Emma Jewel Newsletter Vol. 18 (5/14/2004)

Miss Emma has acquired her first nickname:  "Curly Fry"  When you are around her for 
any length of time, you see why this name came up.  She often likes to curl up into
a little ball.  Plus, she is so tiny...think "baby fish" = "fry."  Turns out, "Curly
Fry" is a very appropriate nick name for her.  Although, I bet she will outgrow it
soon.

I didn't get to witness this first hand, but Joseph said she jumped for the first
time the other evening.  We aren't talking about a jump like she was startled.
Joseph had her "standing" up facing him to his shoulder.  She throws her head back
and pushes off with her hands and feet.  He said it was quite impressive.  :)

She's also been picking up her head when she is on her stomach and moving it around.
She doesn't have fine control, but it looks amazing considering her head is still
the largest part of her body.

Have you heard that Emma is actually a Hobbit?  If you read about Tolkien's hobbits,
you'll learn that they eat often.  For instance, there isn't just one breakfast,
but multiple breakfasts.  :)  Since, Miss Emma seems to prescribe to this feeding
style, she must be a hobbit, right?  Every two hours is our current schedule.  

Also, for a while, she has been spitting up what looked like an inordinate amount.
After trying multiple burping sessions, sitting up after eating, and tummy rubs, I
have finally throttled back at meal times.  I was reading how a child this age usually
eats 10 to 20 minutes total when breastfeeding.  That is average for a full term
baby.  Miss Emma wasn't ever going less than 30.  Now, she is spitting up 
alot less and is still satisfied after eating.  

Coming from a family where if you aren't eating you must be ill...or soon will be sick...
it was hard for me to restrict her eating.  I was letting her eat until she fell
asleep, then I would jostle her awake to get her to eat some more.  We've changed
that.  

Miss Emma is starting to stare at folks.  Before, she was always looking around when
awake, but now she is starting to focus on faces for longer periods of time.  It
is really neat.

Also, last night, she was staring at one of the curtains in the media room, and 
started smiling.  I was shocked.  We've been seeing her smile, but only when she
is asleep.  We've never seen her smile when awake.  Of course, I quickly tried to
put myself in that smile's line of fire, but it disappeared.  :/  Out of desperation,
I read ahead in my "Babies:  Week by Week" book to see when we could expect a smile
for one of us.  Looks like 6 weeks is the average age for such a blessing.

I try to take Emma out every day for a little walk.  She helps me move goats and 
let out the chickens, too.  When it is sunny, I either try to use my own head as 
an umbrella for hers or make a tent over her face with a light towel to block 
out the bright sun.  Well, the
other day, she used her own hands to cover her eyes.  Babies don't have fine motor
control at this age, and her arms spend most of their time flailing about.  But, she
put a hand over each eye and held them there.  It looked deliberate.  It was too
cute, nonetheless.

Everything I have been told and everything I have read says that you cannot spoil
an infant by picking them up when they cry.  That is absolutely wrong.  I think
what people should say is that you CAN spoil an infant by picking them up when they
cry but they are just so cute it doesn't matter.  Miss Emma is very particular about
how she is to be held.  But, first and foremost, she must be held.  None of this
silly laying in the crib stuff.  :)

Momma Kay