Greetings Little One

Month Eight

I know it’s a little late, but here is your eight month update, little one. Lots of things have happened this month, and though most have already been chronicled in previous posts, I’ll summarize a few of the more important ones here.

Let’s start with food!  The menu of foods that you now eat has expanded considerably in the last four weeks and includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as Puffs, an organic, fruit-based alternative to Cheerios. You devour them like Daddy devours Skittles, which is why we do not keep Skittles in the house.

I am powerless against them.

Mommy says that you’re also capable of eating bread and meat now, so I’m looking forward to the day that I can put a hunk of prime rib in your baby safe feeder and welcome you to the carnivore’s club. Just think: sucking on prime rib! Could there be anything better?

  

You’re also eating two solid meals a day, and we’re about to add lunch to your repertoire. Overall you’re a good eater, devouring a bowl of fruits or vegetables rather quickly, but you can be quite demanding when the pace of food slackens on our end. You and I have been eating dinner together for the last couple nights, each of us alternating between bites, and if I don’t get the spoon to your mouth fast enough, I hear about it.

Not nice.

In addition to adding new food to the menu, you’ve also officially rejected your pacifier. Though you will occasionally chew on the edge of the pacifier or on Wubbie’s feet, you are no longer interested in sucking on the thing. When I offered it to you tonight before bed, you took it from my hands and threw it on the floor in genuine anger. When in need of soothing, you suck your thumb.

And you have your first tooth, little one. A tiny little tooth on your bottom jaw. It’s barely visible, but when you bite, it’s more than noticeable. Mommy and I are happy for you, but we adore your gummy smile and are bemoaning the fact that it won’t last much longer.

You’ve also become quite ticklish this month, particularly on your neck and belly. Mommy often makes you laugh in the morning with kisses and tickles on the belly, and the resulting laughter is one of our most favorite sounds.

You have increased your vocabulary this month as well, adding Daddy and Hi to your old standard, Momma. The context is not always correct, but that’s okay. Words are words. Your most enthusiastic greetings are normally reserved for Owen, but you’ve said, Hi!” to others as well, and you’ve even said, “Hi, Daddy” to me on a couple mornings this month. Of course, you’ve also said, “Hi, Daddy,” to Owen at least twice as well, so comprehension of your vocabulary is a bit of a problem.

And you’ve also started to wave. You’re not consistent, often require coaxing, and save most of your waving for Owen, but it’s damn cute to watch you flap your arms at others while saying, “Hi!” 

Speaking of Owen, you have become obsessed with the poor cat, unable to eat or sleep when he’s around. Owen is capable of transforming a frowning, crying Clara into a happy, joyous baby just by appearing in the room. You stroke his fur, grab his tail, pinch his skin, and even then, he makes no move to harm you in any way. He will shy away from you from time to time, fearful of your flailing arms, but he’s been incredibly sweet to you so far, which has been good for him. There are days when he throws up on the floor and awakens Mommy with head-butts and meows when I worry he might someday end up on the street. But the way that he treats you seems to have engendered some newfound affection from Mommy, which may just save his skin.

You like Kaleigh, too, and become quite animated when she walks into the room, but you seem to understand that she has considerably less patience for you.  Owen is by far your favorite.  

In addition to Owen, you seem to be quite comfortable around people other than Mommy and me. You have been exceptionally well behaved for your babysitters, and when out in a restaurant or otherwise in public, you smile continuously at the people around you and get lots of attention for it. Just last night at least four different people in Panera asked about your age and name, declaring you to be the happiest and cutest baby around.

At last you have begun to get around on your own! Some might call it crawling, but it’s mostly rolling and backward scooting, but you can go forward a little and you managed to get wherever you want.  You often get stuck in corner or under things like the bed, chairs, and the shelves in the kitchen. Last week you even manage to roll yourself right out of your bedroom.

Unfortunately, you’ve also begun crying whenever we put on your pajamas, but as if to pay us back for the suffering of listening to you wail, once you are in the pajamas and in our lap, you have grown very fond of turning the pages in the books that we read. I’ve been reading a lot of Sandra Boynton to you and am beginning to memorize some of her books. They are really quite wonderful.

A month of many changes, and surely another one ahead. I can’t believe how quickly you are growing up, little one!

                  

Month Seven

Another month gone, little one, and with it, many, many more changes and adventures.  It’s hard to believe that you’re already seven months old.  Changes are happening so fast now.  It seems like every day, you are able to do something new.  Even so, I still can’t believe that in a few short months you will be walking and starting to put words together into meager, little sentences.  Though I know those days will be fun, I’m trying to soak in as much of this age as possible.  I am really enjoying it.

Okay, this past month, one of the biggest changes has been in the way that you eat.  Though you remain primarily a breast-fed baby, every afternoon you eat an additional meal of solid foods, and we’ve gone through quite a few.  The list of menu items thus far include:

Rice cereal (you could take it or leave it )

Oatmeal (LOVE it)

Avocado (LOVE it)

Sweet potatoes (you seem undecided)

Peaches (LOVE them)

Bananas (do not like them)

Carrots (like them, we think)

Peas (DESPISE them, just like Daddy)

It should also be noted that Mommy is making all of your food, using a food processor and steamer to prepare these meals from scratch.  It’s more work, but it’s actually less expensive than buying jars of baby food, and there’s a possibility that it might be better for you.  In today’s nutritional climate, farmer’s markets, organics, and all-natural foods are all the rage, even though the benefits of organics have been challenged by rigorous scientific studies and the backlash against stores like Whole Foods has most definitely begun.  By the time you are old enough to purchase groceries, perhaps canned goods will be all the rage.  Who knows?  Even so, a homemade meal is always nice, and it’s always made with love.

You are also sitting up for extended periods of time now without falling over, and you’ve shown a remarkable propensity to occupy and entertain yourself without the assistance of Mommy or me.  Earlier in the week, Mommy set you up on a quilt with a bunch of toys and left to take a shower while I worked on my book across the room.  For almost an hour you sat quietly, playing with your toys, chewing on your books, and being fully content in your own world.  It’s amazing to watch you sit there without falling, examining a toy, putting it down, picking up another one, smashing it against the floor, and smiling.  Yesterday, Mommy asked me, “Do you remember when Clara couldn’t hold anything?”  I do, which makes your new skills even more amazing to me.  You have also developed into a first-class roller, and you are showing definite signs of getting ready to crawl.

This month also marked your first foray into the realm of swimming.  While you adored the inflatable pool on the deck, you did not enjoy the adult-sized pool or the kid’s pool at the public park.  One look at the water and you began protesting mightily.  Perhaps the sheer size of the pools overwhelmed you.

Being the summer, we spent some time away from home this month, including several days at your grandparents house in the Berkshires, a day at the Mystic Seaport, and most recently a couple days in Watch Hill, Rhode Island at the Hires’ beach house.  We had a fabulous time, little one, spending the day in the company of Donna, Jeff, and my former student, Kelly.  We enjoyed a walk on the beach, a delicious dinner, a card game, a Yankees win, and an afternoon of shopping and ice cream in Watch Hill.  You were an angel for the entire trip, sleeping well and constantly smiling.  On more than one occasion, Donna, an avid reader of this blog, said, “She really is the happiest baby!”

Yes, little one.  You are. 

You also met your grandfather this month, little one, as well as some of your cousins and great aunts and uncles from my side of the family.  After twenty years apart, I was reunited with my father as well, little one, and I think I have you to thank for this important occasion.  I’m not sure if my father and I would have been smart enough to come together without you, so thank you.  It’s the greatest gift someone could ever give me. 

We also took you to the Baby Pictures movie this month, an opportunity for the parents of infants to see a movie in an environment conducive for babies.  Mothers with strollers and quilts and toys invade the theater, and employees set up a changing station and take food and drink orders so parents can remain with their children.  The volume is turned down a bit and the lights are left on, but overall it was a great experience.  I was the only man in the theater, surrounded by two dozen breast-feeding mothers, but I enjoyed the movie (The Time Travelers Wife) and managed to keep my head down and not offend any exposed mother.  

But there’s room for improvement.  We’d still like you to take better naps, and Mommy could do without the 3-15 minutes of crying that you insist upon when she puts you down for bed, but even here you seem to be improving.  Yesterday you napped for two hours, and it was so long and unexpected that Mommy and I eventually grew concerned over your safety and had to check in on you. 

We felt a little silly, but your typical nap is about 45 minutes long, so we weren’t prepared for your two hour marathon. 

Tomorrow I return to work, little one, after a summer of time spent in your company.  I don’t know how I will manage not seeing you during the day.  While I’m happy that Mommy will be home to take care of you, I’m struggling with the idea of being away from you for so long each day.  It’s been such a wonderful and happy month that I don’t want to miss a second. 

We love you so much, Clara Susan.

       

Month Six

This is about six days late, but it’s time for your six month update, little one.

It’s been a month of amazing growth, little one, starting with your ability to sit up and play with toys in front of you. You’re still good for an occasional topple, but it’s great to see you up and grabbing your feet, grabbing at toys, and grabbing at all things electronic. You’ve even made some half-hearted attempts to crawl, pulling yourself onto your stomach when something is out of reach.

As I mentioned before, you’ve also started eating solid foods and drinking sips of apple juice and water from my glass. You’ve currently eaten rice cereal, avocado, oatmeal, and tomorrow you’ll start in with sweet potatoes. You seem to like everything so far, much to your mother’s relief. She feared that your palate might resemble mine.

I don’t eat avocado or sweet potatoes, and though I should be eating oatmeal to lower my cholesterol and actually like the stuff, I never seem to get around to it.

With the exception of last night, you’ve been sleeping about nine hours a night without interruption, which has been delightful for Mommy and me, and you’re going to bed much easier, crying for 5-10 minutes before quieting down. From time to time, you’ll even go down without a fuss. You’re also good for at least a couple naps a day and usually more, and you often wake up happy and refreshed and fun to be around.

Speaking of being happy, you are an extremely happy baby, little one, and it’s often the first thing people say when they see you. In fact, you barely ever cry. You may whine when you are unhappy, but as for a genuine cry, these moments are few and far between. In fact, Mommy has yet to see tears in your eyes, and I have only seen them once.

We are very lucky.

You’re also prone to fits of giggles now, moving past a simple, two second laugh to a genuine chuckle that goes on and on. I have yet to provoke such a reaction from you, but Mommy is especially adept at this.

It’s one of the best sounds that I’ve ever heard.

You have no teeth yet, little one, but you have grown quite fond of the frozen chew toys that are ready for when we see that first tooth. A frozen butterfly chew toy is your current favorite, but anything cold, including ice cubes wrapped in a cloth napkin, is acceptable and usually appreciated. You also continue to chew on my nose with great zest. Enjoy this while you can, because when you have teeth, this will be all over.

You’re also quite capable of entertaining yourself in your bouncy seat, exersaucer or play mat for up to an hour at a time. This is good. Kids who require constant entertainment from their parents annoy me. Avoid this behavior if at all possible.

I’ll love you either way, but still…

Of course, not all is roses.

You’ve begun to react negatively when Mommy or I take something like a remote control or an iPhone away from you, whining and grabbing for it. In the past we could easily distract you with a kiss on your cheek or a tummy tickle, but now you are much more aware of your surroundings, and when you want something, it’s difficult to deter you.

And your fascination for the computer continues, making it almost impossible for me to write with you on my lap.

Your mom also had foot surgery this month, and so she spent a couple days on crutches and has been hobbling around ever since. It’s tough on her. She wants nothing more than to toss you into the stroller and take you for long walks, but walking is something she hasn’t been able to do very well ever since you were born. But hopefully the surgery will clear this up and the two of you can spend lots of time outside in the fall, watching the leaves change color.

It’s been a great six months, little one, more fun than I could have ever imagined, and much easier than the stern and foreboding warnings of many. I find myself wondering what you will do next to surprise me and am watching closely, waiting for that next big step.

       

Month Five

I’m glad that I stop each month for these updates, little one, because it’s only by going back to the previous month’s updates that I am able to see some of the changes taking place.  They are all so gradual and yet so profound. 

First off, little one, you’re getting big!  At your four month check-up, you were 16.2 pounds, placing you in the 90th percentile for weight and the 70th percentile for height.  As a result, your feet finally touch the ground in you exo-saucer, making it a much more viable means of spending time. In general, you can actually play with toys much more his month, shaking rattles, spinning toys in your bouncy seat, and entertaining yourself much more than ever before.  We’ve also noticed that you now spend much of your time in the car looking out the window, checking out the world around you.  I suspect that you are confusing the car window with a television screen, but Mommy disagrees. 

Speaking of the television, though Mommy and I have barely turned on the television this month for reasons other than you, we have found that we can no longer watch TV with you in the room.  Your fascination for the screen has become quite profound, so much so that poor Mommy cannot even watch it while nursing you.  This morning Mommy turned it on while nursing, with the volume low, in hopes of catching up on the news, and you immediately unlatched, spewing milk everywhere in an effort to catch a glimpse of the screen.  Thankfully we are not watching a lot of television these days, so it’s no great loss, but it’s something we must be ever-watchful of with you in the room. 

But almost any screen seems to fascinate you.  When I have you in my lap while I’m writing, you stare intently at the laptop screen and attempt to pound away at the keys like your daddy.  This morning you stopped a CD from burning and deleted two paragraphs from my manuscript.  You are also mesmerized by the iPhone screen, grabbing the phone and sometimes crying when you can no longer see the screen.  Dare I say that you are going to be a technology hound when you get older?

You’re learning to go to sleep on your own now, little one, without the aid of a last-minute feeding and without first falling asleep in your mother’s arms.  Though you are often crying when Mommy or I leave the room, this usually lasts less than fifteen minutes, and after that, you can sleep for up to nine hours at a time at night and for up to 90 minutes for a nap.  We’ve also stopped swaddling you, and Mommy has switched over from constant white noise throughout the night to a 45-minute sleep sheep that emits the sound of whales.  How sheep and whales go together is beyond me, but you like it and it works.  It’s also not uncommon to find you completely spun around in your crib in the morning, facing an entirely different way than how we placed you at bedtime.  

You have also abandoned your pacifier this month, using it only when you are extremely tired or fussy, and even then, just for a few minutes before spitting it out.  You can often be found sucking your hand, fingers and thumb, but the pacifier is nearly a thing of the part. 

We’re quite pleased.

You’ve also begun to outgrow some of your 3-6 month old clothing, and you’re now fitting into your 6-9 and 6-12 month sizes.  I suspect that in an effort to keep you little, Mommy will often jam you into a pair of pajamas one last time before removing them from the rotation. 

Holding onto nostalgia, even at five months! 

   

Month Four

Four months have passed, little one, and the changes just keep on coming.

Physically, you’re getting to be quite the big girl. Your four month appointment is tomorrow, so we’ll have your length and weight then, but you are a strong little girl, busting out of your swaddle on many nights and preferring to stand on our laps rather than sit.

Most impressive, you appear desperate to sit up, pulling your head and feet up so that your body forms a V when you’re lying down. Though you show absolutely no interest in rolling over and seem to have little interest in tummy time, sitting up has become a priority for you, and every day, you get a little bit closer.

You’ve also become much more aware of your surroundings.  Rather than simply shaking a rattle that is placed in your hand or chewing on a toy that we drop in your lap, you are now reaching out into space and plucking things from our hands.  You can grab your own feet, and you seem to understand the connection between your body and your legs  much better than ever before.     

And though not consistent, you have begun to laugh a little this month.  No long stretches of genuine laughter, but the high-pitched sounds that make up a laugh, accompanied by an enormous smile.  In fact, you’ve become quite a chatty little girl this past month, making your amusing little sounds especially when you are happy.  Squeals, coos, burbles, and the like. 

You also moved to your own room this month, and though Mommy and I braced ourselves for the hours of crying and screaming and ferberizing ahead of us, you took to your crib and your new environment like a pro. Other than a couple nights of 3AM feedings, you continued to sleep through the night despite the change in locale, and you still go to bed without whine or complaint.

Mommy and I are quite pleased.

You’ve taken an enormous interest in books this month, fully attentive and engaged with the page whenever Mommy or I read to you.  It’s amazing to watch you quiet down and focus on the page whenever we sit you in our laps and read.  Mommy is trying to establish a before-bed reading routine with you, and so far it’s been going quite well.  Time for Bed and Goodnight Moon are just some of the stories that she has been reading to you before bed.  

This has also been a month spent with family.  We spent three days in New Jersey at your Aunt Emily and Uncle Michael’s wedding, where you met many of your relatives on your mother’s side for the first time, including several of your cousins.  Later on in the month, you attended cousin Kayla’s baby shower, meeting Aunt Kelli and cousin Alexis for the first time.  It was an outdoor party, complete with lots of food and games. 

Near the end of your fourth month, your great grandmother came to visit for a few days, and the two of you spent lots of time together as well.

And, of course, your grandparents were around a great deal, visiting with us here at the house and at the wedding. 

Your fourth-month birthday happened to fall on Memorial Day this year, and so we spent today relaxing together.  Between teaching, writing, and working at weddings, I’ve been quite busy this month and was hoping for a day of rest and relaxation, and Mommy agreed.  We went for lunch at Panera, sitting outside and meeting a couple who had their first baby about three weeks ago.  Not surprising, by the time we left the restaurant, Mommy had their email address and phone number.

In the evening, we went over to Jim and Rachel’s home (our next-door neighbors) for a cookout, and we followed this with ice cream at Carvel. 

Oh, and I received the first review of my book today, little one.  A positive review from Publisher’s Weekly.  It was quite exciting.  It had me wondering when you might read Something Missing, and if Mommy or I would someday read it to you or if we’d wait for you to be able to read it on your own.  

We’ll have to wait and see.  Probably not for a while!

   

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Month Three

You’re three months old today, little one. A quarter of a year has already gone by, and once again, so much has changed in the last thirty or so days.

Overall, you’re becoming more and more mature and skilled in everything that you do. I think that the most exciting change that we’ve seen in the last couple weeks is your propensity to babble in response to our voices. While absolutely unintelligible, it’s incredibly cute, and you at least are able to listen to us speak, wait for a pause, and then begin your babbles. Your favorite word is ah-boo, and you’re also prone to deep and seemingly profound sighs from time to time. It’s not exactly communication, but it’s the first steps in that direction, and Mommy and I are thrilled about it.

You’ve also begun to smile quite regularly now and you can often be seen smiling and nearly laughing at the sight of Mommy or Daddy. After working all day, I can’t tell you how much it warms my heart to see you smile as I walk in the door and say hello. Playing with of your feet and legs, and the appearance of any one of your favorite toys (the yellow horse, the white lamb and that bird attached to your bouncy seat) also thrill you to pieces and cause you to grin.

You’ve also gained the manual dexterity required to lift things. Mommy first noticed this a few weeks ago after balancing you on the counter for a moment. She turned her head, and when she looked back, you had taken hold of a plastic bag.  If we place a toy or a pacifier on your chest, it doesn’t take long for you to grab hold of these objects and stuff them into your mouth. This has led to a heightened interest in playing with these toys as well, though sucking and chewing on them seem to take precedence over everything else.

In addition to these toys, you’ve become a professional thumb sucker, but you’ve also added our own fingers and knuckles to your repertoire, and sometimes even our own arms when you can manage to get your mouth on a forearm or a bicep. You still adore your pacifier, but it’s a love-hate relationship. Either you really, really want your pacifier or the mere sight of the thing disgusts you.

You’re also much more observant, little one. For example, after two months of disinterest, you’re finally taking notice of Kaleigh and Owen as they climb around your little body. Mommy took you to the Smith College Botanical Gardens last week and she said that you were looking at the plants with great interest. The overhead ceiling fan in our bedroom has also managed to capture your attention, but oftentimes it’s difficult to determine the object of your focus. We’ll be sitting in a restaurant and you will become fascinated with something over my shoulder, but it’s oftentimes impossible to determine what it could be. Either way, you’re clearly more interested in the world around you.

In the last couple weeks, you’ve also become extremely attached to Mommy, and this makes sense, since the two of you spend so much time together. You’re often out and about, visiting friends or running errands, and Mommy has become quite adept at breast-feeding you almost anywhere. But this has also led to quite an attachment between the two of you. There have been many times when the only means of consoling you is for Mommy to take you in her arms, and there are times when a transfer from Mommy to Daddy brings on tears and wails. While I understand this attachment to her (I have one myself), this hasn’t always been easy on me. After working all day, all I want to do when I finally get home is to hold you and stare at you and listen to you babble, but lately, you’ve found my arms significantly less appealing than they once were. I’m working as a DJ and minister at weddings now, too, so I’m often gone on a Saturday for much of the day. Add to this my writing schedule (I finished my second book and am working on my third) and you can see how much I am craving our time together when I finally get home, so I’m hoping that this will change before too long.

Please?

You’re also getting bigger, little one! This month you went up another diaper size, and we may have to go up another relatively soon, since you can’t seem to keep the poop inside the diaper! You’ve also started outgrowing some of your clothing, and you’re showing signs of wanting to sit up. When leaning against Mommy’s chest or sitting in the car seat, you often attempt to lean forward and straighten your posture in an effort to see the world a little better.

And you continue to sleep like a champ! Though you can often be seen fighting sleep during the day (you get this from Daddy, who is writing this at 5:05 AM after rising from bed at 4:15 AM), you usually sleep at least seven hours every night before waking up to eat, and you’ll usually go back to sleep for another one or two hours after a quick meal. In fact, I often find myself going to bed after you and waking up before you. Only twice last month did you fail to earn your dollar for sleeping through the night, and we can blame one of those nights on a barking dog.

It’s been an eventful third month, little one. Between your first vacation, your first Seder, and all of the little things that make up your day, it’s been busy! But Mommy and I couldn’t be happier, and we feel so fortunate to have such a happy and relaxed daughter in our lives. Whether we’re visiting with a friend or eating in a restaurant or simply sitting in our living room, you are almost always smiling, kicking, babbling, and staring at the world around you. And we love nothing more than to watch you do so.

  

Month Two

Another month has passed, little one, and much has happened since the first month update.

For a start, you are changing every day. During your two month checkup, we learned that you weigh more than twelve pounds now, and you’re in the 50^th percentile in height and the 75^th percentile in weight. Good news for a growing baby girl. And as a result, you’ve already begun to grow out of some of your 0-3 month outfits.

Thankfully Mommy has not become overly emotional over this change. One of our friends told us that she cried when her daughter went up a size in diapers, so I was a little worried for a while. But Mommy proved to be much more practical than our friend.

You’ve also begun smiling with purpose this month, and I think this has been the change that Mommy and I have enjoyed the most. Rather than the random, accidental smile following a burp or a poop, you are now grinning from ear to ear for genuine reasons. Mommy sings The Itsy Bitsy Spider to you, and whenever the rain come down, you smile. I dance and sing to you in the living room and you smile with a wide, open mouth. You also love to kick your legs and will often grin whenever Mommy or I grab your tiny feet and start kicking your legs for you. A diaper change, a bounce on Daddy’s knee, and your Mommy’s declaration of your beauty all engender smiles as well.

It’s our favorite part of the day.

You’ve also learned to blow spit bubbles this month and can often be seen both blowing bubbles and smiling simultaneously. To be honest, we’re not big fans of the spit bubbles, but I guess it could be worse.

The good news is that you’re sleeping through the night, little one, and this pleases us a great deal. You earned $24 this month for your excellent sleeping habits, and for nearly a week now, you’ve been sleeping for at least five hours at a stretch and many times six. There are many, many jealous parents in the world because of you, Clara, and we make sure to let them know how lucky we are at every opportunity.

You have also begun snuggling in bed with Mommy after the 6 AM feeding, and sometime the two of you will sleep until 9 AM together in the coziness of our bed. You can’t imagine how beautiful you and Mommy are in bed together like that, and even I have had the pleasure of some of this snuggling on the weekends. I must admit that the sight of the two of you, cuddling and snoozing in bed as I leave for work each morning, is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching.

While I still adore my job and my students, little one, I wish for nothing more than spending every day at home with you. This past month has been quite difficult on Daddy.

You also experienced your first illness this month, a virus and ear infection that stuffed up your nose, put you on antibiotics for the first time, and sent us to the hospital. It was a miserable three weeks of saline shots up the nose (Daddy got quite good at this), suction, and constant sniffling, but as the month ended, you were happy and healthy once again.

You’re also taking a much greater interest in the world around you. Lights remain your greatest fixation, whether it is the night light in our room, the glow of the computer screen, or the string of lights above the kitchen table. But you’ve also taken to staring at us much more, following our movements around the room, and even noting the presence of Kaleigh and Owen with a modicum of interest. You also continue to take great pleasure in pulling Mommy’s hair and necklaces and grabbing my fingers and lips.

You still adore being held, especially by Mommy, and it is often difficult to put you down in your bassinet for a nap, as you will almost immediately begin crying. Daddy has developed some highly effective strategies to get you to sleep, and as you approached your second month of life, you finally fell in love with your swing. Mommy has also been placing you in your crib from time to time for naps, getting you ready for your transition to your own bedroom in a month or two.

You spent a great deal of time outside the house this month, too, mostly visiting friends and spending time at the mall with Mommy, walking around, shopping for a dress for Mommy (we have a bunch of parties coming up, include Aunt Emily’s wedding) and nursing in the Nordstrom's ladies' room. Mommy has met a bunch of women nursing in this apparently palatial atmosphere, and this week she had a bunch of these ladies over for brunch with their babies. Next month the Nordstrom's Ladies Bathroom Brigade plans another get-together at the home of another member, a friend of ours named Emily. It should be fun.

You’ve also proven to love car rides, though twice you have literally lost your mind in the car, wigging out completely while we are driving. You did this once for me and once for Mommy, and both times you were inconsolable. When you can speak, you’ll have to explain the reasons. But other than the rare fit of screaming, car rides have been a joy for you.

Just for the record, Mommy and I sit in the front seat with you in the back. This is the way it’s supposed to be done.

We’re looking forward to watching you grow during your third month, little one, anxious to see how your personality continues to reveal itself to us. And though I didn’t think it would be possible to love you any more than we already do, our love for you grows daily.

 

Addendum

A couple things that I should add to your month one summary, little one:

You earned a grand total of $14 last month out of a possible $18 for your excellent sleeping (we started the cash for sleep program in the middle of the month). And you began March off with a lovely six hour stretch of sleep that Mommy and I adored.

Also, it should be noted that you are currently a huge fan of the diaper change. While I don’t have any experience changing diapers except for you, and I don’t know how other children react to this process, you adore the changing table, the feel of fresh air on your touché, and the relief of ridding yourself of a wet diaper. In fact, in those rare times when you are inconsolable, a quick diaper change, even if it is not needed, will often calm you down and open the door to getting you to sleep.

Of course, this does not mean that a prolonged stay in diapers is necessary, little one. I’d very much like you to be ahead of the curve on this one.

Month One

You’re month old today, little one. Even though you have yet to speak, we have learned so much about you in the last thirty days, and a great deal about ourselves as well.

The first thing we learned was that you look like your daddy. From the moment you emerged onto the scene and was placed into my arms, screaming your lungs out (telling us your story, in the words of one nurse), everyone has said that you look very much like me. I don’t see the resemblance as much as the rest of the world, and I’m not sure how long it might last, but when you furrow your eyebrows and offer up a stern look, I can see what people are talking about.

Right from the start, you have been a great eater and sleeper, putting many other babies to shame. Granted, Mommy and Daddy have utilized every strategy possible in order to keep you asleep as long as possible (save the Benadryl that your grandparents used to give Mommy when she was a child), but you are also an easy-going baby who rarely cries when put into your cradle. And whether it’s the bottle or the breast, you have been eating well from day one.

You make the cutest faces that Mommy and I have ever seen. The way you purse your lips into an O and coo for us is priceless, and the soft, rhythmic sighs to which I often fall asleep as Mommy is feeding you in bed will be sorely missed someday. Mommy and I can spend hours just staring at you, waiting for the next look of amusement or surprise or even anger to emerge on your face. Every day you show us something new, and our hearts burst with love each time.

You love your pacifier but must be convinced of this each time we place it in your mouth. At least ten seconds of coaxing is required before you begin sucking, but then you’re as happy as a clam.

You love to be rocked, little one. Whether Mommy is rocking you in her arms after a late night feeding or I am rocking you while inside your bassinet or bouncy seat, a strong, rhythmic rock will put you to sleep almost every time. And when you begin to stir early in the morning, switching on the self-rocking cradle will often buy Mommy and me at least another thirty minutes of sleep.

You don’t complain too much about baths but cannot stand it when you pee on yourself. Nothing upsets you more than peeing all over your changing table before we can get a fresh diaper on you.

Mommy and I are not huge fans of this, either.

You love to use your hands to grab onto things and pull. For Mommy, this means that her necklaces are always in jeopardy when you are in her arms. For me, it’s often my lips, my nose and my chest hair.

Nothing makes you happier than sleeping with your mommy in the glider. Nothing makes Daddy happier than watching the two of you asleep in that chair, your little arms clinging to your mother’s chest.

You have found and sucked on your thumb twice so far. You were extremely pleased both times, but both instances were short lived. You are simply not coordinated enough at this point.

These past couple weeks, you’ve become much more alert and aware of your surroundings. You’re more likely to maintain eye contact with Mommy and me, and when we move around a room, we can see your eyes following our movement. You also like being able to see us whenever possible, so rocking you in your bassinet now involves me looking in at you at all times, which frankly has been hampering my writing, little one. Your most alert time of the day is after your first early morning feeding, but you also are very alert in the middle of the night, after Mommy has swaddled you for bed. Mommy calls this your party time. You’re like a little jelly bean, an inch worm with eyes big and wide.

Your fussiest time of the day is typically between 8-11PM. You and I are often together during these difficult stretches while Mommy naps. I have developed many strategies to combat your refusal to sleep and have reached the point where you’re relatively well behaved at this time. There was one night, however, when you cried for almost two hours before I finally handed you off to Mommy, when I thought I might lose my mind.

Mommy and I have also learned a lot about ourselves in this past month.

For Mommy, she has learned that giving birth is hard. In addition to the recovery involved with a cesarean section, four hours of pushing and breast feeding, she has developed bone spurs on both feet that make walking very painful. But just tonight, she told me that she always remembers something I told her early on:

No matter what kind of pain you may be in, it all goes away when Clara is in your arms.

Mommy says I was right, and this extends to the middle-of-the-night feedings as well. As tired was she may be, she’s always excited to see you, even if it’s 3:00 AM.

Mommy has also become aware of time like never before. Though she’s looking forward to knowing the person who you will become, she is also keenly aware of how much you change each day and how brief this time in your life will be. She’s desperately trying to cherish every minute, knowing full well that you’ll be crawling and talking and off to college before we know it.

For me, parenting has been easier than I could have ever imagined. Before you were born, I had never held a baby, but almost instantly, I found myself able to walk around the house, cooking food, folding clothes, and doing other chores with you perched in my arm. It’s like I’d been holding you my entire life, and I am dreading the day when you will be too big for me to carry anymore.

I’ve also discovered how difficult it is to leave for work every day. Though I love my job immensely and cannot imagine giving up my teaching position, I also know in my heart that I could be perfectly happy staying at home every day, taking care of you. It makes the process of leaving you each morning my least favorite time of the day. My heart breaks a little each time I set foot out of the house, knowing that you will grow and change a little more while I am gone. I’m still surprised at how much I wish I could be home with you.

It’s also been interesting to watch the differences between Mommy and me in terms of parenting. I think that we balance one another fairly well. I am better able to tolerate your fussy behavior and occasional bouts of crying, but I’m also more likely to drop apple pie into your ear, macaroni and cheese down your shirt and ignore an inflamed rash on your cheek. Mommy is more likely to notice every little bump on you and ensure that you are bathed regularly, but she is also more prone to nervousness and concern over small and insignificant issues.

See? Balance.

Our parenting style can be summed up best like this:

You’re more likely to be cold with Daddy and overheated with Mommy. Daddy assumes that if you’re cold, you’ll cry. Mommy plays it safe because she never wants you to cry.

It’s hard to believe that a whole month has gone by, little one. Truthfully, you have brought us nothing but joy, and I think I speak for Mommy when I say that there is more happiness in our lives now than ever before.

Don’t grow up too fast, little one. We love you just the way you are.