Week 15

Dear Zayde,


Hold onto your socks, Zayde!  This was a very big week for yours truly.  This week I learned two amazing new tricks.  Are you ready for the big news?

I learned how to roll over!  Can you believe it?  I started out on my tummy, and then - lo and behold - I was somehow ON MY BACK.  I feel so powerful and in charge of my destiny.  On Sunday afternoon, my parents were playing with me in my bedroom.  Mommy rolled me onto my side, and I kicked my leg over until I rolled onto my back.  I thought that was rather fun, and my parents seemed to think it was incredibly entertaining, but things were about to get far more interesting. Mommy put me back on my stomach and showed me how to shift my weight until I rolled.  Once I realized I had to ability to make this change of perspective happen, I was ready to do it on my own.  To everyone's surprise, the next time she rolled me onto my stomach, I rolled right onto my back all by myself.  Daddy started clapping.  Then he high-fived Mommy, as though they had something to do with this fantastic display of baby fortitude.  I repeated my new skill two more times in rapid succession, and then I became drowsy and cranky.  Using all those muscles is hard work and extremely tiring.  Since that day, I haven't rolled over even once.  Mommy keeps trying to recreate the exact environment and sequence of events that led to my rolling over, but I'm holding back for now.  I don't want my parents to get too comfortable with the idea that I am the perfect baby who achieves all milestones ahead of time and without much effort.  Best to keep their expectations low so that everyone is pleasantly surprised when I do exhibit greatness.

Rolling over was my second new trick this week.  The first, the one for which Mommy has been begging me for weeks, was a lot less taxing on my little body.  On Saturday morning, Daddy plucked me from my crib for my first diaper change of the day.  Once I was happily dry and clean, he accompanied me to the living room, where we began our morning routine of inspecting the weather conditions, getting him a glass of juice, and discussing how each of us slept the previous night.  When Mommy joined us, I was reclining in Daddy's arms and facing out toward the world, which is my new favorite position.  She walked up to us, gave me a huge smile, and declared, "Good morning, my beautiful daughter!"  For some reason, I found her to be particularly wonderful and somewhat hilarious at that moment, so I decided to giggle.  That's right, Zayde, I can giggle!  I admit that my laughter is still a little awkward and sounds not unlike a cross between a miniature Vespa revving up on a cold day and a cartoon mouse being water-boarded.  It's a work in progress.  The best part of this new ability is the reaction I get from my parents, who immediately let loose with their own uproarious chortles and guffaws.  I've giggled a few times since that morning, but never when one might expect.  Gotta keep them guessing, right?

In addition to rolling over and giggling, I also learned how to become what Mommy refers to as an "active eater."  Put simply, I now kick her shoulder and punch and scratch her bosom while I'm noshing.  Maybe it's because she keeps telling me I'm such a fat baby, and I feel like I need to burn some of these milk-made calories.  Perhaps it's because I am trying to take a more assertive role in my meal times.  In any case, I'm no longer just lying there and taking it, so to speak.

Today Mommy took me to see my cousin Jessica, who is home from her second semester of nursing school.  She held me and talked with me, and I learned that college students tend to stay up late at night and like to sleep a lot during the day.  I wonder if that means I'm a college student.

Speaking of sleeping during the day, it's just about time for my post-second-lunch, pre-first-dinner nap.  I'd better start fussing and yelling so Mommy knows I'm tired.

Lots of love and giggles,
Zelda