it’s not about you

Killian is able to stand up all by himself, unsupported. He can even get up off the floor without holding on to anything. He gets his feet under him and slowly starts to stand up, his arms at the ready, his eyes full of concentration. Once he gets up, he’s perfectly still, and then he swivels his head around until he sees me, and laughs. I, of course, congratulate him profusely, and applaud, which makes him get excited, start waving his arms and laughing more, before he promptly falls on his butt.

He claps his hands now on purpose, and he does it to music.

He’s starting to eat more things. Judah never really ate baby food, and I can say the same thing for Killian. Why would he want that pureed junk, when we OBVIOUSLY have something way better looking on our plates? I’m just waiting til he gets over a year so I can start shoving milk and honey in his mouth. I have a friend here whose child LOVES baby food. She makes it all herself, and this kid can put away multiple jars at once (she jars it in baby food jars to make it easier). Her baby doesn’t like anything with texture. Killian is so far opposite - he *might* eat the baby food I make, but he’s not thrilled about it, so I haven’t seen the point in making him pureed dinners. He’s just as happy to gnaw on a piece of bread or salivate some chicken pieces to death instead. And he LOVES watermelon.

I’ve got him in a swim class, and he loves it. He’s able to zoom with his arms out in front of him (so long as there’s a ball within his reach) and he knows how to kick his legs and can jump (okay, fall off) the side of the pool into the water. He is also finally starting to relax for the back floats. He has more of a natural proclivity to the water than Judah. He screams bloody murder whenever I’ve finished giving him a bath.

He’s a big joker - he likes to play peekaboo - he’ll hide himself and wait until you say, “where’s Killian?” and reveal himself, or he hides behind furniture and does it. He likes to be chased. He often has this look on his face like he’s up to something, and he lifts that eyebrow - it’s a Rudd gift. I can’t do it. When he looks like he’s up to something, he usually is. Not that an 11-month-old has many practical jokes up his sleeve, but in his own way he does. I think we’re gonna be in trouble.

I love that little guy.

Killian says:

Mama
Dada
Bubba
Uh-oh

Oh, and he’s REALLY good at screaming.

That’s right. We have.

We moved across town to the Richmond District and are a half-block from Golden Gate Park. I gotta say, all our stuff looked like it was going to fill up and bust through the walls of our old apartment, and when we got it all moved in here and Joshua said the truck was empty, I looked around and thought, where’d it all go? Everything is moved in and this place still feels so big and hollow. I’m hoping a few rugs will help.

Big, huge, many, many thanks to to Robin, Richard and Tiffany, who saved our asses by helping out. Robin told me later that we have asses worth saving. Beautiful. May we eat many more Ethiopian meals together.

One of the things I love about friends helping you move is that when you eat your first meal in your new place, you do so with people who love you. Baguette sandwiches with ham and brie are better shared than eaten by ourselves. It WAS Bastille Day, after all.

Things are starting to come together and I have internet for the first time in a few days. My china cabinet should be delivered tomorrow (finally!) and I can’t wait to take and post pictures for all three of you who are interested in that kind of thing.

We have a yard! With grass! Yay!