Baby Belly Laughs

You always here people talk about enjoying the "simple things" in life, but so often it's easy to get caught up in the complicated, emotional, dramatic, annoying, etc...  A six month old can really bring it back into perspective though.

Simply put, Charlie is a happy baby, but I am thrilled with his ability to have fun at such a young age.  Our two hours together this morning were full of perfect examples of pure, innocent, goofy joy, and I feel so blessed to be a part of them. 

It all started when Jason and I turned on his light at 6:30.  Charlie's little head immediately popped up over the crib rail, brown eyes blinking and a smile stretching from ear to ear-- there is no better way to start the day.  Next we were playing on the floor and watching GMA when Otis finally came downstairs.  The second Charlie saw him he "raced" after him with his mouth open in a big drooly grin.

The highlights were on our walk, though.  Three trips around the neighborhood can get a bit boring, so sometimes we hokey pokey and play airplane on the vacant street by the pool.  The games had Charlie giggling  (and probably the construction crews, too), but the giggles turned into outright belly laughs when the rain started.  Apparently Charlie loves to walk in the rain as much as I do -- Otis, not so much. 

Charlie laughed all the way home and continued giggling in his swing while I dried us all off and made his bottle.  His newfound ability to grab the little lambs on the swing's mobile and create a horrendous clicking sound only made it that much better.  He was still smiling when we walked into Miss Donna's kitchen, and as soon as she called him "Sugar" the giggles were back. 

It's funny that a morning devoid of extraordinary milestones can be so full of memories.