Brand New Eyeballs

Miles is coming along so well. Watching him experiment with the eyes he’s never used… we’re aware of exactly when his eyes are open, how wide, and for how long, but unsure of whether he actually “sees” anything. He does seem to turn his head toward our voices, following with eyes.

All of his parts are brand new, untested. These lungs have never been used – how to turn them on? These eyeballs have never seen anything. And they work, right off the showroom floor! These limbs have barely moved, not with this much range of motion anyway – but this elbow does flex! These lips do lick! He’s got to figure out how each and every part works. Doing great so far. Grasping motions are already seeming slightly more focused, more coordinated.

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Amy’s milk came in yesterday – the real deal, not colostrum. The milk knocks him right out – amazing soporific powers. Breast-feeding has gotten easier since last post – mom and baby have both learned the tricks. Wide mouth, tongue down, chin down, lips flanged. His sucking is so incredibly strong – put a finger in there and be amazed.

Filing his nails every other day to keep his face from getting scratched. A and I are learning the diaper thing as we go – it’s not too hard.

He sleeps with us in the bed, between us. No, you don’t have to worry about rolling over them any more than you have to worry about falling out of bed – you just don’t.

We’re floating in love – melting several times daily.

3 Replies to “Brand New Eyeballs”

  1. Wow, thats so amazing-great that you chose to have the baba with you when you sleep. I always thought it odd, and possibly dangerous, when parents put their newborn in a crib, in a seperate room; far away from love and help.

    Reminds me of a story of when I was a newborn (don’t remember it of course, but was told later;) ). My mother was about to feed me for the first time and the doctor got upset and asked my mother what she was doing, this was during that time when breast feeding was out of favor. The nurse, who was also present, then shot the doctor a sharp look and said, “What the hell else are they there for?!” The doctor than threw up his hands and left.

    haha.

  2. Right on mrgrape. hahahahahaha. Reminds me of a story my oldest sister told me when their firstborn was crying inconsolably and her husband said (lovingly) “Nancy, why don’t you bust that kid in the mouth.”

    Hooray for moms and bebes in arms and children and parents who follow their own knowing ways.

  3. I’ve read that newborn babies have a very limited visual range – a foot or two – that’s really in focus. Enough for them to recognize mom and dad and find the nipple, basically. Also, from what I’ve read, I think babies work outward as they begin the process of wiring up their brains – they start with body core – mouth, eyes, and so on, and then work outward to limbs. I dunno, though, I’ve only raised a kitten, and he was box trained by the time we got him at about 8 weeks – functionally, if not intellectually or physically, just a small cat. (FYI he’s now a 16 pound oaf of a cat, so it’s been a while, too :)

    A program I saw not long ago on the Discovery channel (hey, if I have to have the tv on, why not pump science instead of bad news and drivel into my head?) suggests that babies begin forming a lot of networks of neurons, exploring possibilities in a neurological sense pretty much from birth. I forget when this first big push eases down and the heavy pruning of the networks begins. Fascinating stuff.

    -Jim

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