Today you've been in the wild world for two months. I will reiterate my paradoxical sense that time is moving simultaneously very quickly and very slowly. I think the "time flying by" sensation stems from how much you're growing and changing even from day to day -- there has just been so much "stuff" packed into the last 9 weeks, and historically that much stuff in my recent memory would indicate the passage of a period of time longer than that. And then at the same time, you are my most valuable teacher of now-ness, which has dilated my sense of time into minutes that feel like oceans. Thank you for both of those things.
You had a wonder week when we returned home from Kansas, and now you are so awake and alive and person-y. It's like you woke up Pinocchio-style and decided not to be a newborn anymore -- "I'm a real boy!".
In the right mood (which is dry, fed and awake), you now lavish smiles upon anyone who glances in your direction.
(That's a funny angle for you that makes you look like Jabba the Hutt)
I finally figured out how to get the bare minimum of work done last week. Since you need to be basically overlaid upon someone to stay asleep (propping you up with pillows doesn't work, you're no rube), it can be tricky to type and use a mouse, which is what I need to do so I can bring home the bacon I use to make your precious milk. But I figured out how to nurse you to sleep while you're propped on my legs in juuuuuuust the right position that you won't slip off, and I can actually get more than 5 minutes of bimanual work done with you nestle-wedged into my lap.
Your chubby little hands tremble right as you're waking up. You arch your back and pout and wiggle your loose fists, and you look like a tiny badass revving a tiny dream motorcycle.
You're already exploring your independence -- right in the middle of being awake, you sometimes need to be on your back alone for a few minutes. Not too soon after waking up, then you like to nurse and play. And not too close to falling back asleep, then you need to be swayed and rocked and bounced and nurse some more. But right in that sweet spot when the playing is done and you're still enjoying your consciousness, sometimes you'll fret and fuss and writhe, and the first few times you did this I couldn't figure out what in the world could be wrong, Then Daddy noticed that you stopped protesting when he laid you down on the dry sink to check your diaper, then started again when he picked you up, then stopped immediately when you were laid down again. So we got the message, and now once or twice a day you lie on your back in the cradle and gaze intensely at the ceiling and your own hands for about 10 minutes before you cry to be picked up again.
You tolerate the bouncy seat, but I don't think it's true love.
You do definitely still love your Moby, although it's been a little too hot for it recently. Last night was nice and cool, though, so we brought it back to your great delight and sleepiness.
You love to be outside. When you're overwhelmed and life is too much and nothing is good and everything is bad, we can step into the backyard and you feel completely better. Luckily this is true for me too, so we make a good pair.
One of your favorite play-time activities is for me to grasp you around the ribs and support you under the arms so you can stand up and look around. Your legs are STRONG -- I can't even get you to bend them to pedal the gas out most of the time -- so you're a natural at this. Your favorite things to look at are the ceiling (the rafters and fans make cool shadows), the high-contrast black picture frames with white mat boards we have everywhere, tree branches, and faces.
You're definitely out of newborn clothes now, and your 3-6 month clothes fit like you're a little ahead of the curve.
Indeed you were 11 pounds and 4 ounces last time I weighed you, and that was around this time last week. Who knows where you'll be on Friday for your 2-month checkup.
I love you Mr. Moss, I'm glad you came to stay.
~~~
Vital stats: 11 lbs 4 oz, 21 inches long, 16.5 inch head. Awake ~8 hours between 9am and 9pm. Awake ~4 hours between 9pm and 9am.
Stuff you can do that's new: laugh, coo, smile, hold head up without help, enjoy diaper changes, swipe at toys with grasping-shaped hand, keep all the milk down after some meals
Likes: nursing, car rides (as long as the car is moving, woe be unto stop lights and traffic), Radiohead, the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar toy from Mimi T, eye contact, naked time, belly tickles, Daddy's beard
Dislikes: the hours of 4 to 7pm, mean tummy air bubbles, sleeping with less than 50% of his body touching someone, getting his neck folds cleaned
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