I just realized that Hayden is eleven months old today… Happy eleven month day, little one!
Isn’t it funny how much your perception of your child changes over time? I thought he was the cutest baby when he was born. I thought he looked quite human-like. Wait… he is and he did. Nix the changing perception part.
Y’know how newborns can’t perceive that they’re distinct people from their mothers? It works in reverse, too, I think: mothers usually expect babies to be a.) just like themselves, b.) just like their (the babies’) fathers, or c.) both. That isn’t always the case.
I am reminded of this every time we’re out in public and Hayden is smiling at everyone he sees. Now that he’s started waving (which I think I still haven’t captured on video), he makes friends with strangers on a regular basis. Luckily, he hasn’t yet strayed from my or Ryan’s arms, but Hayden has absolutely NO stranger anxiety. I, on the other hand, don’t care for crowds or strangers.
He might grow out of it. But he just might grow up into his own person after all.
