Observations of a new baby

After 12 days we’ve learned a few things about Peter.

He’s a pretty laid-back little boy. He gets fussy and can cry like any other baby, but he’s reluctant to do so. If he’s going to cry, he’ll give you plenty of warning so you can try to avert it. Usually his crying is just from hunger, so if you can get something in his belly quickly he’s going to be no problem.

Speaking of eating, when he gets hungry he can become a bottomless pit. One night last week he was up for three hours in the middle of the night. During that time he was fed (a lot) three times and had his diaper changed twice. We think he was going through a growth spurt. At least I hope that wasn’t normal. Conversely, we can also get him to sleep for 5 hours on a single feeding on occasion. What’s the trick? You got me.

He’s developing nicely. He was born with a very strong neck, and, for that matter his arms and legs were also very strong from day one, too. He started making new faces after about a week, and he can smile and frown now (but I’m sure people would say it’s just gas or whatever). Peter’s Mom says his facial expressions are identical to mine, but I haven’t noticed it. He had been keeping his legs up to his chest most of the time since he was born, but now they’ve become more naturally downward-aligned. His umbilical cord has fallen off except for a little scab on the belly button. He’s an outie for now, but we’ll see if that lasts.

He’s been out of the house several times now, and each time he’s been a little angel. He’s been around crowds of people (most of them surrounding him to see the cute little bundle of joy), and asleep or awake he’s been very at ease through it all.

For an introductory model baby he has been great. He gets his nightly energy surge around 9:00 PM (The Hour of Power), but we’ve adapted to the point where it’s not so much of a hassle as it was in the beginning. Besides, sleep is over-rated, right?

I’ll finish with a list of his likes and dislikes that I’ve observed:
Likes: warmth, being held, eating, Mommy, and using his hands.
Dislikes: hunger, having his diaper changed, gas, being dressed & undressed, and existential ennui.