Erm.. haven’t kept up on the lad in writing.
Some maybe almost month, or so, ago his mother presented him a Mother Goose book to begin reading to him, and he made an exultant sound and dance when he saw Mother Goose on the cover. Babies know. Stories for babies are primaeval.
In recent weeks (or so?) he was laughing at Tia’s oldest sister and stepmother, when they babysat – I envy not having witnessed, and wonder if my sister didn’t when I was the first to make her first baby (the first grandchild) laugh. .. that seems somehow like a very monumental accomplishment now that I think of it; except that I didn’t do anything, I only came to her crib, and she laughed and smiled at me. ..very much like my boy, now that I think on it.
I’ve since seen him laugh with his aunt, whom I dare say has a gift for invoking delight in babies and children (I think my wife has the same gift relating to her neices and nephews). He openly pealed and giggled, repeatedly, the two of them just looking at each other. It made me laugh hard watching, and he’s since done this for me occasionally when I make a dog bark, or at other random times, but it’s worn off.. I think I must need to just be inventive, because nothing has worked for a while. But he smiles at me, and his mother, all the time, which is wonderful.
Two sundays ago I named him under the authority of the Priesthood, which is an ordinance in the LDS church, and then blessed him under the direction of the Spirit. The words and ideas of the blessing came with great certainty. The whole of the blessing was to incline the baby to live a life that will lead him back to his Heavenly Father from whom he recently came, bless him with gifts of faith, hope, and charity for the course, and to return with a wife and all his family. That is God’s plan for each of us, and God’s Spirit has witnessed it to me. I wrote soon after of the timeless sensation in the blessing:
I felt a strong connection back to Heavenly Father in giving this (which I am very grateful for), to a place where time stands still, yet thoughts of the future proceed in such certainty as causing by the very thoughts the events to occur; as if traveling forward in time.
Last morning (I’m posting this past midnight), he awakened us by saying:
Mimba
Followed by –
Boo? Gweh?
Late tonight I woke him up (a breach of decency) because I felt bad coming home so late and not seeing him today. After I cuddled him a while (he was mildly bothered and sleepy but cuddly) he began complaining, and said
I wa ma ma!
Which sounded stunningly like “I want my mom”, if that isn’t what it was.