This has been quite the busy week for our family. With all the coming and going we've been doing, there has been little time to update the blog. I'm glad to finally have a chance to sit down and breathe, as well as update you all on baby Edmund.
Wednesday was Edmund's first truly rough day. Unfortunately, this was also the day Edmund was to be in a research study with Steven. The study looked at interactions between fathers and babies around Edmund's age. Steven said there would be researchers to look after Edmund if I wanted to stay home, but seeing as neither one of us had ever met these people before, I decided to go. It was a good thing too, as Edmund had not quite been himself. I wouldn't want to make him more anxious by handing him over to people, who I'm quite sure had spent little time actually taking care of babies. I took care of Edmund for an hour while Steven answered a variety of questions. Eventually a researcher came and took Edmund for the "interaction" part of the study. Almost immediately I heard my baby's wails. I was quite confused as I knew Steven would be interacting with Edmund, and knew how to calm him down. After a few minutes of hearing Edmund's loud cries, I was about ready to go get him, thinking the researchers had him. Just at that moment they brought him back to me. At this point they told me Edmund was strapped in a seat while Steven attempted to interact with him. Feeling relief in knowing why my baby was crying I said, "oh, he hates any form of restraint. He won't even play in his bouncy seat at home." When Steven finally finished his part of the study he told me that he knew there would be trouble when he saw the seat. Apparently he hadn't been informed that he would have to interact with Edmund while he was restrained. Oh well, at least we made some money out of the ordeal.
Edmund woke up his cheerful self on Thursday morning, and I'm happy to report, has been that way since. He has obligingly accompanied his mom and dad on many an errand with no complaints. Now that Edmund is bigger I've been carrying him in the Baby Bjorn. He loves the closeness he feels and also relishes in the fact it means less time in the carseat. I'm definitely a fan of this particular piece of baby paraphernalia!
And now for Edmund's fascinating discovery...I noticed on Tuesday that Edmund was opening and closing his fists much more so I put a rattle in his fist. He actually grasped the rattle for more than a second. I have since put the rattle in his hand multiple times. He haphazardly swings the rattle around and finishes by either throwing it across the floor or hitting himself in the face with it. The latter abruptly ends playtime with sounds of distress. Although this is a big accomplishment Edmund did not grasp the rattle of his own accord. Last night however, Edmund brought his hand to his face and studied it intently for quite awhile. He then brought his hand closer and closer to his face, went cross-eyed, and hit himself in the nose. This action startled him, but he went back to cooing. Eventually his hand made its way in front of his face again. He steadied his hand to get a better look at it, brought it close to his face, and hit himself in the forehead with it. Edmund continued to find his hand several more times, each time ending his discovery with a hit to the face. Steven and I were glad we skipped a movie last evening, as Edmund's antics were much more entertaining than any blockbuster film.
