6 months

saturday marked rivers six month birthday. i can't get over that it has already been half a year! one thing is for sure, babies make you realize how quick time flies! don't blink, and don't take a single second for granted.
two songs come to mind when i think of baby rivers: "sweet disposition" (by the temper trap) and . . .  "wild thing" (by the troggs). lets just say rivers finds life exhilarating. at times he awakens in the middle of the night, simply to squeal in delight (for a very long time). and our days of pulling him into bed to sleep in with me are over. the moment this kid is full, it's time to play. he hits the quilts, rolls around, demands to stand, and once standing, begins to jump. i guess there's no better way to be awakened by his excitement for the morning.
the world has come alive to this little man. he notices anything and everything. and whatever he notices he must grab and of course taste. may it be a brick wall, canberra's fur, the ladies necklace at church, or the recently fallen leafs (yea, gotta' keep an eye on that one!).
rivers has discovered his first love . . . canberra. that kid thinks canberra is nothing less than 100% incredible. we're outside playing on a blanket when all at once he sees her lying under the tree. suddenly he bursts into screams of delight, simply by looking upon his furry friend. or we are inside playing when he notices her nose poking out from under the bed, and once again a squeal overcomes his miniature body. even in the middle of changing a diaper, and he's trying to roll away, he notices canberra through the rails of the table, and once again excitement overcomes him. when rivers is sad, canberra is always sure make him glad. and thankfully for rivers, canberra is beginning to appreciate him as well.
rivers is ready to move. he recently began sitting all on his own. but when left to his own wits, rivers rolls to his tummy and is up on his hands and knees rocking back and forth attempting to make that first step into the great vast world that lies before his big adventurous eye balls. (baby-proofing our house is on top priority of my list of things to do :). although he is not yet crawling, he has discovered the art of rolling. i leave for only a moment and i come back and the kid is across the room, discovering a whole new set of interesting things, may it be clothes or the ties on a quilt, sometimes the leg of a rocking chair, whatever it is, he will figure out a way to get it.
his laugh is becoming more and more distinct and happening on a regular basis. he loves playing with mom and dad, and will burst out into the most adorable laughs imaginable, just by kissing his neck, blowing on his stomach, tickling his sides, or making strange faces while pretending to eat the hand that he stuck in our mouth.
rivers is giving kisses. sweet baby kisses. i noticed it sometime ago when i came to get him in the early morning hours to feed him breakfast. he was lying there smiling and when i picked him up he grabbed my face and placed his open mouth against it. i was unsure if it was just his attempt of trying to eat sooner. but i began noticing it on many occasions when hunger was the last thing from his mind. the thing that solidified that his open mouth touch to the cheek was in fact a kiss, was at the denver airport when ben came, picked him up to give him a hug of "welcome home." rivers was so excited to see his daddy. that in the midst of all his happiness he pulled ben's face to his open mouth and touched him gently. just like a kiss "hello, i missed you dad". he did it once more. and there was no doubt about it, the little boy is giving kisses. you can just feel the love radiating from his sweetness.
i often tell ben this is the easiest time we will ever have in parenthood. rivers is so playful and delightful, absolutely no discipline is ever needed, he sleeps great, socializes fantastically, he's mobile, but not really (making life simple for me), and tantrums are non existent. let's just say, we're appreciating our time. :)
the past 6 months have been beyond amazing with this kid. i enjoy him so much. each day he is growing more and more. he is such a little boy. and such a joy to be around. i love every second with him. and when he's asleep i find myself adoring pictures of him  . . . i seriously cannot get enough of this kid. i can never ever ever express my gratitude to have him in my life.