It's been great fun watching Cooper interact with his cousin Heidi, who is six weeks older than he is. Their first interaction consisted of Heidi jabbering to Cooper and petting all over him. Cooper just sort of looked around and eventually chewed on her fingers a bit. These two little munchkins are so different! We love them!
Heidi is a wonderful sleeper who smiles and yammers on nearly non-stop for everyone around to hear. At bedtime, she lays in bed and "talks" to herself until she's in a deep slumber. She wants to be held facing out and wears a constant look on her face that exclaims, "Hello, world...I'm so happy to be here! Everything is wonderful!" She's content to lay on the floor by herself, sit in her swing, or swirl in her exer-saucer. Her legs are in a constant bicycle motion. I believe she's practicing for an audition for River Dance. She's long and lean. She's a little fairy firefly.
Heidi is a wonderful sleeper who smiles and yammers on nearly non-stop for everyone around to hear. At bedtime, she lays in bed and "talks" to herself until she's in a deep slumber. She wants to be held facing out and wears a constant look on her face that exclaims, "Hello, world...I'm so happy to be here! Everything is wonderful!" She's content to lay on the floor by herself, sit in her swing, or swirl in her exer-saucer. Her legs are in a constant bicycle motion. I believe she's practicing for an audition for River Dance. She's long and lean. She's a little fairy firefly.
Cooper, on the other hand, has to be nearly tricked into taking a nap or going to sleep at night. You have to slyly rock him until he's drowsy and then pet his forehead and eyebrows until he drifts off. I'm surprised he even has eyebrows left at this point. He stays fairly serious, studying the world around him, until something strikes him as funny at which point his smile starts slow and then invades his whole body until he's curled up in a little ball laughing. He wants to be held facing you, and he'd prefer if he was never set down. He "talks" quietly in the morning and evenings - at times almost in a whisper. Tummy time, the exer-saucer and the vibrating chair are OK, but only until somebody can empty their arms and pick him up. He loves motion, but would prefer for someone else to do the moving (all while holding him, of course). He's stocky and has a little "extra." He's a pirate bear cub.
Some might say the difference is based on their ages or gender, or that one is breast fed and the other bottle fed. That one is being raised by a "village" and one has had a limited number of caregivers. I'm sure those things do play a part, but probably an even bigger piece comes down to the good ol' gene pool. Which makes me wonder...what one earth have we passed down to our sweet boy? What will he be like as he gets older? Will he be curious like his dad? Cautious like I am? Good at math? A reader? Outgoing? Shy? What will he struggle with? What will his not-so-strong points be?
My grandfather was executed in World War II by the Nazi's for helping political refugees escape from Czechoslovakia. He had been secretly sending notes to my grandmother while he was held in prison, and on the eve of his execution, he wrote one final note to his family. A part of that letter is now on a plaque commemorating his life which hangs outside the family home in Prague. He wrote, "May all that is good in me live on in you, and may all that is bad die with me tomorrow."
Isn't that every good parent's wish? I realize every day a little more just how much good I wish for Cooper...not a perfect life because I know that doesn't exist. But I wish for him to have a good attitude in the midst of adversity. Strong faith in the middle of doubt. Great love and compassion instead of anger and hatred. Peace in his soul in a world of chaos. I wish him good. And I hope we've passed down a few things to help him along.
Some might say the difference is based on their ages or gender, or that one is breast fed and the other bottle fed. That one is being raised by a "village" and one has had a limited number of caregivers. I'm sure those things do play a part, but probably an even bigger piece comes down to the good ol' gene pool. Which makes me wonder...what one earth have we passed down to our sweet boy? What will he be like as he gets older? Will he be curious like his dad? Cautious like I am? Good at math? A reader? Outgoing? Shy? What will he struggle with? What will his not-so-strong points be?
My grandfather was executed in World War II by the Nazi's for helping political refugees escape from Czechoslovakia. He had been secretly sending notes to my grandmother while he was held in prison, and on the eve of his execution, he wrote one final note to his family. A part of that letter is now on a plaque commemorating his life which hangs outside the family home in Prague. He wrote, "May all that is good in me live on in you, and may all that is bad die with me tomorrow."
Isn't that every good parent's wish? I realize every day a little more just how much good I wish for Cooper...not a perfect life because I know that doesn't exist. But I wish for him to have a good attitude in the midst of adversity. Strong faith in the middle of doubt. Great love and compassion instead of anger and hatred. Peace in his soul in a world of chaos. I wish him good. And I hope we've passed down a few things to help him along.
1 comment:
Suzi your blogs are always so inspiring! I am sure that you have absolutely nothing to worry about. With the Scott and your genes Cooper is destined ta rule the world. Cooper is one of the healthiest babies I know, and one can only wish to have such a well mannered, curious, and strong little boy. I know that I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I hope my little boy would turnout ta be as wonderful as your little pirate bear cub.
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