Daddy's Boy

Why is it that I spent the first six months of his life at home, nurturing, loving, and giving every bit of my being to Kellan, yet now at 9 months of age, he is Daddy's boy to the very core. Not only does Kellan say "Daddy" and "Da Da" endlessly, but "Daddy" is the one and only word that we're positive he understands. If I say, "Where's Daddy?" he looks immediately at Nic. If Nic's out of the room, he searches the house for him and looks in the direction of Nic's voice (Nic has a habit of talking to himself when in the other room -- don't ask). Last night I was nursing him on the couch. Rather than cuddling and being close as I read about in my LLL magazine, he was pulling at my breast, smacking my face, and yanking my bottom lip out. And the minute he finished, he pulled away and lunged for Nic. "Daddy!". If only Daddy could nurse him, the boy's life would be complete.

We just had our Christmas party at Kellan's baby group. It was great fun. Lots of wonderful food. Kellan loves our weekly meeting, he adores playing with all of the other babies. He's still not crawling, though he is at last making a concerted effort, and the other babies, though much smaller (not younger, just smaller), have started to gain their independence and often crawl right over him. He's getting there though. Rolling is great, but he's realised that there are times when forward motion will get you there more quickly.

We were discussing the issue of circumcision at group today. I am surprised that its still such an accepted practise in the U.S. In Britain, its simply not done. Its not something which is offered or discussed. It has been out of fashion for some time now. I always knew that if I had a boy, he would not be circumcised (I'm not into the mutilation of natural body parts), but apparently would have had to fight for that had he been born in this country. In talking to the mothers today, most of them simply had it done, not actually thinking about the issue, the pain, the future loss of sensation in the penis, or the fact that it is a totally unnecessary act. As a funny side note, because my husband and his brother have some years between them and it was during this time that the practise went out of favour in Britain, my husband was circumcised and his brother was not. Bum deal for poor Nic.