Law Students

By George

By Andrea

We had our first working-parents-with-a-sick-kid experience yesterday, when our daycare provider called to tell us Becca was sporting a 101.7 fever. Yikes. She'd slept an unusual 12 1/2 hours the night before and woken up feeling slightly warm, but seemed chipper and I thought it might just be teething side effects, since she's just gotten a second bottom tooth. Dan called the doctor and went to pick her up - we were both having slow Fridays - and I came home a couple hours later to find a napping and slightly sweaty baby with a mild runny nose who 'd had a bottle and some baby Tylenol. She soon woke up happy and much cooler, and was all better by bedtime. Fastest cold ever. And as a bonus, my miserable cold cleared up last night too.

It's days like this that I feel an enormous, balloon-like sense of gratitude and general bewilderment about how good a baby Becca is. I mean, I've babysat before and I have lots of cousins and I've never seen a baby as unflappable as she is. She barely ever cries, and when she starts whining there's a near-certain chance she's going to be zonked out on your shoulder within the next 60 seconds. We take her places and people ask if she's always that good - and the answer is yes. Dan and I would like to take credit for her behavior, but I don't think we deserve much. She's just a really weird, awesome baby from outer space or something.

Today she and I were playing on the carpet with this tower of blocks from Grandma that's topped with a star shape. So far she's played with this by knocking the whole thing over and sucking on the top two blocks, then watching me put it back together and doing it again. Today she grabbed the star off the top, sucked on it, and then reached back toward the tower to put it back. I helped her - she doesn't have the motor skills to set it in its little groove yet - and cheered wildly. I pointed at the star and she did it again - remove, suck, try to put it back. By George, I think she's got it!  One time she actually got it upside down, but balanced on top, and I applauded and whooped. Dan cheered too. She did the Becca Cheer, which involves slapping her outstretched arms against her legs. She knew!

To see your own baby learn something, knowing that she's having a new thought like This thing goes on top of that thing! I did it! - it's pretty wonderful.

Full post as published by Peanut Butter Burrito on September 06, 2008 (boomark / email).