Five weeks

Dear X,

At five weeks old, you are still very much a newborn. You are a little ball of cuddliness, most of your sounds are still squeaks and grunts, and you still throw your arms open when you're the least bit startled.

Up until now, you have been a textbook baby. You eat approximately every three hours, then have an alert period during which you observe your surroundings with interest, followed by a long nap. I put you down as soon as you start yawning and closing your eyes, and you often go right to sleep with no singing, swaying, or any other intervention required. I can usually tell why you're crying, and you stop once the offending circumstance is corrected. Aside from the around-the-clock feedings, you've made the first month of my maternity leave very easy.

You are starting to show the first signs of growing up and having your own personality. You have added some human noises to your repertoire. Once in a while you even say "Goo" like a real baby! You hate being swaddled or confined in any way, including, alas, in a sling or carrier. You are fascinated by the ceiling fan. Yesterday I folded an entire load of laundry and sewed a button on Daddy's shirt while you lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling. I used to put your brother on the dining room table and hang toys from the chandelier so I could have five minutes to eat lunch, but all I have to do with you is turn the fan on and you raise your eyebrows and grunt and fling your arms around like it's the most amazing thing you've ever seen. (Actually, it probably is. On your trips out of the house, you're usually asleep.)

We're looking forward to getting to know you over the coming weeks and months. Meanwhile, we're enjoying your cuddly ball-ness. We know it won't last very long.

Love,
Mommy