Four Week Birthday
June 8, 2007

Finley-girl is round like an apple. She has great hammy thighs and dimpled creases on her arms. She self-soothes, passes gas like a fraternity brother, can spend a good hour awake in the bassinette looking around, and when she does cry it is a quiet, but clear complaint. Finley sleeps with her arms thrown out to the sides as if to say, "Sleep, take me to sweet oblivion!" or maybe, "Touchdown!" And as she sleeps she often grunts and snuffles like a bear rooting for snacks in a camp ground. Her grunts sometimes soften down to adorably tiny bird coos. Yesterday she spent long minutes holding up her head in perfect balance and looking around the room as I held her.

Sammy-boy is long and lean and stretchy. His toes are always stretched apart, his legs nearly straight, and he likes to poke his head way out so that you can see his neck. Not many babies have necks to see. Sammy needs long cuddles and likes to be held tightly as he naps. While being held, he often opens his left eye to peek out and make sure you aren't thinking of moving any time soon. He demands personal attention for his every need and his cry is a piercing wail or a throaty yell that makes other babies, like the ones in the waiting room at the pediatrician, cry in its path. He is particularly sensitive to what Mommy eats and could take a lesson from his big sister in lifting a leg to let one fly. He has big round eyes with which he takes in the world when he is placid. And when he is not angry or sad or in a squirmy gassy fit, his movements are like water ballet, all curiously sweet and swimmy. Tonight, as he lay sleeping, he looked more like a little boy than a baby.

Coming next week: Month 2 Mommagram