The Other "First"s

As parents, we are really big on our baby's "first"s.  First tooth, first step, first Christmas, etc.  And while these things are important, they're also kind of boring.  Most "first"s are things all kids have in common.

I started thinking about it the other morning, when my son was being a bit fussy getting ready for school, and I grabbed the first thing at hand:  a sheet of bubblewrap from a recent postage delivery.  As I showed him how to pop it, and watched his face light up with giggles, it occurred to me that he had never played with bubblewrap.  This was a first.  Sure, it's probably not as big a deal as a first haircut, or anything like that, but it made his morning.  After all, what kid doesn't like bubblewrap?  (Of course, true to his habit of renaming everything, he calls it "squeezy-pop".)

Just the other week, we went to our State Fair.  It was actually his third time going, so that wasn't a first, but it was his first time going on the pony ride.  And it was perfect.  He loves horses, but had barely even seen one in real life.  Getting to pet the pony, and then the look on his face when I told him he could ride it, was priceless.  I walked next to him, arm extended just in case, but he held onto the saddle horn like a champ and wore the biggest smile the whole time.  When the ride was over, he patted "his horsey" and told him goodbye, then ran off to brag to his Daddy, Papa, and Mimi (who had, of course, been watching the whole time).  For the next several days, any time anyone asked him if he had fun at the fair, his only response was, "I rode the horsey!"

We had another fun "first", this month.  Though I've been dressing him up for Halloween since he was three months old, and he was big enough to go trick-or-treating this year, this is the first year he got to pick out his costume.  Since, apparently, no one sells astronaut costumes anymore (thanks for shutting NASA down, jerks), he found an airplane pilot costume.  He loves it because he gets to tell everyone he flies airplanes (I think he's trying to fool the TSA into letting him get through to an actual jet) and I like it because it's an adorable little suit with a tie and matching hat.  But it's extra-special because, unlike the shark costume of last year, or the cow costume of the year before, he picked it out.  Of course, it was just about the most expensive toddler costume at the Halloween Store, but that's my fault for telling him he could pick whatever he wanted before I scoped out the price tags.

These last few months have just had so many wonderful "first"s.  His first time seeing fireworks.  His first time helping pick out and wrap Christmas presents.  His first candy apple.  His first time watching "Firefly" (probably only a big deal for nerd parents).

It's just so exciting that, even as my baby gets older, the "first"s never stop coming.  Though I'll admit that I'm not looking forward to the things like "first car drive" or "first date".