Finally... a genuinely happy baby

Poor Chase has had a fairly rough go of things in his first year. First he had severe reflux. Then he cut a bunch of teeth all at once. Then he had sleep issues. Then he was extremely frustrated because he so badly wanted to move around on his own but couldn't quite figure it out. Then he outgrew his class at school but there were no openings in the "big boy" infant classroom and he was bored to tears (literally). He smiled a lot, but didn't say much, and getting him to giggle out loud was a challenge, if it happened at all.

I knew we had turned a page yesterday when Riley came running into the room to find me. "Monny, Monny," he gasped, "Chase just laughed!!! I haven't heard that before." And then he turned to Chase and said, "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart."

My heart melted on so many levels. First of all, that Riley genuinely loves his brother so much is precious. He really IS proud of him and tells him that often. But even more than that, the sound of Chase's laugh is just so delightful and contagious. Partly because it was hard-earned, partly because it is a sign that he's finally comfortable (for lack of a better word), but mostly because he does it often and on his own. His true personality is starting to shine through, and let me tell you, he is one funny dude. I would not be surprised if he ends up as the class clown someday. When you enter his room after he's been sleeping, instead of reaching up towards you so you'll pick him up, he scrambles in his crib in the other direction, giggling like it's the funniest game. When you try to change his clothes, he thinks it's hilarious to try to get away from you and climb off the bed. When he's around Riley, all he does is try to crawl away from him as fast as he can and he'll squeal in delight when Riley chases after him. In the car on the way to school, all he does is try to make Riley laugh by making silly noises or kicking his feet all around.

And if that isn't enough to make me smile, there's the dancing. This kid LOVES to dance and he loves music. No "baby" or "kid" music for him. Nope, he likes to rock out to Coldplay, Mumford & Sons and (as of yesterday at the pool) The Who. He will stand up and start bopping up and down, his little diapered bottom showing his enthusiasm. And he will grin, and not just a small smile, but a full-on goofy, semi-toothless grin which is wide enough to show off his silly fangs. There is no way not to smile and start dancing in response.

I can't tell you exactly what has changed for him. Maybe it's the table food -- this kid eats more than any baby I've ever seen (he usually outeats Riley who is over three years older) -- so much so that we often refer to him as a garbage disposal. Maybe he spent the first several months of his life starving and uncomfortable because his reflux made him hate formula. Maybe it's that he's mobile. Maybe he's having an easier time with teething. Maybe it's that he can finally communicate with us some -- he will point at things and clearly wants us to identify them because he will smile once you've told him what it is that he's pointing at. Maybe he's less bored. Maybe it's that he's finally taking real naps at school and getting the sleep that he so desperately needed. I don't know what it is, but I'm just so happy for him. Life is good.