Man, you guys really missed us!
Sorry for the silence, it was just one of those days, actually it was just two of those days. Maddy has been suffering from a case of the fussies. Tuesday was one long scream, Wednesday was better, but only by a little. Thursday morning it seemed as if nothing at all was wrong because we had an appointment with the pediatrician. That’s how it usually works isn’t it? He thought it could be gassiness, it could be a problem with the formula, or it could be colic. He advised us to try a different (more expensive of course) formula for a couple of days, which should cure either of the first two. Colic has no cure except for time, but we don't really think that's the problem. Last night was a breeze, this morning was A-OK, then this afternoon she had another bout. So it’s been too hectic to get any blogging done.
And now for our regularly scheduled programming.
Maddy is now 6 weeks old. Over the past week her neck muscles should have gotten much stronger because of the increased use and she should be gaining more control over them. She should be shifting her head often to get a different view of what’s around her and she should actively seek out the source of familiar voices. She may be able to hold her head up for a few seconds while on her back and during ‘tummy time’ she may be able to lift her head to a 45 degree angle. Tummy time is very important at this point because it not only helps strengthen neck muscles but also arm, shoulder, and chest muscles to help her push up off the floor and roll over from front to back. Another good exercise for her now is reaching. Placing a toy near her may cause her to reach for it or at move her head to get it into her field of vision. If she doesn’t reach for it, place it in her hands and see if she’ll hold it and then maybe reach for it the next time.
She should smile on her own now (she does, and it make Momma and Daddy swoon) and they should be for social reasons. Previously her smiles were likely not on purpose but by smiling back at her then she learned to interact. You already knew all of this because you read this blog religiously so we move on.
She may become excited in anticipation of regular activity such as bath time or playtime, exhibited as cooing and kicking. The Madness is not such a fan of bath time so the jury is still out on that one. And given her moodiness this week we really can’t say either way on playtime.
She should be beginning to associate lying down with sleeping so having her ‘sit’ upright for parts of her waking hours is good for her. She is now so much more visually alert that seeing her surroundings helps stimulate brain activity and memory. Loud noises should startle and surprise her. Maddy is an excellent sleeper, always has been. Even when ‘the fuss’ is going full throttle she still gets a full night’s sleep so there is certainly something to that association.
Babies with red or blond hair are usually born with very little of it and what they had is usually gone by now. WRONG! Maddy’s a fur ball!
At this time she likely most enjoys activities or toys that involve various sounds be it white noise, music, the grandfather clock ticking and chiming, the chirping of birds, the ringing of wind chimes etc. These sounds will often induce her to ‘talk back’ and teach her another type of interaction. Maddy certainly loves her sound machine and the music and chirping birds on her swing. The grandfather clock is another favorite, but I think it’s more the sight of it than the sound.
I know what you're thinking. Where's the pictures?
We'll have some in the next post.
I promise.
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