Mom Remembers

Dear Soren, This is my favorite age! 8 months old and you are cuter than you ever were, smarter than you ever were, and sweeter than you ever were. If there's a good thing about babies, apply a superlative to it and that's what you are now. And, oh! I am sure it will only get better. The first month, you were pretty unresponsive to the outside world. Your father and I would discuss endlessly your apparent preferences only to find they had no actual bearing you your moods. You did whatever you were going to do no matter what we did. That meant that some glorious days you would fall asleep in my arms, a warm and tiny bundle, an open conduit for my love and devotion. Other times you were inexplicably furious and inconsolable. The second month you learned to look at us and smile. That small change made your extreme mood swings more bearable. You were very particular about what you wanted and I didn't quite know the code, yet. I didn't always get it right but you...

Soren and I went to Book Babies at the library this afternoon. We haven't been in about a month and in that time, his brain has developed so much! Soren seemed like a completely different baby t here, this week. Last time we went, he was crawling all over the floor and touching everything, especially the faces of other babies. This time he sat quietly on my lap with his attention riveted on the ladies reading stories. I think he was listening! He is beginning to understand that people are trying to communicate with him! He is fascinated by language. I could almost see the little wheels in his head turning. He was so attentive and intrigued, something I had not expected. Then we took the train downtown to have lunch with Scott. Lots of people stopped to say "hi" to Soren and he grinned at all of them. He's always liked people but I think he is beginning to grasp that there is a two-way street to interacting with people. Those noises they are making--t...

Alisha Stamper's son, Wallace, came to play yesterday. Soren and Wally enjoyed exploring each other's faces, watching me sing nursery rhymes, and listening to a book. I know this shouldn't make me proud, but Soren was very petulant every time I put Wallace on my lap. He would scoot up to me and pat my leg very purposefully, making squawking protests. He knew that was his place and who was this little usurper? Then, when Scott came home from work, we watched some of the Olympics for family home evening. Soren sat snuggly on my lap for a little bit but as our attention started to shift more towards each other, he made his presence known by squirming, kicking, and coughing. He often coughs for attention. Soren crawled off my lap (nearly falling off the couch) and settled himself on his daddy's. He wanted some of Scott's attention! He was glad that Dad was home to play. I know Soren does need to learn to share. Someday (soon, I hope) he will have a little si...

Today Soren mastered the pincher grasp! I poured a couple dozen corn pops onto his high chair tray and went into the kitchen to work on the dishes. When I came back, he was picking the corn pops up very carefully with his thumb and index finger (then shoving his whole fist into his mouth). In the past, he would just slam his flat, sticky hand down on top of a bit of cereal and hope that it would stick to his palm. Then he would mash his palm against his face and hope that the cereal would get into his mouth. It wasn't very effective. But today he got nearly all the cereal into his mouth. This is muscular development at work! I hurried to take some pictures but, alas, couldn't quite get a good angle on the delicate finger work. And what would I say to my boy today? As always, I'd say, I love you, son. And then I'd want him to tell him, you will enjoy the new freedom that will come at meals because you are learning to eat without making a mess.

the baby's bedtime he eats and then eats again screams himself to sleep the baby wakes up he has really crapped his pants time to change is now

This morning Scott was sitting at the table eating breakfast and I was putting on my shoes. Soren was crawling on the floor, trying to butt his head against on of the table legs, I imagine. Then, suddenly, he looked up and said, "Ba ba ba ba ge ge." It was the most distinct syllables in a row he has ever made. Scott broke into a huge grin and said, "Those are human noises!" Soren smiled at him and slipped back into his ever-persistent weird coughing noise. But he's definitely growing and developing! Now, he's sitting right next to me, eating corn pops. Actually, he just cleared them all away-- you clever boy --and is banging on the table for more. I love the way he can interact with me and the world! Here comes more food!