It’s probably unfair, or perhaps even untrue, to say that recently there have been a lot of changes. I mean, everyday since she was born there has been this or that little bit of progress. Lately it seems she has been taking more of her “leaps” in development. They’re impossible to enumerate since most of them seem subtle and perhaps only apparent to one who is with her everyday and I’m sure many of them have been documented here in one form or another. But let’s see if we can’t elaborate on some of the things we’re seeing.
There’s this crawling thing. She’s not actually crawling yet, and I have a sneaky suspicion that she will not enter that “phase” fully. Like rolling over, or just being on her belly, this is her bane. She tries and tries with infinitely more patience than before, but ultimately fails. Instead she is finding pleasure being on her feet. Still with considerable support she is taking steps and already seems to have the basics of navigation down. She can stand for a bit, supporting herself on furniture and she is closer than I’m ready for to pulling herself up on said furniture.
Eating is something else she finds pleasure in, though lately sitting down at the table has been something of a sensitive occasion. This is due to her being sick. Though the worst of it is over, she still has a cold and if she happens to sneeze at the table, that is the end of it. No amount of coaxing can get her back on track. She prefers our food to hers, and knows when it’s from her plate or ours we try to feed her from. She likes just about any kind of bread, loves yogurt and enjoys feeding the dogs scrambled eggs after she’s had her fill of them. Of our food, our “big people” food, the only thing she regularly makes a face at is refried beans. Rice, vegetables, pastas and meats she likes. I don’t know how developed her palette is, but spiced foods do not seem to bug her.
Everyday her hands are gaining in dexterity and she is slowing figuring out just how amazing these things are. Always she is looking to pick things up. Lately she has found my face to be a place of wonder. She’ll take my ears, pull on them – stretch them out and look inside. Don’t close your eyes when she’s close, she’ll pry them open and try to see what you’re hiding. Lips, teeth and tongue; Nothing is safe. The nose, that ultimate handle of the face. Oh she plans to pay me back double for all the wiping and squeezing I’ve done. All this is well and good, an important part of self discovery, and I am more than happy to oblige. What one usually fails to consider, including myself for my memory for pain is quite short, is that despite their length, these tiny little fingernails are quite sharp and surprisingly rigid. Oh nothing keeps you awake quite like a thumbnail in the nostril. Naturally you wince, but that brings about the prying of the eye lids which she is very good at.
Also we’ve almost got her clapping. She clasps her hands and shakes them up and down.
She babbles like mad. “Mama” is always on the tip of her tongue, especially when she’s upset. And it’s not, “Mamamama”, it’s, “Mama”, a break and then, “Mama” again. She knows who this refers to since she rarely makes the sound when it’s just her and I. With me the general sounds are a high pitched squeal which she makes, I mock and she makes again, and a, “Blah, ba ba, blah, la la.”, which roughly translates to, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” Inflection and volume change based on how long I let her try to get herself up after the point of frustration.
It seems my shallow well of recollection has dried up for now. There is more and I will try to make note of anything I missed as the week finishes up.