Something has happened, something has changed with the babe. Over the past few weeks there has been a shift. He has moved from being the observer, watching life patiently and attentively as it happened to him, to being a participant, making decisions and choices (sometimes very very tiny) about his world and what happens in it.

He decides what he wants to play with and get it himself. He flits from thing to thing, spending no more than a few minutes with each, but he is in control. He makes the choices. He has the power.

When he wants cuddles, he crawls over to get them. It isn’t just me initiating anymore, he initiates too. It is reciprocal and warms my heart to know that he wants it just as much as I do.

When we are funny, he laughs. Wholehearted belly laughs that make us laugh too. When we are not so funny, or we’re trying to hard, he fake laughs. The fake laugh is almost as funny as the real one.

He makes choices about food. When dinner is put on the table before him he always eats his favorites first. Banana is king.

And there are smooches. Given freely. Loud, slobbery, tongue filled smooches. Sometimes on the cheek, usually on the chin, and occasionally on the lips. I know it won’t last forever, so I’ll take it now, all of it.

It’s a nice shift, it’s a good change, it’s one that reminds me of the zest for life that he has, that I aspire to. It reminds me to keep things simple. Find the joy in life, everyday. Even if it is just banging a metal lid with a maraca. There is joy.

And on that note, I wish everyone a joy-filled new year, especially my little man on his very first new year’s. I hope that as we reflect on the past year and make plans for the upcoming one, we remember to keep it simple and keep it joyful. I’ll be back tomorrow with some of the plans I have for the next year. It is going to be a good one.