climbing into my lap to eat all my beans and rice and guacamole. He is absolutely delighted.

I forgot to write down a 12 month update!  My bad.  Benny will be 13 months on Friday!  13^th months.

·         Yes, we still do call him Benny.

·         Movement:  he can crawl on hands and knees now as well as army crawl.  He will walk around (mostly lurch around) when take his hand and help him walk.  But he really isn’t interested in walking at all.  He isn’t cruising the furniture yet at all either (take your time much, kid?).  He does pull up to knees on various objects.  I’m kind of ready for the walking stage so he can wear shorts, not wear through so many pairs of pants, and to give his little wrists and knees a break.  Even through clothing they look red and irritated.  I don’t think he will be walking for at least another month. 

·         Cute stuff:  He loves to lay on the ground, turn the pages in books, and “read” them aloud.  So adorable.  He also still loves to hit down block towers that I create.  He also loves to swing like his sister, and voices his displeasure and arches his back  when I pull him out of the swing.  Hitting down block towers is still a delight for him.  He likes Daddy now.  He likes to pull himself up to his knees at the end of Daddy's chair and wave at him.  He is a good waver.

·         Eating:  We went for the evaluation with the eating therapist.  She definitely thought he had some delays.  He wouldn’t eat mixed texture things for us, nor use a sippy cup nor feed himself.  He eats stage three foods now and anything I feed him!! YAY!  He still will NOT feed himself – which is crazy, or drink from a sippy.  It will be a cold day in hell before I get him to give up those bottles.  The eating therapist wanted to send him to occupational therapy for poor fine motor and I am still considering this.

Reflection

Being a parent can be tough. Often.  More than I anticipated.    Sometimes I leave work and think how nice it would be to go to the gym right after or go out with coworkers or go home and take a nap or make a gourmet dinner and hang out with my husband.   But those little faces are depending on me.  The school age popularity I yearned for all my life has come true.  I’m very popular with them.  They need me.  They need me to clothe them, bathe them, feed them, entertain them, reassure them, hug and kiss them, discipline them and love them.  But it isn’t an easy job.  I’d love to sleep all morning on a weekend or eat a meal in peace at the table without someone needing me multiple times  To spend a weekend doing all fun things instead of massive amounts of laundry.    Parenthood changes you.  I never feel like I’m doing a good enough job.  Time and patience are short.   I miss the all the attention and time my husband and I used to have for each other. 

But times change.  They grow up quickly.  When I’m an old lady I’ll miss wiping their faces and their hugs when I pick them up.  I’ll miss their snuggles and soft hair, laughs and complete dependence on me.