A baby's hour

For the first time, I am alone with my baby. Better put, I am together with my baby apart for the few minutes during the hospital stay when Papa was away hunting food for the ever hungry Mama.
Having just had some pumped milk, she lay in her play gym but had the 'I am alone. Tiramisu' look. When I picked her up, she wanted power snack. An hour now. At first she co-read Apron Anxiety with me for twenty minutes or so leaning against me in a sofa with my left hand for her head support.
Then I looked to play activities for help. Its hard to do the 'open, close them' with fingers as the baby likes to keep them closed but enjoys clapping or should I call it half-clapping.  I couldnt find the puppets.
We then did some exercise together, kissing baby with push ups, squats with the baby. Her favourite is lifted up and down on my knees for an exercise beat.
I tried to engage in some colors and forms. 40 min into our 'our time' it seemed like nap is a great idea. I aided the baby with pats on the back. From my view, I thought the baby was awake looking at a flashing light. Few minutes later, I found the baby asleep.
And we forgot to count the minesweeping of diaper activities.

Tradition

Rudram chanted for a baby.

Time warp for a new mom

My library card asked me to meet at the desk.

‘Your card is due for renewal’. I know my card isn’t due for renewal until May. Then why is she flagging it 2 months early.

I look at the calendar and think today is Tuesday. May 15. later I realize that it cant e Tuesday as m husband went for his Tuesday talk time class yesterday evening. Today is Wednesday.

As a mommy I am losing track of time.

Baby in the bassinet

During flu season kids are not allowed to visit newborns.
Today when I went to visit a newborn, I was scared of holding the tiny baby. I thought once a mother, pro for ever, not so.
When we bend to look if the baby is feeding well, the back aches. Traditionally mothers are advised not to look at their child, so that they may not pass the evil eye. But that in reality prevents their back ache.

What are your goals for your child?

In no cheating no dying , author Elizabeth Weil says that 'in psychoanalytic thought, the template for monogamy is forged in infancy, a baby with its mother'.
she also says that a good enough mother's goal is to equip a child with means for independent life and not glitch fre happiness.

Culture and baby growth

I was reading that the milestone for a baby after rolling over is clapping. I recall how our elders teach kids to clap with the chant of jejeje.. referring to God.. hailing him. Anklets with bells are worn by babies so they can be motivated to move their legs to listen to their own rattle that they dont even have to hold from falling.

When the baby rolled over, a colleague from Tamilnadu asked if I offered coconut to God.

Journaling grandson's first year

In Some assembly required, when Anne Lamott talks of wet to dry .. and other needs fulfilled, it almost seems like there are two states in each aspect of a baby.
Heir and a spare
Sunshine biscuit tin

Parenting against the norm

Beyond the sling by Mayim bialik
A review
other benefits of breast milk - pg 71-72
Elimination communication from six months.

Mixed milk

A reference to Putana story in Against mixology. Krishna when fed poisoned milk by Putana, managed to just have the good milk.I read this story long time ago but forgot all about it. Its believed that a swan can seperate milk from water.

Invisible accidents

On a visit to the doctor about my runny nose, he realised that there was an eraser up the nose. Nose are not the only 'storage bins' for kids. One of my relatives shoved an eraser in her ear.

Roll over

How does an infant know that he/she is ready to roll over?
Life span human development on pg 145 lists some interesting concepts Cephalocaudal trend and Orthogenesis   
principle at play in a child's manner of growth.
When I see my baby bawl over her 3/4 turn, I feel a momentous thing happening, just like the cries the mother emits when the baby is Stuck in the Middle.

Her cheek turns pink
with the weight of
the body ready to
roll over but
the head resistant