Ian persists in his efforts to become completely independent of his parents.  Already he pushes us away when we try to hug him tight, and takes his bottle away from us so that he can feed himself.  Even in play Ian’s fighting for independence.  While waiting to see the doctor this week, Ian discovered that he can hold on to the height adjuster of the doctor’s stool, and keep himself balance across the seat.  After this, he needed no help hanging on, and squealed and giggled to encourage Brinn to keep pushing him around and spinning him…

While Ian is still not quite sitting up on his own, he managed to sit up in the shopping cart at Aldi over the weekend.  He thought he was pretty big stuff, getting to sit up on the same level as everyone else, without being tied into a carrier.

Brinn has been working hard with Ian over the last week, and he has finally reached success in teaching Ian to “high-five.”  It’s more difficult when there’s any excitement going on to distract Ian (like being around people), but when it’s just the three of us, almost every time that Brinn holds up his hand and says: “come on, high-five buddy,” Ian will reach his little hand out and palm Brinn’s.  It’s so cute to watch him grin big over his accomplishment.  Ian’s also been working hard this week to master crawling.  He’s going strong in reverse, but doesn’t quite have forward down just yet.  He can lift himself up completely on his knees and hands, though, so I don’t think forward movement is far away.  The pediatrician suggested that the time has come to put plastic covers in all the electric outlets, and move all hazardous objects to the top of the refrigerator.  Mogwai is right in the thick of things, and has been hovering near Ian every time we put him in the floor.  Brinn’s theory is that Mogwai’s hoping Ian will start retrieving the tennis balls that have rolled up under the couch.

Even though Ian strives to accomplish things on his own lately, when he doesn’t feel well he still looks for his mommy and daddy to make things feel better.  His cold never quite cleared up, and last night it pulled him down again.  It hurts so much to see him wince every time he sneezes, or hear him cry after a cough, but I still feel validated when he reaches his arms for me and when he falls asleep on my chest.