Fussy baby

Miriam just turned two months old and here is her two month picture. We've seen a lot of changes, most notably, the addition of "fussy baby." Yes, after five weeks of a relatively calm and cooperative baby, Miriam got her cry on. Maybe she just remembered her roots as the baby of the crash. For those of you who don't know the story, Erica was in a serious car crash in Mississippi when she was less than one month pregnant. Itty-bitty Miriam (and her mama, of course) somehow managed to survive not just the impact but the months of painful recovery. Too bad she has turned her toughness against her parents!

Overall, Miri is a pretty happy baby, just not between 6 and 11PM (and sometimes in the morning and in the afternoon). So, to cope with this new development we have come up with several strategies. Miriam loves motion, so we walk and dance with her constantly -- she particularly loves the monkey song (thanks for the CD, Michelle!). When all else fails, Chris pulls out the secret weapon--the sling. This fabulous accessory not only looks stylish, but riding in it seems to knock Miri OUT! Chris takes long walks outside with her and she comes back sacked out. Some have suggested that this is just a technique to freeze her into submission (the high today was twenty), but we do it out of love (promise!). Plus, her crying sounds softer outside. The doctor assures us that this, too, shall pass. But, for now we see a lot of faces like the one above right!



Of course, it's not all cries and whines -- we've had plenty of fun as well. Chris and Miri like to play with Mama's heart by doing "balancing baby" -- check out Miri balancing on her feet (left). She also joined the crowds downtown for her first march on Martin Luther King Day (right).