Learning to Speak Baby

I've started to notice things Calvin does, repetitive behaviors that mean he wants something specific. For example: if I'm holding him in an upright seated position and he strains to lean forward further, it means he wants to lie on his tummy. There are cries that mean he's hungry, cries that mean he's got a wet diaper, cries that mean he wants attention, and the consuming wail that means "I hurt." He expresses all of these discomforts in slightly different ways, and the one I'm getting REALLY good at is the "I'm sleepy" cry.

We went to Supercuts today so I could get my hair trimmed (really, it was out of control) and for $20 it was not bad at all. I really just wanted some of the weight taken off the top, and she attacked it with some thinning shears, and the result is surprisingly cute and feels nine million times better. But I digress! The point of this story is not to praise my hair, but my abilities to understand my child. And he started fussing when we were in Supercuts--first, because I was not giving him 100% full attention. We then went to Market Basket for food, and I carried him in the front pack, which he loves. He likes to see things and move around a lot. But when we got home, he started to fuss in a different way. He wanted to be rocked, so I put him in his swing. He lay there for a little while looking up at the mirror, and then BAM, naptime for Calvin.

I was so proud.

Also, Brandon's mom gave us a pair of Nike Air Force Ones that I haven't been able to get on him until today. He looks so stinkin' cute in those shoes. But I did take them off so he could nap. Once he outgrows them, he has baby Chuck Taylors to wear, and then once he starts walking, NC state sneakers. Before this he had some NC State crib shoes with bells on them, but he only wore them once. He's not a big fan of things on his feet. But I must say, baby shoes: still adorable.

I'm happy that I'm learning how to understand Calvin's wants and needs, and it makes dealing with him a lot easier. I'm learning to let him cry sometimes when he just needs to let it out, and when I need to take care of him and how to do it with the minimum amount of tries. He's not a bad baby at all, and I'm thankful for that.