This Week Extra Utero: 8

Sam's been around as long as that the young Bulgarian couple in Casablanca were married.  Yeah, weird reference.

Yup, caring for a newborn is an exhausting ("Hello! I'm awake again!") and dirty (um, was that a projectile poop?) job. But the rewards can be pretty, well, rewarding... and one of the best ones is probably showing up right about now: that spectacularly toothless smile! More dazzling developments at the two-month marker may include cooing, laughter, and a new penchant for playtime — plus (and this is a big one), he knows who you are! These days, when your 2-month-old baby sees your face or hears your voice, chances are he'll try to respond by turning toward you and flashing a great big gummy grin. (Hi, Mama!)

If you could peer inside your baby's downy head, you'd see a very busy brain at work. His gray matter is in the midst of a gigantic growth spurt, tackling big concepts like eye-hand coordination and object recognition. Thanks to big strides in how well he uses his senses, he's much more aware of his environment — and more sensitive to changes around him as well. This might mean he may become slightly pickier about just who can cuddle him (though true separation anxiety doesn't usually occur until he's about nine months old).

Your baby's body, too, is catching up to his busy brain by mastering a lot of new physical skills. He's probably getting better at pushing himself up during tummy time, and he can begin to bear some weight on his feet. Try standing him up on your lap and feel how he pushes down. Now that's power! And while he can't yet give a real "bye-bye" wave (that'll happen sometime around his ninth or tenth month), he can move those arms into a satisfying arc (ala John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever). You've got to admit, your baby's got some great moves!

I count this as his 8 Week Birthday and not 2 Months, which will be on the 29th.  But let's not quibble on such a momentous occasion!

Anyway, we've been bonding with Sam quite a bit as he's becoming more aware of his surroundings.  He sleeps less not only at home but in the car, where he just stares at the scenery zipping by with an enraptured look on his face.  No matter what location, he moves his head and eyes all over the place, amazed that there's so much to see in this new world of he finds himself in.

I twittered the other day something really magical for us: when Ericka was holding the boy after nursing, I'd said something and he very deliberately swiveled his head to look at me and smiled.  Devastatingly adorable.

Sam is also very good at reaching out and grabbing things.  Loves to grab his clothes.  He'll often pull my finger (heh) toward him.  He also likes to take hold of my beard.  Sadly, his target also frequently includes my chest hair.  He pulls hard.

One struggle we've had feeding Sam, both with bottle and breast, has been his penchant for shoving his fists into his mouth beforehand, thus preventing his actually getting nourishment.  The last couple nights, however, I've noticed if I hold a baba in front of him, he will after a moment remove his hand and open his mouth.  The boy's a genius and figured out simple physical laws like "two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time."

Other fun includes pushing himself off my chest during tummy time, standing and "jumping."  Sadly, increased power in his legs means Sam is now usually moving those chubby thighs so much that diapers changes are a bit more challenging.  Twitter followers and Facebook friends might see more reports of Daddy Diaper Fails going forward...

ntodd

[Update: oh yeah, forgot about all the arm movements.]