Today is your third month and 13th week anniversary of being on the outside! Things have gotten easier for me and your daddy-we sort of know what's up with you and what your different cries (screams) mean. Really, it's a choice of three things: 1) I'm sleepy 2) I'm hungry 3) Screw everyone else, I want my mama! I've been teaching for three weeks now, which means I'm out of the house not on your schedule for 2 to 3 hours. Yesterday you hung out with Grammy for three hours while I taught two classes and you were really pretty good. You played with her, bestowing some laughs here and there, and slept for her, but you gave her plenty of choice 3 screams, too. We'll work on this. But truly it is getting better. Even Daddy this morning, after hanging out with you while I taught class, said that he noticed you're happier with other people (and him!).
I mentioned last time that you love television. Oh, Pea, if only it were that. You do love pretty much any time the TV is on, but if the Rangers are playing? Forget it. You know Sam Rosen, the announcer, by voice and will not do anything else while the Rangers are on. The last night the played, I was trying to feed you and you refused to latch on, turning your head instead to the television. After several tries to get you to eat, we finally muted the TV and you happily nursed. Seriously. Then, after mealtime, we turned the sound back on and you happily watched the game with Daddy. Philosophically, this goes against every grain of what I had intended as a parent. I mean, TV?? I didn't even have a TV until I moved in with your daddy! But, man, is it cute to watch the two of you watching hockey together.
You new favorite game is to be on your back and for me to pull you either to a sit or a stand. My intention when playing this game was to pull you up to a seated position, but you will push yourself up to standing if you want. You like to stand, grasping my pointer fingers with your whole hands, your head steady for a bit, wobbly for a bit. And speaking of your hands, they are one of the most delicious things to you. You will sometimes muscle out my nipple to put your fingers in your mouth. Every time you do this, you look up at me with a special teasing smile on your face. You have quite a sense of humor already and love to play with us. You still have your other favorite things, too: getting dressed, especially if something is going over your head; Head Shoulders Knees and Toes; blowing raspberries. You LOVE your mobile (I call it "your hearts" because all of the dangles are heart shaped)-it's above your changing table so you really don't mind having your diaper changed.
Lately your sleep schedule has changed a little bit and about 9 hours after you went to sleep for the night, Daddy and I are treated to what he has dubbed "The Rachel Maddow Pea Hour" or "Talking with the Pea." You wake up happy, usually around 6am, and just chatter for an hour. You make sure that you're talking to both of us, making eye contact and sometimes using your arms and legs to emphasize points. I guess the books call this cooing, but there are a lot of other sounds besides the gentle "ooohs." You like to say GA! and DA! and AAAAAAH! I swear one time you said OK and you've said Dada at least twice, but not really referring to anyone, so Daddy didn't count it. You are also a fan of the EEEEEEE sound, with Gs and Ds and Bs around it. Sometimes your voice is soft and sweet and sometimes you get excited and will sort of yell, but it's a happy sound and you really do sound like you're debating politics (hence "The Rachel Maddow Pea Hour"). After saying your piece, you nurse yourself back to sleep for another few hours.
Sweet Pea, I know there is already so much that I haven't captured or realized; time just flies by. Someone once told me that, in parenthood, the days are long but the years are short. Kiddo, the days are short, too! (Maybe they meant the nights are long). You grow and thrive and become your own person more and more every moment it seems. It is a great privilege to bear witness. I am so madly in love with you.
No comments:
Post a Comment