Tricksy Hobbit

Milkbreath made us think she was all grown up by sleeping for six hours
straight two nights in a row this weekend. Boy did she fool us! I think
Adam and I were up last night about eight or nine times when all was said
and done. Guess our little girl is still little.

Even though, for those interested, her doctor's appointment on Friday
found her weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce, which puts her in the 72nd
percentile for weight and being 23 1/2 inches tall, which puts her in the
90th percentile for height. It's a long little girl that we have.

The church ladies threw a baby shower for Kat, Sherri, Jenn and I and our
respective babies on Saturday. It was a lovely thing, barring the fact
that it took place much too early in the morning. However, Adam got up
with Brie the night before and let me sleep, so it wasn't that bad. Have
I mentioned what an amazingly thoughtful and considerate husband I have?
(And he's a good kisser too!)

At the shower I rethought our no-baby-holding policy. We instituted it
after twenty people held Brigid in one day at the hospital and she spazzed
out from all the attention. Since then we haven't let anyone but family
members hold her in public. But at the shower I wished I could let people
hold her, especially since a cool old lady named Billie was there, who'd
come specifically to see Brie. We were on Altar Guild together, and she's
one of the most elegant and peaceful people I've ever met. I'm hoping I
can go and visit her so that she can hold Brigid after all. Anyway, I
think, as long as we're careful, we can let more folks hold our kiddo now.
She's grown up a lot in the past two months. (I can only imagine how
quickly this policy will disappear with our second. I think of our
not-yet-existant second child often and contrive to feel sorry for him.
But then I think that he'll have an older sibling, which Brie doesn't, and
feel better. He'll get tons of entertainment Brie doesn't, I'm sure.)

Speaking of how grown-up kiddo is and isn't, my new game to play with my
daughter is "conversation". This consists of Brigid making a noise
("ah-goo!") and me repeating it back to her ("AH-goo!"). Thereupon, the
little girl grins, and essays a different noise ("cooo-aaaaa"). I repeat,
"Cooo-aaaa." She smiles again, kicking her legs and barely containing her
joy. This pattern continues until she gets tired and decides it's
binky-time.

I really like this game. I figure it's a good way to teach her that
sounds have meaning, by mirroring back what she does. She learns that
language is the sort of thing that goes back and forth, and generates
responses and attention. We did it yesterday afternoon, and she initiated
it again this morning. I know she knows what's going on, because when I
don't respond, she doesn't keep cooing. What a smart little girl is Bess!