Children are Puzzling

There are days where I don't feel like I really understand my son's cues. I suppose that at almost 10 weeks of being in the world there is still a lot that he's trying to understand too. Yesterday I got to help out with the little boy I used to work with. Being back in the classroom and away from Owen was like a time warp. This time last year I was starting out as this little boy's aide and we were just beginning to get to know each other. He was so little and school was a brand new place for him. He didn't even know that there was a baby growing in my tummy. Whenever his mother or I would try to explain that there was a baby in my belly he would just say, "nope". Now he's four and is quite confident in the classroom. He also understands that baby Owen is real. (He's probably not so sure about the tummy bit still.) It's amazing how fast he has grown and how much more he can communicate. He is such a great reminder for me on how it takes time to learn cues and how I should probably be paying more attention to my son than a book that says what he should be doing. Working with that sweet guy was such a great learning experience for me in becoming a mommy. Now I'm Owen's student and I'm doing my best to study up. He's 2 months now and will frequently put his fingers in his mouth. At first I was concerned that he was hungry, but no, when I would try to feed him he would get all upset. It is if he is saying "I was enjoying my fingers!".  Owen is discovering new things every day and would be completely okay if I just stood back and let him. Another thing he's been doing is waking up in the middle of his naps. The books told me that if babies wake up too soon it could be out of hunger. So here I am again concerned that my son is starving. However, when I observe him and his behavior carefully I discover that he's waking up early due to his little tummy being upset with gas pain. Working with kids and having your own is like trying to solve a living puzzle. You may have figured out how to put all the pieces perfectly together once but then all of a sudden its a brand new puzzle that you need to solve. It takes A LOT of physical, mental, and emotional energy as well as lots of prayer. Sometimes you need to be persistent in one area and sometimes more relaxed. Thankfully Owen is pretty patient with his mommy. He has also been making lots of faces and smiling at me which is just the encouragement I need. Being Owen's mommy has showed me even more what a joy it is to be around children. It is such a gift to be a part of someone's life, especially in the crucial early years.