[TitLJ] My daughter gave me a hug today

[Kiero]

There's not much in the world that really touches me emotionally, it's a calm pool of stillness that is rarely disturbed. But one person who is consistently able to do so is (unsurprisingly) my daughter.

I've been all impressed with her rapidly improving attempts to walk (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v66/Kiero/Baby/?action=view&current=MOV01256.mp4) this week (she's ten months old next week), her physical development has always been a source of pride. But she's also a real personality too, a strong-willed, manic, inquisitive, perceptive force of nature.

Before now she's not really responded to affection in tactile terms. She'd calm down if upset, fall asleep on you if tired, or sometimes look you right in the eye and smile or laugh, but she wouldn't return a hug. Something changed this week, like she's seen my wife and I hugging enough to get what it is. It started when we were holding her, she'd put one hand round your neck, the other on your shoulder and drop her head to your shoulder for a few moments. Then pick it up again and go back to whatever she was doing.

Today she came over to me several times for the express purpose of giving me a hug. Because once delivered, she toddled off again to play. Its a very special kind of reward to know your child wants to show you affection. Very life-affirming.

The tl;dr version - I love my daughter and she loves me. :smallsmile:

[The Rose Dragon]

Well, just be careful when she starts to really walk. Baby-proofing is an exercise in futility, as the monsters known to humanity as toddlers can find a way to cause themselves and others trouble no matter what.

Otherwise, that is just adorable.

[Kiero]

Well, just be careful when she starts to really walk. Baby-proofing is an exercise in futility, as the monsters known to humanity as toddlers can find a way to cause themselves and others trouble no matter what.

Otherwise, that is just adorable.

I'm not sure there's anything she's not already able to get into since she was crawling that would represent additional danger. She's curious about non-toys to the point of a borderline obsession, and seems to have the ability to spot even the tiniest things which don't fit their context (fallen staples, crumbs, screws, fluff, loose threads, etc).

Our general rule is not to leave her on her own for more than a moment (she rarely hurts herself - the issue is the things she gets into and tries to pull apart). The downstairs of our house is pretty much sorted, though as she's gotten taller some things are no longer out of reach. And she's learned how to get things down by using other things they're touching or resting upon...

[Pika...]

Aww...

What a sweet story! You are a lucky man.

Makes me want one as well. Do you remember Mr. Stork's number? :smallwink:

[Kiero]

Aww...

What a sweet story! You are a lucky man.

Makes me want one as well. Do you remember Mr. Stork's number? :smallwink:

Someone dropped a dime to him without our knowledge...she was a few months earlier than planned. :smallbiggrin:

[unosarta]

Mr. Kiero, let me just say that your daughter is the cutest thing I have seen in a long time, barring small cats and other animals. Seriously.

[Kiero]

Mr. Kiero, let me just say that your daughter is the cutest thing I have seen in a long time, barring small cats and other animals. Seriously.

She's a special one alright. :smallsmile:

[Xefas]

Awwww. That kid is adorable. :smallbiggrin:

It doesn't necessarily make me ever want to possess a child, but it does kinda make me hopeful for when my brother has kids. In theory, I could be there for the cute stuff, and then be conveniently elsewhere for all the crying and excreting. And I resolve to be a better uncle than my uncle and never leave my theoretical middle-school-age nephew in the woods alone at 5am covered in deer guts with nothing but some camouflaged clothing and a loaded rifle.

Now that I think about it, that's not a very high bar. :smallconfused:

[Form]

Awww, how sweet. :smallsmile:

[Pika...]

Awwww. That kid is adorable. :smallbiggrin:

It doesn't necessarily make me ever want to possess a child, but it does kinda make me hopeful for when my brother has kids. In theory, I could be there for the cute stuff, and then be conveniently elsewhere for all the crying and excreting. And I resolve to be a better uncle than my uncle and never leave my theoretical middle-school-age nephew in the woods alone at 5am covered in deer guts with nothing but some camouflaged clothing and a loaded rifle.

Now that I think about it, that's not a very high bar. :smallconfused:

Hey, in the case of my "donor", "bastard", "father", whatever here is the bar I have to beat to be better than him when my turn comes around: Just be there. Although I plan to be much more significant than that.