Friday, April 13, 2001

I sang some Elvis Presley to a fussy Mia this afternoon. It helped when I got up and actually danced a few steps.

Mia has been exhibiting a crying fit during our dinner hours (5-7PM). We've alternately eaten separately, or together, with Mia rocking in a baby chair, or in one of our arms. We've learned ways of soothing her. We've also learned how to be calm in the face of all her crying.

I'm looking forward to the day that she can find her own thumb, as we're trying to see if we can avoid using a pacifier (although the few times that we've tried to give her a pacifier, she's pushed it out of her mouth).

Jenn took Mia for a stroll while I was out this afternoon. Jenn said she cried most of the way, and the parents on our street said "Keep walking!"
posted by Rick Umali 9:13 PM

Thursday, April 12, 2001

Mia's belly button is forming very nicely.
posted by Rick Umali 10:27 PM

Wednesday, April 11, 2001

We took Mia to the mall. She slept through most of the four hour adventure.

Walking around in the mall with a baby in a stroller is so much harder than without a baby. First of all, we had to use the elevator. And in the mall we visited (Burlington Mall, Burlington, MA), there was only one elevator.

Second, Jenn had to find a good bathroom 'moment' so that she could change and feed Mia. Again, no small task.

I also observed that it's very difficult for a woman with a baby in a stroller to actually purchase items, because directing the stroller with one arm, and carrying shopping bags in another makes for a very difficult walking. I was Jenn's extra arms today, and I marvelled at all the women with babies shopping alone.

Jenn and I theorized that Mia was asleep because there was too much stimulation. We paid for it later in the afternoon, with a very cranky Mia crying her eyes out. Tomorrow we'll take it easy.
posted by Rick Umali 9:58 PM

Monday, April 09, 2001

Jenn and I gave Mia her first bath today. Babies don't need to be cleaned because they're not rolling around in the dirt as much. Moreover, the umbilical cord 'stump' needs to fall off before a bath is safe for baby.

Let me say one thing about giving Mia a bath: babies are slippery! We washed her in our kitchen sink (inside a blue baby washtub), and I would hate to do this task alone. After drying her, she was a squeeky clean angel again.
posted by Rick Umali 10:24 PM

Mia's umbilical cord 'stump' fell off on Sunday (4/8). What's left is the beginnings of her belly button.

Jenn and I took Mia out for a walk on our street. It was a splendid pre-Spring day, and we think that Mia enjoyed it too.
posted by Rick Umali 4:51 PM