A parenting day

I am the only male over 3 years of age in the nursery during our church's worship services on Sundays. This is sort of awkward--I'm pretty sure I'm cultural crossing a line--but I'm okay with that. My wife is with the kiddo all week, and (usually) gets more out of sermons more than I do.

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My little almost-7-month-old has his army crawl down pat, and moves with remarkable speed. My sister-in-law (in jest) suggests we enter him in one of those baby races; he would probably have a good chance of winning, if there was a cell phone or camera just beyond the finish line. Today in the nursery he weaseled his way around the whole room, his beautiful eyes wide looking up and down, carefully inspecting the place. He is becoming a little adventurer.

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He and I were hanging out on a blanket on the porch this afternoon, while Mommy was still napping. He was sucking on his thumb*, and then started sucking on my knee, so we went inside and I dug out his pacifier. He has heretofore shown disdain for the pacifier, but now that he's learned to suck on a bottle, he found it rather interesting. He sucked and played with it for about fifteen minutes. I was amused by the way the pacifier absorbed all his attention, as he proved unable to suck on it and handle other toys at the same time.

*He doesn't habitually suck his thumb, but was rather sucking on it just then.