Seeing Smiles?

Call me crazy, but I think NatureForce might be smiling at me. I know, I know, it's probably too early to be a smile. It's probably "gas." All right then. I love to see the little involuntary smiles in the sleep though, and we've been seeing those for a few weeks now. But I'm starting to see what looks very much like a waking smile, although sometimes it can be followed a few moments later by a piercing wail. So we've either got bipolar baby on our hands, or it's probably just gas.

It's funny how you don't remember the timeframe of development the second time around. You'd think you could draw on your earlier experience as a parent and know the appropriate time for the first smile to appear, or even such things as baby acne. A couple of weeks ago I was remarking to my mother-in-law how clear NatureForce's skin was compared with LittleMum's "at that age." She gently reminded me that baby acne could still appear. Then BOOM! NatureForce develops a full-blown case of red splotchy pimpliness just this week. The beautiful baby skin is perhaps a thing of the past. I guess the lesson is to take each developmental milestone as it comes, don't get too hung up on when things are "supposed" to happen, and to enjoy each day's gifts and deal with each day's challenges.

The days are fleeting, you know. I often wonder where the day has gone when I look at the clock and realize that "LittleMum should probably be in bed by now." And NatureForce? Well, NatureForce runs her own schedule and mine. I figure it's better to live out of the laundry baskets yet another day than to stay up late after NatureForce has gone down for her nightly 3-4 hour stint. I just can't seem to get on top of the laundry nowadays; even when it's done and folded it sits in the basket for several days.

Hmmm. I think I'll try to get NatureForce to sleep and go put the laundry away...