Arielle is becoming quite a proficient scooter and crawler. She is growing up so fast! Can you believe she's 7 months (plus ten days) old? I forgot how quickly they grew! I was pondering the rate at which Alaka'i grew the other night while I was up editing a video and man, that boy grew up fast. Somehow that fact escaped me as I watched my baby girl grow bigger and stronger each day.
I try my best to soak up all the moments, to cherish the little cuddles, the squeezes, the cheek kisses and the precious moments of connection. I never really had the opportunity to feed Alaka'i the way I feed Arielle because well, I was 19 when I had him and he preferred the bottle to breast milk. I remember trying and trying while tears poured down my cheeks as my baby boy rejected the breast and opted for the bottle. When Arielle was first born, she seemed to prefer the bottle as well but after a couple weeks at home with me, one day she just latched and connected. It was a magical moment and since then, she rarely takes a bottle (which isn't always convenient for me), but I can't complain. It's those moments where she is connected to me that I cherish the most. Knowing that she will never have that same bond with another human in her entire life just warms my heart. There is something so special about feeding your baby and allowing that natural bond between mother and child continue to grow. Not that bottle feeding makes you any less close or any less connected than breast feeding. Alaka'i was my constant companion. We spent so much time together, cuddled and loved and had all those same precious moments. It's just that in these twilight hours of silence that I'm awake editing videos that I can truly reflect on the differences between my two children and appreciate how precious and truly unique they each were and are.
