Week Five (October 24)

After one week on our own, we again had a visitor during Week Five: S's sister stayed with us for several days, and was an awesome help with the cooking and laundry. She's single and has always sworn that she never wants to get married or have children, but watching her with LL, I'm getting the feeling that she's changing her mind.

LL turned one month old this week! In honor of the occasion, we took him to have professional photos taken, which we're planning to do on each of his monthly birthdays. The first photo shoot was a little tough -- he was cranky the entire time, so it was hard to get a good photo. After the photographer finished, we realized that the crankiness was because of a wet diaper. Oops! What a rookie parent mistake.

This week also marked our increased willingness to venture out of the house with LL. As a result, our very social baby had many, many firsts this week:

• First Birthday Party: LL attended our friend M's birthday party at a restaurant, and slept the entire time.


• First Coffeeshop: We had such a good morning on Tuesday, we ventured out and met up with a bunch of friends at our favorite local java joint. LL slept the entire time.


• First Pho: (This one might sound bizarre, but it's tradition, so just go with it.) We have a group of friends who, for nearly ten years now, has been getting together every Thursday at lunch to eat pho together. It's a nice weekly tradition, breaks up the work week a bit, and honestly has been how I've met many of my closest friends. I hadn't been to pho for a long time, but this week we felt brave enough to go with LL, who slept the entire time. Noticing a pattern?


• First Playdate: I've mentioned that our friends, C and S, were due with their first baby just one day before we were. Because LL was so late, their daughter was born 10 days before him (otherwise known as right on time). They had some health problems, though (first their daughter had to spend some time in the NICU, then C had to be readmitted to the hospital 3 weeks post-partum, very scary) so we weren't able to see them until Week Five. By now, they're all doing great and all at home together, so we were able to introduce the babies for the first time. And yes, LL slept nearly the entire time.


• First Real Bath: Sitting in the bath: not so fun. Having water poured over the head: tons of fun! LL isn't so keen on baths, but showers are awesome.


• First Tracking of a Toy: After LL discovered his mobile last week, we thought that he might be old enough to track toys with his eyes. We had a lot of fun slowly moving things in front of his face, side to side. His favorite: this stuffed bunny that my mom bought him, to go with the book Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale which I highly recommend. Great picture book.


• First Reliable Social Smiles: LL had smiled before, but this was the week when he really figured out the social smiling, and it became easier to coax them out of him. He gets more and more smiley as the weeks go by!

Other fun this week: a good friend of ours was visiting from out of town with her two children, so in addition to getting together with them at our house for a quiet afternoon, we also got together for a giant gathering of children at another friend's house (three infants, two one-year-olds, and a two-year-old). It was quite hectic, and gave us a glimpse of what's to come once LL becomes mobile.

Finally, this very busy week also included the start of my New Mom's Group, which meets at the hospital where LL was born. Thirteen women, all with infants under three months old, meet weekly with a discussion leader to talk about relevant topics. Mainly, though, it's a way to meet other women in the same phase of life. I joined with my friend C. The group ended up being awesome. I've really bonded with many of the women in the group, we get together regularly outside of the weekly scheduled meetings, and we have a group mailing list that has been a great way to ask questions and share tips.

All in all, I will always think of Week Five as LL's real introduction to the world. Enough being sheltered at home: time to venture out!