A New Year and A New Tooth

Dear Catalina,

You're New Year's Tooth now has a neighbor! As your mother said, this doesn't seem to be bothering you much. You're pretty into feeling them... with both your fingers and tongue (<--- funny to watch). And you learned how to use a straw last Sunday.

There is something shocking about you learning stuff; it's not like the rest of us. You seem to do it once and then it becomes second nature. The straw really illustrated that whole idea for me. Last week you were checking to see if your finger fit in the hole. I put water in the cup Saturday night and on Sunday morning -- click! -- you were drinking from the straw like that's what everybody does.

The other thing that is weird about this is that you went through a day and night of 101+ degree fever on December 23. All of the books that we have (and believe me... we have many + the internet) say that we needn't worry until you hit 103. So we stopped freaking out around 6 pm. But that's not what I want to be talking about. There was a distinct difference in your personality after that day. I got to see a little of it before you went to Indy with you Mom. But now that you've been back for a week... it's like your a different child.

Here's an example: We were walking around in the office (you holding my fingers) while your Mom worked today. At one point you stopped and yelled at the bookcase. To this, your Mother replied, "Books." You promptly repeated her, "abooksh." And that's not the only word that you have been aping. Light, On, Off, Mama (of course), Bat, Out, and a few others. And you now understand many more than that.

Or this example: Before you would point at something across the room (there are two statues of Buddha that you like) and your Mom or I would take you over there. But by the time we got across the room you wouldn't be going for one specific thing. You would just grab for the nearest thing. This made life easier for us (we could pick what you got) and it showed your little explorer side. But after the fever you developed an interest in very specific things. You don't point very well so the process of handing you stuff that you can have is longer. But the point is that if we hand you what you don't want you ignore it (and/or drop it) then point again. Usually there is something very particular that you want to hold/taste. And that's new.

Our only concern in your development is you absolute distaste for crawling. I assume that you will one day learn to crawl, which partially emolliates my concern. But the scuttlebutt says that crawling encourages bilateral communication in the brain. I'm not sure that this is something that everyone should have in spades but I want you to have the best preparation for life that I can give. I suppose that only time will tell now... and for the record, I didn't crawl, your Aunt Marianne didn't crawl, your cousins Lucas and Kailee didn't crawl much... you get the picture. It's fairly common for first born children.

But beside all that there is something else that really sets you apart from other 10 month old babies. You are fantastically affectionate. Not just a little... you Mom and I get hugs and kisses!! And when you get scared you cling like a little chimp (you are Simeon after all....) Your smile is what really makes you beautiful, though. You do everything from the corner-of-the-mouth twitch to the full on belly laugh (which only your Mom can bring out). And that makes you so adorable. You get compliments wherever we go. Literally everywhere. And since you learned to wave (about two months ago) your fans have really been excited.

There is a downside to being so attention-oriented. It has taken me more that 2 hours to write this post in part due to the frequent visits that are required to let you sleep at night. On a rare night you will sleep for 2 hours at a stretch, but it is far more common that you need some snuggling about every 30 minutes or so. I would prefer that you only needed a brief touch on the hand or head as this saves us from bending over your crib but I don't mind the lay-down-and-hold-me type snuggle that you need. One day this WILL change.

ANYWAYS.... Here are some highlights since I wrote to you last. Enjoy. You can tell that I did!




I saw these floating in the air and thought you might like them. Can't see 'em in the video but you saw 'em when I shot the video.








Tee hee! One of my goals in these letters is to show you that your Mom and I are just people. We're learning how to be parents as you grow. It's tricky stuff for us too... especially since we each have 37 years of practice being something other than parenting. We're doing the best we can, kiddo, and I think this is fun!

Until next time, I love you lots and lots and lots, my little pea pod!