Mr. Mischief

I first suspected that something was "off" with Emmett very early on. I remember telling my close friends that I was concerned because he didn't smile much and was not easily amused by things that most babies would love. It was too early to pinpoint developmental delays and many people said that he was just taking everything in and that he would be fine.
When he was diagnosed with low muscle tone, I began to understand why he was "the observer" and seemed more serious. As he became stronger and was able to do more, his personality began to come out more and more. It has been a slow process, but he is really starting to show his mischievous side.
A few weeks ago, we were playing outside and he had mittens on his hands. He loves chewing on things and managed to pull one of his mittens off with his teeth. Well, a few minutes later, he managed to pull the other one off, the same way. These are the pictures that I took and I think that it is very clear that he knew exactly what he did and that he is very proud of himself.

He isn't saying any words yet, but he will mimic kissing, laughing, and even coughing. He loves copying these sounds and loves to see our response when he does it.
He has great facial expressions and will look off to the side or flash a mischievous grin, when he is up to something or doesn't want to do something. He will also scrunch up his face in disgust or make an awful, throaty sound when he gets upset or mad.
These may seem like little things, but it shows me that he understands far more than he can express and that he is learning to communicate, even if it is only with a silly face, grin, or giggle. I love watching his personality unfold and look forward to seeing him get into more mischief. After all, that's what little boys are supposed to do!

Toddler proofing and loving it!

I know that many parents dread the phase when their child starts getting into things, but as a mom who waited almost 2 and a half years for her son to crawl, I say, "bring it on!" For many, many months, I watched Emmett pretty much stay in the same general area. It took him a little longer than most, but he did learn to roll, pivot in a circle, and eventually, scoot backwards on his tummy.
I still remember the day that he backed himself up under our couch, but couldn't figure out how to move forward. Of course, I helped him out, but not until after I took a quick picture on my phone. I know that most parents are proud of their children when they do something new, but I never imagined that watching my child get stuck under our couch would be something that I would celebrate!

Now that Emmett can crawl FORWARD, pull to stand, and cruise, I have to be much more careful about where I put him and what things are in his reach. However, I am not complaining... I am loving every minute of it.
Emmett had shown so little interest in moving for so long and now it is like he is seeing the world for the first time. The other day, I left the room for a minute and came back to find Emmett eating a piece Corbin's cinnamon toast. He wasn't simply eating it. He was shoving it in his mouth with both hands, as if he hadn't eaten in days. It was almost as if he knew that he only had a few seconds before either Corbin or Mommy caught him in the act.
I've also had to fish dog food out of his mouth and change his clothes after he put his hands in the dog's water dish. And I'm quite sure that we will have to start closing the door, when he discovers the even bigger "water dish" we have in the bathroom. It may be a slight inconvenience, but I can't help but be happy to see him acting like a typical toddler.
Of course, I do also worry about his safety. He loves to cruise around things and doesn't really know the difference between the couch and the rolling office chair. All he sees is something to pull up on, which isn't always in his best interest. He also likes to cruise along walls, which is fine, except he hasn't quite mastered how to get down safely. Needless to say, if he cruises into our kitchen with the hard tile floor, we definitely have to watch him more closely.
I guess the point that I am trying to make is that having Emmett has made me appreciate all of the stages of development more. We may have our television surrounded by a safety gate and have a few more messes to clean up, but I don't mind at all. Our little man is doing new things and that makes me one happy mommy!

What's in a name?

It took me a few weeks to decide on a name for my blog. I wanted something simple, but also something that meant a little bit more. While I was brainstorming, I kept coming back to how loving Emmett is and how he gives great hugs. He loves people and doesn't know a stranger. Every time we see a new doctor or specialist, he willingly goes to them and will often times lay his sweet, little head on their shoulder.

He is the same way with his therapists. It is not uncommon for him to do a few repetitions of a therapy activity and then, lean in for a big hug. We joke that he is trying to get out of work, but I know that he truly needs that physical connection. No matter where we go, Emmett is looking for someone to cuddle.
Just last week, we were waiting for a therapy session and another mother was waiting with her child. I put Emmett down and instead of playing with the toys on the floor, he immediately crawled to this woman, that he had never met before. She happily picked him up and a new friendship was formed.
So, that is how I decided that "Embracing Emmett" would be a good name. Not only because he gives great hugs, but also because his affectionate nature steals the heart of everyone he meets. It is so easy to embrace his sweet spirit and love him for who he is (and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom).