There's someone I'd like you to meet...

Some of you have met him, a lot of you haven't.Most of you have caught a tiny glimpse of him through what I've shared, but I wanted you to really get to know him. I want you to really see him and see what an amazing boy God has created. I know I share a lot about our sleeping issues and how tired I am. But I also want to share who he is in spite of that ( or maybe even because of that.)

This is Arlo Harrison Stone. The most alert baby I have ever met in my entire life. The first night he was here he was too busy watching us to sleep, even though I'm pretty sure he couldn't really see anything. He greeted the world with such wonder and interest. If I had a quarter for every time someone mentioned how alert he was, I could buy us all lunch. He wants to look at everything and he wants to explore everything. He rarely takes long naps and has a really hard time staying asleep at night, but it's because he's too busy taking in everything around him. He has to touch and examine everything with his precious little fingers. He grabs things with both hands and a whole lot of enthusiasm. He looks at everything from all sides, flicking them with his fingers to see what it feels like, sounds like, and moves like. He notices every little sound or movement. So many of the things we take for granted in our daily life, he is experiencing. He notices the birds in the sky or on the telephone wire, he notices the leaves on the trees dancing in the breeze (and he thinks they are hilarious,) he notices Josie playing outside, and if he notices it, he needs to investigate it.

He loves looking at pictures and faces. He loves people and this may be one of my favorite qualities about him.  If he can hear you but can't see you, he looks around and arches his neck to see where your voice is coming from. He often stares people down until they acknowledge him and then he greets them with the biggest smile you've ever seen. He lives for eye contact from anyone (even Josie) and squeals with joy when he catches your attention. It might take him a minute to look you over, but once he's done investigating he turns on the charm. He thrives in groups and out in public and he loves to be surrounded by people. He loves the wind and being thrown way high. He loves being startled and caught off guard. He loves being "dropped" and he loves to swing. He's already my thrill seeker boy.

Arlo is busy. He has been moving ever since he was being created. I was never worried if he was alive in there or not because he was constantly moving and kicking... I should've known then we were in for a wild ride! The first video I ever took of him was a few days after he turned a month old and it was nothing but him cooing and kicking his legs and moving his arms. When he learned how to bounce in the bouncer it was the best day of both of our lives. He began "playing" with toys a little after he turned 4 weeks old and soon needed new toys because those were all played out. He loves playing, LOVES it. He's just a busy boy. He would rather be standing than sitting, he would rather be moving than lounging, he would rather be outside than inside any day. He's also the most opinionated and determined baby I've ever met. He knows what he wants and he knows where he wants to go. If he can get it or get to it he will, and if he can't he'll let you know about it until he gets help. He rarely cries even though he hardly sleeps, he's happy as long as he's busy, and he can take a thirty minute nap and be good to go for hours. I could go on for days about how wonderful and special our busy, sleepless boy is. I could go on for days about how smart he is and how he loves to clap and how he's already figured out the "where's Arlo" routine. I could go on for days about the love I have for this tiny human.



Yes I'm exhausted, yes I wish he needed less of my attention some days, yes I've gotten really good at doing all of the "important" things for the day in thirty minutes and as quiet as a mouse, yes he's the perfect blessing our little family needed.

I prayed for a boy that was more than just a "normal" boy. Because "normal" boys can be mean, "normal" boys can need to be accepted no matter the cost, "normal" boys don't speak out for what's right. I prayed for a boy who would do great things and have a heart for people. I prayed for a boy who wouldn't be easily fooled by this world and would bring glory to his Heavenly father in whatever he chose to do. I prayed for an extraordinary boy and I think I got one.