We are going through the much anticipated 9 month-old separation anxiety.  Matthew LOVES everyone and is a very social baby, but when we’re home, he wants to be with me all the time.  He will not let me out of his sight.  However, if we’re away from home, he is his normal, outgoing self and those times make this trying time not so trying, actually.

I’m very proud of Matthew for loving to engage others while we’re out.  He will pretty much go to anyone who shows any interest in holding him.   We were at Target today and he was calling out to complete strangers.  He does this cute little fake, LOUD laugh to get people’s attention, and it works every time.  Who doesn’t look for the cute laughing baby?!  He engages kids, men, women, ANYONE and I just love it!  I beam with pride because I think this may mean that he has his father’s outgoing personality which is how I prefer it.

I am severely introverted.  You would not know it if you met me because if I know you or know of you, I’m very chatty.  But if I don’t know you, I most likely won’t cross a room to introduce myself.  I take that back.  I most definitely won’t cross a room to introduce myself.  It just isn’t in me and it’s the one thing I despise about myself.  Even being fully aware of it, I find it very hard to change.

B, on the other hand, makes it a point to engage every person at a party (it doesn’t have to be OUR party) in a conversation.  He will make every person he talks to, which ends up being everyone in the room, feel like the only person in the room while they have his attention.  He is a fabulous listener and gives you his full attention when he’s talking with you.  He will not hijack the conversation, or jump in to say, ‘uh huh, I’ve done that too.’  He just listens and asks questions about what you’re telling him.  He can know everything about the thing you’re talking about (cars, vacation spots, technology), and you would never know it because he doesn’t ever say, ‘yeah, I did that too.’  I find it amazing – and it’s a wonderful thing.

As I walked through Target with my very engaging, seemingly extroverted baby, I found myself hoping that he ends up like his dad.  I hope he makes everyone he talks with feel special and like the only person in the room.  I hope he crosses the room to introduce himself or talk to the person who doesn’t seem to know anyone at the party.  From what I’ve seen so far, he will be that person.

I haven’t posted pictures in a while – so here are a few pictures from today.  We had a great day  🙂

This slideshow requires JavaScript.