Griffin and the Ray of Sunshine

We play. That's the first thing he's done for me. We bang on things, and make loud noises with our mouths. It is a LOT of fun, and I enjoy giving in to the urge to make a lot of noise. We stack blocks. We chase each other around (slowly). I ask him to show me where his nose, his eyes, his ears are.. though he points to them on MY body instead. We watch Sesame Street together. I read him books. I show him letters and numbers.

I love playing with him, because it feels like the closed, cynical gate to my heart opens up and I can just be free.

I also revel in the moments when he wants to cuddle. Bed time and nap time, I hold him and we just commune together. He never wants to let me go, and I seriously want to stay with him like that all night, or all afternoon.

Griffin gets bananas in the morning. I don't know when I started that, but it's become a staple. A banana or two in the morning for breakfast. He loves them, and gets really excited when I get one down for him. "Na!" he says, or "Nana!" on rare occasions. It always excites me, these proto-words. He has gotten down the word "No", and what it means as well, though sometimes he'll use it just because he's having fun. He'll say "nononononono" and shake his head really hard while grinning his ass off.

Lately things have been sad for me, but he gives me little rays of light. Also, the increased ease with which I walk brightens my mood considerably. I can pick him up, and walk with him. I can bounce him a little. I can chase him, I can take him out in his stroller.

Don't ever lose your ability to play. Not just complex games, but even just being able to loosen up and bang loudly on something just for the fun of it. Picking up stray rocks, or hiding behind something just to peek out and giggle.

Life is, actually, good.
Be well,
Autumn