Rocking & rolling

He's so close! Noah is up, up on his feet, rocking back and forth—only a few moments from crawling! I can't believe our just-about-six-month-old is almost mobile. I swear we just brought him home from the hospital yesterday.

It brings me back to that old cliché—enjoy them now, because they grow up so fast. Turns out it's true. Our little man isn't exactly grown up—after all, his driver's license & graduation is YEARS away—but I can't believe the lightening speed of these past six months. Already he's zoomed past firsts: rolling both ways, lifting his head, cereal & baby food, graduating from his swing, snuggling into his high chair, the move to the bottle...ugh. So many moments here and gone.

If I could, I think I would freeze him in this age for just a little while. He's absolutely adorable right now. Noah's favorite game is Sneak Attack, a slightly more exciting version of peek-a-boo. When we pop up our heads and surprise him, first his little face startles with shock, but then his little laughs and shrieks bubble up and out of him like champagne. It fills me with the most indescribable happiness.

Laughter has always had that effect on me. On those endless "All About Me" forwards I get in my e-mail inbox, I always say my favorite sound is David laughing. Now, I'll have to make that David & Noah laughing. When the two of them get going, I can feel my heart melting. What an amazing, healing sound. I wish I could bottle it for those days when all of us need a little boost. Wow.