zondag 28 februari 2010

At the gym


It's imperative for you to learn by play. Today we put your babygym in your playpen. It's a wooden gym we got from a co-worker of your dad, who's boys have outgrown it. First you looked at it, then daddy pushed some of the toys. Your arms and legs started crawling with excitement and there you went ... waving your arms towards the hanging toys. You went into raptures over this amazing plaything, making exuberant noises. So much to look forward to during your development in the coming months and years!

dinsdag 23 februari 2010

Promise you won't laugh ...

What's the connection between these two?


Okay, I'll share this embarrassing story. The other night I finally fell asleep, which is a luxury being a mum of a newborn. And when I sleep these days, I sleep DEEP. Which means I dream very intense. Well, here is what I dreamt the other day.
Me and my sis were at a Bruce Springsteen gig. Not a big concert, but just for a small party. As we had visited a Springsteen concert before, we assumed Bruce already knew us, so we stood in front, face to face with the band. Of course Bruce would recognize us, as if we were old friends. Then Bruce started to dance to the music with one of the girls. It only lasted shortly, then he reached his hand to me, to invite me to dance with him. I floated towards him and got ready to be swayed in his arms. "O my God'," I kept saying. Then I felt a rough pat on my shoulder. And again. My husband attempted to wake me up, because, yes: the baby woke up to be fed! I had to regain myself, slightly confused and dissapointed. Why? Why at that specific moment? I had a dream. I was dancing with Bruce Springsteen. In my little boy's bedroom I reminiscined the dream, looking at my babyboy drinking warm milk in the still of the broken night.

vrijdag 19 februari 2010

Seven weeks

you are in this world.

I could never have imagined to have so much joy by just looking at you. Sure, it's tiring at times, but overall I get overcome by love, just being with you. And it just gets better, 'cause nowadays you smile, starting with a smirk and a twinkle in your eyes, and transforming into a radiant sunburst.

And, for the record, here's some new developments:
* you look at both hands individually, and move them past your eyes, open, closed, fingers stretched, it keeps you amazed
* you drink more formula each time, starting to stretch the hours between feeds
* you hardly moan anymore when we change you, or when we dry you, rub your body with bodylotion, and dress you after a bath
* you respond immediately when you see someone new (or 'old', like us:-), by looking interested
* your tiny body isn't so tiny anymore; you're a yummy chubby baby
* you can hold your head straight all the time now, as your neck gets stronger and stronger
* you are so much more aware of everything that happens
* you love it when I read to you, making little noises to the melody of my voice
* when you don't have bowel spasms, you are the happiest little chap in the world
* you looooove to sleep against my chest, with your face squeezed against my neck (which by the way is the best feeling ever for your mummy!)

zondag 14 februari 2010

zaterdag 13 februari 2010

Look at the hand


We've reached a new fase in your sensori-motor development; you found out that your hands are moveable bodyparts, that you can control. So you move your hand towards your face and then move it away while following it with your eyes. To you it's a major discovery, to have your own limbs as toys! The picture above shows you watching your right-hand move at your own command.

Everything seems to change fast now. Today you no longer sleep under a blanket, but in a sleepingbag. We decided to do so because of the numerous times we came to your bed and found you on top of the blanket, or even at the head of the bed.

dinsdag 9 februari 2010

Casestudy


Every day you grow and learn. If I were to make an essay on child-development, you would be a usefull subject. Five weeks (and some) old, you gave us your first big smiles (not the random ones you did as a tiny tiny baby). And you start making these sweet babynoises, that we call 'talking'. They sound like: "Aah" and "Eeh", some short, some stretched. I talk back to you in the same tone of voice, so you repeat these tones that sound like music to my ears.