As the title of this post suggests, I am falling deeply in love with my son. It is truly amazing how I felt so attached to him as soon as we discovered our pregnancy, and how that feeling jacked when we found out he was a boy. Weeks and weeks of growing love later, I’m amazed my chest didn’t burst open when he was born. Blew. My. Mind. I am so amazingly thankful that we were blessed with our son, and I can barely fathom the thought that we are being gifted another life to nurture and dote on in just a few short months.
I realized a few weeks ago that we haven’t told Dekker very much about the baby. He’s currently learning to identify all of his facial features, and has known his tummy for a while. When I would point to my tummy and tell him it was a baby, he seemed a little unsure, his eyes asking “Are you sure thats not your tummy?” I’ve hardly showed until just recently anyway, so I thought maybe we’d talk more about it when my tummy was obviously very different.
Not long ago, I was laying on the couch with my shirt rolled up, rubbing my baby belly, when Dekker came up to me. He very gently rubbed my belly, and looked at me as if looking for confirmation that his actions were good. I praised him up, saying he was such a good big brother! Of course, in my head, I said that he’s a little boy and is likely just mimicking what his mommy is doing. I seem to jump back and forth between “Oh, he’s little, he doesn’t actually get it” and “Kids know way more than we give them credit for.” However, today, I’ve decided to honestly lean towards the latter.
My mom was over for the afternoon helping us finally put in our garden. She, along with the boys and I, were playing toys downstairs once the work was done. I, again, was stretched out on the couch (sitting up is hard!) and Dekker walked over and started tugging at my shirt a little. I rolled it up and rolled down the belly band on my jeans so my stomach was showing. He very gently stroked it like he had a few weeks ago. Then he held his hands on it, said something in his very own special language, bent down, and gave my tummy a kiss. An actual kiss. And then he was off, back to toys.
Mind. Blown.
While Brady loves my belly, and does his share of kissing it and doting on the new baby, usually thats when we’re all cuddled up for bed, long after Dekker is sleeping. Where Dekker would have picked up kissing my belly, I have no idea. Does he actually understand that there is a little person in there? Or at least something very important?! I say again, kids know way more than we seem to think. Just because he doesn’t speak much english sure doesn’t mean he doesn’t soak up everything around him!
Totally in love.