If I could sum up my Son in three words, those words would be tenacious, inquisitive, and temerarious.
Tenacious means to be pertinacious , persistent, stubborn , or obstinate. There are few words that could describe him better. Now that we are reaching an age of testing limits this characteristic is even more apparent.
Inquisitive means to be given to inquiry, research, or asking questions. Also eager for knowledge. My Son is a scientist. He wants to know what makes things tick. Every time he dons his questioning face I fill will pride.
Temerarious means to be reckless and rash. Papa Bear can also be quite temerarious. Honey Badger leaps first and decides whether or not it was a good idea after the fact. Much to my dismay...
It has been a roller coaster ride this year. Nothing really prepares you for the emotions and exhaustion of parenting. The extreme vulnerability that you feel when you realize your heart is truly walking around outside your body.
This year I've learned that the tears of an infant can wound my soul. That playful grins can brighten an otherwise awful day. The best toys are the ones that were never intended to be toys in the first place. Insomnia can be cured by listening to the rhythmic breathing of my sleeping Son. Infants are wild creatures that will not be tamed by modern culture without a fight. So many lessons. To many to list.
I've had the opportunity to show skeptical people that breastfeeding, bed-sharing, cloth diapering, and babywearing are all possible and not all together too inconvenient. My Son is independent and learned to walk just fine.
I am incredibly lucky to have the wild love of this feral child.
