Seven non-feeding-related things about Alex.

[rivka]

1. For the past couple of weeks, she's been visually tracking things like crazy. She doesn't just gaze around with newborn unfocusedness anymore - her eyes lock onto mine intensely. She cranes her neck to see outside of her immediate visual field. The rotating teddy bear mobile over her changing table fascinates her. Sometimes she gets absorbed enough in watching the moving bears that I leave her on the changing table for a minute or two after we're done. This is a minor miracle, considering how much she hates to be changed or put down.

2. Social smiles are now pretty common. I've been able to elicit one by asking (in a sufficiently animated and smiley tone of voice; it's not like she understands English), but usually they're a sweet surprise. The other night I came upstairs after pumping to find that she had woken up. Michael had curled one arm around her in his sleep, and she was just lying there quietly awake. As soon as I moved into eyesight she broke out into an enormous "Hey! Look who just joined the slumber party!" grin.

3. She's discovered mirrors. It's not at all clear that she understands that she's seeing herself. I've been able to calm her fussiness by holding her in front of the big bathroom mirror and talking about what we see. There's also a small mirror suspended over her swing, and yesterday it got the most enormously wide-mouthed smiles I've ever seen. She kept her eyes locked on the mirror for five minutes, which is a century in baby time.

4. She loves movement. Even being carried in her carseat can calm her down, and she loves to walk or dance or sway in her sling. We go for walks around the neighborhood and, even if she's been fussy, she calms and stares quietly out at the trees and buildings. Sadly, the positive effects of movement seem to be limited to human-powered activity - she's not yet crazy about her swing or her bouncy seat.

5. I begin to suspect that she's temperamentally neophobic. The first few times we put her in the bouncy seat she started yelling almost immediately. But then Michael put her in the other day and sat with her, gently bouncing it, and she loved it. Big open-mouthed smiles and happy noises. Also, the first few times she had her medicine she wrinkled up her face in the most tragically betrayed way - but now she doesn't mind it at all. (It's sweet and minty.) So I'm introducing her to new things slowly and not being too quick to decide that she doesn't like them. We try out new things, like the swing, for a few minutes a day.

6. She's making more vocalizations. Most of them are variations on grunting, but we have hopes of a sweet baby coo or gurgle eventually.

7. A few new pictures are here. I notice two things: (a) Most of the pictures are of a sleeping Alex, probably because her waking hours got a little bit rough there for a while, with the reflux. Must get more waking action shots. (b) Daddy needs to take more pictures, because Mama only appears here once - as a disembodied chest.

Comments

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

That is a marvelous shot of her and curiousangel.

It is sooooo nice to see you talking about good things!

-J

[rivka.livejournal.com]

That is a marvelous shot of her and curiousangel.

Sometimes they're so beautiful together that it hurts my heart.

It is sooooo nice to see you talking about good things!

I've been posting about the trauma because I've needed the support so badly, but it occurred to me yesterday how sad it would be to have that as the only record of her first month. The good stuff is so intensely good.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Sometimes they're so beautiful together that it hurts my heart.

Watching him with her, and watching you with her, it's all just beautifully tender and sweet.

[elisem.livejournal.com]

I've been posting about the trauma because I've needed the support so badly, but it occurred to me yesterday how sad it would be to have that as the only record of her first month. The good stuff is so intensely good.

You are very smart.

Also, awww! Endearing baby photos! Endearing baby-and-papa photos!

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Save that picture forever. Someday she'll thank you for that.