Face Planting and Book Reading

Six months has officially come and gone.  Six-month-old Anika is sitting up on her own, eating mashed up real food (namely, bananas and sweet potatoes), getting more tempermental about her sleeping, and she's giggling, grunting, and panting in what may be the strangest noise to ever escape an infant's mouth. The most frightful change over the last couple of weeks, however, was Anika's decision to start rolling over so she could sleep on her stomach.  We're big fans of any movement at all and under most circumstances, Alicia and I would be proudly rooting Anika on (tummy sleeping should help her flat head after all).

But usually she ends up sleeping just like this, in her patented, face-plant position. 

This was terrifying the first time it happened (and resulted in incessant monitoring of the monitor and many trips upstairs to roll her over).  But we quickly learned that if we turn Anika on her back in her sleep, she'll just roll right back over onto her face.  Perhaps this sudden behavior is motivated by fear of having to wear a head-shaping helmet 23 hours a day--or the level of sweatiness that would induce?  By now, Anika's face-plant is all part of the nighttime sleeping ritual (for some reason she doesn't do this when napping in the middle of the day). We are told (and by that I mean we read on the internet) that it is nothing to worry about now that she can roll herself over and lift her head up readily.

With the exception of her face-plant sleeping position, I've decided that six-month-old Anika is far cooler than five-month-old Anika. Our days together as a family get more fun all of the time.

This is the way most mornings start now, with Anika presiding over her various toys, and with Alicia and I rapidly providing her with a new toy when she tires of the one she's playing with.  Her favorite right now is the multi-colored ring set--a noiseless, old-school classic.  (What more does a six-month old need than a bunch of rings that go around a stick.)  Anika can even take the rings off by herself. We're still working on stage two, which means Alicia and I are cleaning up after her.

After Anika tires of working on her fine motor skills, she likes to sit down for some light reading. Barnyard Dance is one of her favorites.  Who doesn't like stories about dancing and singing barnyard animals?  Why is it that all children's books are about animals? What's wrong with writing stories about people?

She's sort of even getting the hang of turning the pages herself--when there are holes in the middle, at least. For now, Anika likes touching, turning, smelling, and eating the pages as much as she likes looking at the pictures--assuming she even notices them.

It doesn't take long, and Anika tires of her board books.  She insists on more sophisticated stories read by Mom. Such titles include the Great Brain, Diary of a Fly, Frog and Toad All Year, and Dooby Dooby Moo (a follow up to another common read Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type).  Diary of a Fly is my favorite and the funniest.  Sometimes I laugh and scare Anika.

She not only easily startles at my laughing, she is easily distracted by my picture taking. 

But not for long. The story is just too enthralling. And how can Farmer Brown be so clueless? And how could the pigs fall asleep when it came time for them to do their interpretive dance!?

Dad, stop distracting me--I'm learning how to read.  (This looks like a look I'll be getting for the rest of my life.)

And every minute is precious. I've only got so long, before I get sleepy doing this reading thing.

After Anika's nap, it was off to the wading pool for some swimming time and a picnic with small group friends.  Six-month-old Anika goes swimming (five-month-old Anika did not). This is pretty much the look she had on her face the whole time she was in the pool.

She hardly cracked a smile--apparently too mesmerized by all of the kids and the noises and the fountains.  Or she was just thinking about Dooby Dooby Moo and Farmer Brown's ineptitude at keeping watch on his animals. Who can blame her?

Once we started picnicing, Anika was still recovering from all of the wading-pool commotion.

But it didn't take long and she was being goofy again. Five-month-old Anika didn't make this strange face.

Our happy, smiley baby girl.  Just love her great big smile.

Hobbit Ears and Flat Heads

When Anika was first born six months ago, after I'd gotten over the awe and wonder of her birth and my wife's awesomeness and courage, I scanned her body from head to toe. Was she healthy? Did she have birth marks? Did she have four, five, or six toes on each foot? The one thing that was obviously different was the shape of Anika's left ear. I described it right away as floppy, though that's not quite the right word. It doesn't flap in the wind, and it doesn't move when I blow on it. But the upper part is folded down and there's a small knot on the very top.

Upon my discovery, after asking our nurse if Anika's doctor could give us her opinion, I did what any modern-day parent would do (and the last thing I'd recommend). I took to Google to try to diagnose the malady myself. While our nurse assured us it was probably nothing, I quickly became a worried and nervous mess of a Dad, learning all sorts of things about ear development and serious ear problems. I also became determined to test out Anika's hearing and tried all sorts of ways to try to get her to respond to my many sounds. (When the nurses did the official hearing test a week later, my heart was racing the whole time.) Not surprisingly, less than a day after having squeezed out of the birth canal, Anika was sleepy and not terribly responsive. This made for more worry, which was met by my much-more-care-free wife's assurance that my inherited over-anxiousness was on full display.

Anika's floppy ear--day one.

As you can see, she makes it look darn cute.

While we waited for our doctor's evaluation, I calmed myself by trying to think on the bright side. Maybe Anika could get a role as an extra in the new Hobbit movies (coming this winter). They probably need a hobbit baby in a scene or two, right!?

Sadly, the shape of Anika's ear is actually the opposite of hobbit ears.

Thus, we made many attempts to pin the ear back with hats and things.

As Alicia predicted, eventually our doctor told us that Anika's unique left ear was not any of the troublesome issues I'd read about on the internet. It was simply something cosmetic resulting from extra cartilage in her ear. Today, the ear has started to normalize a bit and I hardly notice its uniqueness. Actually, I think it looks a little more curved than a normal ear, which probably allows her to catch more sound than a normal baby--maybe it'll result in a superpower of sorts. This probably explains why she startles so often and easily. Anika, of course, continues to make her beautiful left ear look like a fashion trend--ala Cindy Crawford's mole. The whole experience taught me good lessons about my own uber-anxiety and thankfulness for the blessing of Anika's health. Plus, it's given us a greater appreciation for hats of all kinds.

Great hat--full ear coverage and nice and stretchy.

Nice and warm and pink--the special care nursery's hat selection was quite impressive.

This homemade Amy-Lee special is what Anika wore home from the hospital, and it always put Anika in the mood to goof around.  Unfortunately, Anika grew out of it in just a few weeks.

Anika has hats like many women have shoes--lots of them and one for every occasion. Her bear hat was one of our favorites--and it pinned her ear back real nice too.

Bath-time hat-towel combination. Genius!

 

 

She's still growing into her first Twins hat, courtesy of Grandpa Freeman. And she's experimenting with different ways to wear it too. It is not so great in the ear-coverage category, but compensates in its sportiness.

Last but not least is the hat that I think makes Anika look like a frumpy grandma. But at least it keeps the sun out of her face!

Fast forward six month's later, and we've found that worrying about your child's health goes hand-in-hand with being a parent. Anika went in for her six-month check up this past week, and all was well. As a short and squat baby girl at the low end of the percentiles (18th for height and 27th for weight), she still has the physique of a bowling ball. There was a minor exception though. We were told that Anika would have to go see some sort of skull consultant because of the flatness of her head. Apparently, because babies' heads are only malleable for so long, you don't want to miss your window to re-shape it, if need be. The re-shaping process is accomplished with a funny-looking helmet with a doughnut in the top, which the baby has to wear 23 hours a day. (Given the perpetual sweatiness of Anika's head already, we could only imagine the result of the helmet.)

Her wild and crazy head of hair obscures the flatness of her head.

Her hair is now so disheveled in the back that she has a naturally forming dread-lock or two.

Featuring Anika's extremely disheveled hair, super-sonic sound-capturing ear, and flat head. (Her hair actually looks a bit like Frodo's in the picture above.)

Luckily, on Thursday, Anika saw the skull doctor, who told us that we could skip the helmet and prescribed lots of tummy time. (The only downside is that I won't get to paint the helmet purple and draw horns on the sides.) The doctor also prescribed sleeping for Anika on her right side--though we're skeptical this doctor has ever had an infant, because the idea that we could make Anika sleep on one side and keep her there is borderline preposterous.

So we try to do lots of tummy time, which inevitably leads to this. Life as a sixth-month old is just plain hard sometimes.

Backyard Olympics 2012

Every year, our good friends the Wilsfords (parents of the lovely Evangeline, who makes frequent guest appearances on this blog) host the Backyard Olympics in their ginormous backyard.  The festivities this year included opening ceremonies (including fireworks and Olympic torch), fierce athletic competition, crazy relays, feats of strength, and closing ceremonies involving medals, podiums, and national anthems.  Those who participate have to sign up in teams of two and represent a country of choice.  Costumes are strongly encouraged.

This year, our family represented South Korea.  Anika insisted on dressing her part, and our amazing designer-friend Amy Lee Harrington whipped up a old-school Korean outfit in her basement.  Here are photos of the results and some from our Backyard Olympic day.

Anika's Olympic uniform hanging in her locker. Can you believe this outfit was made from scratch in a matter of hours!?

Anika will be insisting on silk pajamas in no time--she really liked the feel of her dress!

Anika wondering how she's supposed to compete in this fancy outfit.

A proud mom and her little backyard Olympian.

The complete Korean backyard Olympic team in uniform at the opening ceremonies. Anika is not impressed by Dad's lackluster, homemade Korean t-shirts. The Koreans won gold in the throw-softballs-at-plates event and bronze in the crazy relay race that involved stacking of cinder blocks, pounding nails and catching raspberries in one's mouth. (Due to a scandalous judging error, however, the bronze was awarded to the Caribbean).

The gold medal for costumes went to the Ancient Romans (the Kopps), whose homemade costumes were phenomenal. Who knew Matt Kopp could sew!? (Apologies to Rachel and her flashy gold toga--this was the only good picture of the little Emperess, Josie.)

The infamous pirates of the Caribbean (aka Parker, Kaia, Amy Lee, and Pat Harrington) before the games.  The Caribbean cleaned up in the medal count this year, including the theft of the Koreans bronze in the relay event. (The Backyard Olympic Committee is currently investigating and PEDs are suspected.)

Anika putting her game face on after getting a pre-game pep talk from Dad.

Independence Day Fun

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays of the year because of what was adopted on July 4, 1776.  Everyone calls it the Declaration of Independence, but the full title at the top of the document is: "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America" (note the lowercase U in united and uppercase S in States).  I think my affinity for the Declaration started when I played Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration, in my 3rd grade play, white wig and all.  (I'm told that a video of my dramatic reading is now in the National Archives in Washington D.C.) 

One of the few wall hangings I owned before Alicia and I got married was of the Declaration.  She thinks it the epitome of my dorkiness.  I think that it secretly scored me some points. (Anika will know she's found her match someday when she finds a man who carries around a pocket Constitution and has a wall hanging of the Declaration!) Some of the language and principles in this document are timeless--"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The history told by the train of abuses is an amazing account of what the Founders were reacting to when they created our system of government. And I love to look at the signatures at the bottom--of men who were signing what could have become a death warrant had the Revolution failed. All of this romanticism to say that Alicia, Anika and I started a brand new Freeman family tradition today--the reading aloud of the Declaration of Independence.

This is Anika getting ready for Independence Day--striking a modest pose.

Checking out the Declaration up close--Alicia insisted that we read from the wall hanging so as to put it to use.

Studying the signatures of the Founding Fathers.

By this time, Anika is in awe at how long it takes to read this thing aloud, and how difficult it is for Dad to read the tiny cursive. But we read every word!  You should too (http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html).

After our first annual reading of the Declaration, Anika insisted on doing more modern American things, like swimming. 

First she had to get lathered up with sunscreen.

Next she got suited up in her designer, hand-me-down swimsuit--looking like a doll, as usual.

Then, it's into the pool for the first time.  She's a bit cautious. Where did this giant bathtub come from!?

Anika absolutely loved this watering can.  I think it's because of the mutant blonde boy with the watering can on the back of her rice cereal box.

Family picture in the pool, but Anika can't be bothered to smile on account of the watering can.

The aftermath of our Independence Day swim (thanks to Auntie Karen for her hospitality)!

First Real Food--Grey, Grainy Gruel

Anika made history today and ate her first real food.  Alicia and I have been holding off because it sure seems like the eating routine can only go downhill from here.  Soon there will be lots of messiness, the transporting of kid food, lots of chopping and cutting things up into tiny bites (only to have lots of it go to waste), and a more taxing feeding regimen altogether.  But as Anika will be six months old in about a week and the wonderfulness of exclusively breastfeeding (especially for the Dad) cannot last forever without extreme social awkwardness, we took step one this afternoon.

Anika before her big meal--she doesn't know what she's in for.

Anika studying her food and being more interested in the feel of the box than what's inside.

Here's a close-up of the box.  I find it strange.  Who are these infants who can stand up, fill baskets, and use garden tools in wheat fields?  Where exactly are their parents, and why are they half naked in the middle of the day?  On the back the blonde boy (with a full head of hair) is using a watering can! Am I supposed to think this "non-GEI," "organic," whole grain rice cereal will turn Anika into a mutant gardener of a baby?

Anika is equally confused.

First we practice with an empty spoon.  But that's something of a let down.

The first real bite is an interesting one, and most of the not-so-solid, rice-cereal mixture comes spilling out onto the floor (see note above about increased messiness).

We keep working at it and learn that Anika likes chewing on the spoon as much as her grey, grainy gruel.  Is this the stuff that Oliver Twist had to eat?

Anika ultimately decides that its easier to lick the food out of the spoon than to swallow.

All in all it was a successful first attempt at eating "real" food.  Tomorrow I'm hoping Alicia will let us try Dairy Queen. I suspect it would go much smoother. What kid doesn't like Dairy Queen?