Several times, Sylvie dropped the ball on the floor, and Oliver immediately made a beeline for it. What struck me was that he never actually picked the ball up—he was simply delighted by the chase. As soon as he got close, he’d flip from crawling to sitting, flash me one of his heart-melting smiles, then crawl back to me, reaching up to grab my fingers so he could pull himself to standing. Meanwhile, Sylvie would move the ball somewhere else, and the whole game would start again. Looking back, I realize Sylvie was playing her own version of catch with Oliver.
Later, Oliver and I crawled down the hallway to check out two wall vents. I took advantage of the moment to dust them for Megan while Oliver carefully explored—touching the vents, running his little fingers up and down to make noise, and investigating the screws with a furrowed brow. (If he’d had a screwdriver, I think those vents might be gone by now. Or maybe he was just concentrating… or trying to pass gas!)
We also tried some outside time, but today he wasn’t as interested—at least not in the way I was willing to follow. Most of the fun things were on the ground, and I wasn’t in the mood to crawl around the deck collecting sticks from him. After about ten minutes, we went back inside where Oliver happily opened and closed the dog crate door and explored his toys.
Lunchtime was a real treat because Megan let me feed him. Oliver had corn, small strips of bread with peanut butter, bits of cob, and applesauce. He loved it all! The corn cob pieces were especially fun for him to gnaw on, and the peanut butter sandwich—new for him this week—disappeared quickly. With the corn kernels, he would grab fistfuls and shove them into his mouth, pausing only to flash his “life is so amazing” smile. His whole face lights up when he grins, and those four little teeth just make it even sweeter.
Applesauce is a special event: I put a spoonful on his baby spoon and set it on the tray. Most of the time, he grabbed it straight from my hand before I could put it down. Somehow, despite the eagerness, most of it made it into his mouth.
Cleanup took teamwork. Megan handled Oliver (about five or six baby wipes did the trick), and I washed the dishes, bib, and tray.
Later, I checked my iPhone to see if crawling counted as steps—and it does! I clocked 325 crawls this morning. Honestly, crawling is about my speed these days, but watching Oliver, I realized I’d better work on my walking pace if I want to keep up with him next month.
Spending time with Oliver reminds me that the best kind of exercise isn’t about steps or speed—it’s about joy. Whether we’re chasing a slobbery tennis ball, exploring a vent, or sharing applesauce smiles, every moment with him feels like its own little adventure.
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