First Smile!!!

That's right, this morning and again this evening Eliza smiled for the first time! Of course in the past month she has shown us those half-mouthed lip curls that we say are smiles but are really just animated reactions to gas. But today she showed us the real thing -- a full-faced, eyes twinkling and crinkling, cheeks squooshing up toward her eyes, wide-open-mouthed smile! Exactly on her 5-week birthday, as it turns out. This little girl is full of sunshine. We can't wait for her to show us more!

Here is a pretty washed out picture of this evening's smile -- sorry about the quality, it's the best we could do in the heat of the moment!

Growing fast!

Yesterday we had another routine visit to the pediatrician. Eliza now weighs 9 lbs., 8 oz.! She's growing at an exponential rate. If she continues to gain 20% of her body weight every 2 weeks, a year from now she'll weigh 770 pounds! We're looking into ways of preventing this.

Here are some pictures:





And here is Eliza wearing the beautiful hat that her Great Aunt Judy made for her, and the beautiful red sweater that her Great Grandma Flum made for her!

Hiccups

Grandma and Grandpa Galvin were here during this past week -- they showered Eliza with hugs and kisses. They also made Eliza feel like a movie star. She never had so many pictures taken of her! And even a couple of videos. Here is one Grandma took, called "Hiccups":



And here is Eliza with her Galvinized grandparents:

Growing Pains

Apparently, we've entered a growth spurt. Eliza's pediatrician warned us that this would come around 3 wks: she said Eliza would become increasingly fussy and unpredictably cranky in what she termed a "pre-puberty" phase. (Replete w/ a little "baby acne" to boot!) Thurs. night, Eliza was up every 45 min. or so -- she's begun "cluster-feeding" to help her grow. Very good for her development -- not so good for Mom and Dad's sanity. Every time we feel like we have a "system" in place for caring for Eliza, she changes. Without exaggeration, we're exhausted. Just trying to keep up with her at this point. They say things improve at 6 weeks?? Knock wood.

Eliza after a bath, 4/6/07:

Why is this baby different from all other babies?

...because all other babies, apparently, love the baby swing. This baby, however, does not.

On p. 54 of What to Expect: The First Year (c. 2003, 7 million copies sold), it says "Ask most parents to name the single best piece of baby equipment they purchased, and chances are they'll say the baby swing. Baby swings can be nothing short of miraculous when it comes to soothing a fussy baby."

Eliza is not a particularly fussy baby, though she does have her moments. But the swing, rather than calm a fussy Eliza, makes a calm Eliza fussy. It's hilarious -- she'll be hanging out, looking around the room, just soaking in the scenery, and then BAM -- put her in the swing, and she starts fussing. Grunting, groaning, then crying. Anything, please, anything, but the swing, Mommy and Daddy. Pick her up, sit her down, put her in her car seat of all things, put her down in the pack-n-play, swaddle her in a straitjacket, whatever -- and she's more or less satisfied. But the baby swing? No...please no...

Here are some pictures of Eliza during her third week of life:




Eliza's smile...


Eliza's first Seder:

*yes, that's her in the top-right corner in the baby swing. Hey, you can't win 'em all.