3-2-1 Blast Off

Oh the joys of having a boy!
My little monkey is just that; a moving, wiggling, and JUMPING around monkey
Most have heard the story of him jumping off our couch just before he turned 4 months old and last Tuesday he attempted yet another death defying leap only this time it was out of my arms.

Having only been home from work for a few minutes I took a second to say hello to my hubby and put my things down before reaching for my ever smiling little monkey. Like almost all other nights he met me with smiles and wiggles of excitement as I reached to pick him up for a snuggle and kiss on the forehead. Taking only a moment to chatter to him about his day I then settled in to hear my hubs tell me a story about work, the little monkey still in my arms. Paying close attention to the details of the story caused a slight distraction to the monkey in my arms giving him the split second opportunity he needed. Before I could form a thought to say NO his feet were flat on my side, his back was arched, and he was plummeting head first to the floor. With cat like reflexes, that I firmly believe all mothers received at the birth of their child, I turned and caught the monkey by the ankle only 6 inches from the floor. My heart stopped and for a split second my vision blurred. I couldn't tell if I had caught him or not. Brandon brought me back to the present with a "Nice catch!" before continuing with his story, never missing a beat. I stared at the child in my hand and sighed as I heard him let out a laugh that came from deep depths of his belly and watched as he wiggled in an attempt to make it happen again. With a death grip on his ankle I lifted and turned him right side up. His face was lit with a smile and his body radiated pure excitement and joy even as my breathing was still coming fast. I took a tighter hold on him as I turned to Brandon and explained that he would have to stop talking; I needed a moment. Even as he reassured me that everyone and everything was OK I still had to force my breathing to slow and return to normal.

Taking in the smiles from everyone in the room I calmed and allowed Brandon to finish his story. I did not however release my tight hold on my little monkey. With one arm around his back and locked onto his leg and the other set firmly under his armpit I made sure he stayed put for the rest of the story, despite his attempt to wiggle and launch again.

While I had yet another almost heart attack my son and husband brushed off the event like it was an everyday occurrence. This child is going either be the death of me OR will strengthen my heart so much that I'll never die! If I have to live with moments like that for the rest of my life I'm not sure which I would prefer. :) The difference between boys and girls was made more than obvious that night and I learned I have a lot of learning to do when it comes to raising a son!