Soccer Dad

One month

It's funny how babies insinuate themselves into our lives.

She's only been here one month and now everything we do revolves around her. Right now our lives are devoted to keeping her from crying. (That's her parents and five siblings.)

As I reflect on her, I realize that given that she's #6 and that I'm nearly 46, the chances that she will have a younger sibling are somewhat remote. So I wanted to pay special attention to her first weeks to remember these times. I really don't remember the newborn stages of her siblings much. How does a baby change (not get changed, that's something I know) and develop at the earliest stage of her life?

When she was born she was quite scrawny. She seemed (and probably was) incapable of any voluntary motion. (She might have moved her limbs, but there was no indication that she was trying to accomplish anything or had any intent to move a specific one.)

In the past two weeks, I've noticed a few changes. One is that she has developed the ability to hold her neck for a short time. She also can now focus on someone with her eyes. And some of her movements are deliberate. Though I haven't seen it she's smiled a few times too. She's eating well so she's filling out. The newborn diapers that used to be too big on her now verge on being too small.

But, for me, the best part is having her fall asleep in my arms. She's still small enough to fit in the crook of my arm. And whether she's there or on my chest there is nothing quite like the feeling of a baby falling asleep as you hold her. That is not an experience that I had a lot with her siblings. (And she also falls asleep more easily than they did. I remember spending a lot more time walking around with the older children than with her. She sometimes even falls asleep when I'm sitting and holding her.)

What can I say? This is a very exciting time. Each day she becomes just a little less helpless. Sometimes she tries (or seems to try) to push the pacifier back into her mouth.