7/26/07 - Our "Pretty Lydie" Is 4 Weeks Old

Lydia In Repose

Our Butterbean

Photo Op #1 - Lydia Stirring

Photo Op#2 - Lydia Opens Her Sleepy Peepers

Photo Op #3 - Lydia Sits For Her Portrait

Photo Op #4 - Lydia's Last Moments As Angel (Before Throwing Temper Tantrum)

Our Squishy (She's Squeezably Soft!)

Stretchy-stretchy!

Sleepy Time Grin

Lydia Sees Lydia in the Mirror

Our Baby Girl at 4 Weeks

It's moving too fast! It seems our first month with Lydia is nearly at an end, and she's already changing so much. In summary, we have learned a few things. First of all, she's a good baby. She has moments though - just like all babies - when she's not happy. Usually this is a failure on our part to follow her lead or recognize some need. She's not really trying to be difficult but rather is communicating the only way she can to tell us that we're not doing something right or that something doesn't really suit her. She lets us know this in with an elevating series of signals which should not be ignored.

DEFCON 1 - This is a particular sound she likes to make when something's not really working for her...we call it the "Aunt Niecey Noise" (Aunt Niecey employs this tactic most frequently in McDonald's drive-thrus). It sounds something like a disgusted "Uh!" and is usually coupled with an equally indignant facial expression. May also be accompanied by a very skilled hand swat akin to Pat Morita demonstrating a "Wax On!" defense tactic.

DEFCON 2 - This can only be described as the "Arch and Push" move. When she doesn't want to do something, like perhaps nurse or be burped, she gets her hands in between her face and whatever object she's being confronted with, and she pushes with her hands while simultaneously arching her back and pushing down with her legs. The body language of this particular cue has a very definitive "get the heck off of me and let me do this my way" message about it.

DEFCON 3 - This is known as the "Lydie Wiggle," wherein her arms and legs start flailing about in frustration as if to say "WHAT are you guys THINKING! Can't you see I'm trying to TELL you something!" She's either saying that or she's possibly working out some gas...we can't really be sure. This preemptive strategy is usually followed by the "Scrunchy-Faced Wail," which is the move that really gets our attention. The face turn red, the mouth opens wide, the eyes clench shut, and a full-fledged wail emerges from the depths of her gullet. There's no whining or little wimpers that tip you off. It's normally the "Lydie Wiggle/Scrunchy-Faced Wail" combo that's lets you know she is becoming an unhappy little girl.

DEFCON 4 - There's really no way to describe this. Somehow the "Scrunchy-Faced Wail" evolves into the "Billy Goat Bleat." It's a heart-wrenching sound, and it lets you know that she's very, very upset. Mostly this occurs when she has tummy troubles (or if she doesn't get her bottle in time). All you can really do is rock her and try to soothe her through it until she calms back down. Occasionally, though, we do laugh because the "Billy Goat Bleat" is so darned cute!

4 Week Stats

Weight: 9 lbs 15 oz (75% Percentile)

Length: 22 inches (80% Percentile)

Head Circumference: 37 cm (30% Percentile)