All about Odin

It's happened. My little baby has turned a corner this past week. Something in his brain has been switched on and you can almost see the wheels turning as he begins to understand, really understand, all the goings on around him. The growth and development are almost tangible. His mind and body are ready to learn and he is mastering new tricks each day.

Repetition is essential for a baby to learn new skills and sounds.  Odie will work for days on sounding out one letter at a time. Today he is working on his 't' sound. A few days ago it was 'n' and before that the 'mamamas' and 'dadadas'. He will intently watch hand movements and actions before attempting to mimic them. He claps and waves constantly, shakes his head 'no', can point to a nose and is working on his high fives and kisses. Pretty impressive talents for a 9 month old. He has moved from a creep to a full on crawl, pulling himself up and all. This newfound mobility is both exciting and terrifying to witness. Maybe we are in need of a baby helmet!

Clapping in man pyjamas. So dignified.

Most of all, Odin is filled with joy these days. It's hard to believe he was once a difficult infant, screaming the second he was out of my arms. He is now completely comfortable with people and he thrives on making eye contact, smiling  and instantly stealing the heart of everyone he meets. He loves to reward us with big belly laughs after being tickled and is an all-around happy, adorably sweet little boy. I'm definitely feeling like a pretty lucky mom these days.

Father's day gift for Alan (and Sunny). I'm hoping this will really tie the RV interior together!