The Real Thing

Here's Patrick in another cute outfit, posing for more future blackmail pictures.
He was actually sitting up almost completely on his own, with just my one hand on his back to balance him. Isn't his facial expression priceless?
Here he is hugging Joanie, as usual. I'm surprised he let me take Joanie away long enough to take a few pictures without her.
He's turning into a real hat baby. This outfit came with a different cap than the one in the other pictures, one that I think Patrick likes even more. Again, I love his facial expression. He was really hamming it up for me.

One of Patrick's new things from the last few days is a fascination with reaching for things. He's been reaching some for ages, but not nearly as deliberately as the past day or so. It started with him holding a fist in front of his face, scrutinizing it like I imagine he might if he was high, before attempting to stuff it into his mouth. Maybe he was looking at a mommy hair he was grasping. I actually think he's learning about depth perception. It has served him well because he quickly moved on to playing with the toy bar on his rocker chair. He reaches carefully toward the sheep, grabs the rotating ball in the middle, and spins it. He sometimes grabs the side of the sheep or the handle on the cow that makes it play music. It is obvious he knows exactly what he is doing and isn't hitting the toys accidentally like before.

The cutest reach was after a meal yesterday afternoon. He was in a great mood. He pulled away from me, rolled onto his back, and held up his fist again, like he does when he scrutinizes it. Yesterday though, he looked at me instead of his fist. He waited until I put my hand up next to his, like I was going to high-five him, then he spread out his fingers and reached for my hand. He just held my hand for some time, feeling my fingers and thumb. He didn't try once to bring it to his mouth, which is his usual reason for grabbing a hand or finger. I think he just wanted to feel me close.

When I told Matt about this wonderful experience, he pointed out how it clearly epitomizes one of the fundamental likeable qualities about babies: they are genuine. When babies feel emotions, they don't hesitate to show them; and when they show emotions, they stem from deep-rooted feelings. Babies have not learned what so many adults do instinctively, the art of pretending. It's hard for me to gauge people sometimes because I have dealt with so many fake people (remember I taught high school) that it can be difficult for me to tell the difference between someone being fake and someone being genuine. I never have to worry about Patrick. If he's crying, he's upset; and if he's upset, he will be sure to tell me by crying. In the same way, when he shows me any affection, it is genuine affection. He smiles because he's truly joyful, not just to humor me or Matt. And when he reaches up to hold my hand, it is because he loves me, or at least the feel of my hand. I hope there are enough real people around him growing up, especially me and Matt, for him to never learn to be anything but genuine as he is now.