RED LETTER DAY

[metaphortunate]

Ohhh, my mom. So helpful when I am sick! Because of course the Junebug gave everybody else his cold. Weirdly. He had a terribly runny nose and no fever. I got no runny nose but a fever that knocked me off my feet for half a day. Mr. E got general lassitude and a sore throat. And the kid was sick yesterday and then mildly snotty today and I expect he will be fine tomorrow. Me, I am not quite at 100%, but I felt about 90% most of the day and will go to bed soon.

So my mom, while I was sick and completely not coping with the baby: infinitely helpful, kind, thoughtful, etc. The moment I am back on my feet? Back to telling me, when the baby was crying, "Don't pick him up. Let him get used to lying there. They'll just let him lie there, you know."

But that is not the big news. Here is the big fucking red letter day news: today the Junebug deliberately imitated me.

I was, um, I don't know what the word is: like blowing a raspberry, but instead of sticking your tongue out you just vibrate your lips? Like a zerbert but with no substrate? Anyway, I was doing that at him, saying, "Go like this! Go BBBBBBB!" but just teasing him, as I am wont to do; when I noticed that he really did have his lips pressed together and looked like he was trying to blow bubbles with his spit only he didn't know how.

So I did a raspberry at him. "Go like this! Go THBLBTHP!"

And he stuck his tongue out.

!!!!!!!!!Communication!!!!!!

He loves the YMCA song. He loves the Itsy Bitsy Spider song. He is the sweetest kid! When he was sick and miserable on Saturday I did the YMCA song with him and he tried to smile at me even through his snorfly misery. Oh, my Junebug.

Comments

[sara]

Oh, just wait, it gets better. My son's actually getting to a point where he's making jokes at my expense.

The child is five. And his comedic timing is nearly as good as mine. (On the other hand, I am a lot better at writing the numeral "3" than he is, as he reminds me whenever I get disgruntled in this particular direction.)

[metaphortunate]

Then he's generous, too! :D

[sara]

Oh, he's often a complete smooch. Gets it from his dad, obvs.

[tam_nonlinear]

Congratulations!

Human babies will imitate tongue thrusting from a nearby human face as little as 40 minutes after birth. It's one of those things that demonstrates how much pre-programming the human brain has; afterall, the new orn has never seen a human face or its own face before, but they still imitate the movement, indicating there's already recognition and mirror neurons hard at work.

But a full blown raspberry is something most babies can't master until 5-6 months.

[kore]

Wow, that is fascinating!

[metaphortunate]

We read that before the birth, and so obviously, we tried it! We are here to report that either results may vary or the Junebug does not technically count as "human".

[loligo]

It's like there's a small, confused human being in there!

(Yay for developmental milestones!)

[metaphortunate]

So confused! But gamely trying.

[resolute]

"Oh, my Junebug."


Kids, man. They get to you. So much about the world is newly understood by me, now that I have kids.

[dancingsinging]

OMG! Closed loop communication! Yay. How very exciting.

I'm glad your mom was there when you were feeling awful. Getting sick when you're sola with a baby is the worst. Sorry about all the getting told how to parent, though. :(

[badgerbag]

I actually picture it like a little electronic circuit and the switch finally going On! I mean, I picture the diagram of it!

[metaphortunate]

Oh god sick parenting is the absolute worst. I am not going to enjoy this next year, I think. :(

[lovepeaceohana]

When he was sick and miserable on Saturday I did the YMCA song with him and he tried to smile at me even through his snorfly misery.

This, oh, this. It's so adorable and heart-wrenchingly sweet when they still try to give you the reactions you expect, even when they are miserable and sniffly.

Hooray for communication and developmental milestones! Hooray for the YMCA and inspiring cuteness!

[kate_nepveu]

Yay Junebug! I love interactivity and look forward to more of it in my future. (Today I got what I call a milk smile, the blissed-out falling asleep smile that isn't in response to you but is still SO CUTE. That makes up for eating every two hours at most. Um, sorry for blurting all over your comments. Yay, Junebug!)

[kore]

Aww man, SO CUTE.

[badgerbag]

So awesome!!!!!!

I still remember Milo's first eyebrow-raise in response to mine! Then the tongue sticking out ! then smiling! Still makes me tear up! It is very very very strange that he is so big now and it will clearly ONLY GET MORE STRANGE FOREVER.

[metaphortunate]

Yes. It must be so strange. He started out literally a part of my body and eventually he will be a whole separate adult and I just, it's so strange. Reproduction! You make a whole person! HOW IN THE WHAT