Communication

Timothy is becoming more and more interactive--it is so much fun to talk to him and watch him react to my silly faces and voices. He is really starting to play with the toys we put in front of him and respond to all kinds of stimuli.

There have been a couple things that really astound me about how he (and other babies, for that matter) has responded. One is that he can show empathy. I first realized this happens when visiting my brother and his family. My nephew Oskar was facing Timothy and when Tim started crying, Oskar started to join in! Last Friday at the hospital, Timothy and I met another mother and her two children. The little boy was so sick and unhappy and was crying. Tim, who had been so happy in my lap, turned his little lip out, his eyes started to water, and I headed off another sad baby by walking around the waiting room.

I talk to Timothy a ton--just telling him what we're doing or what we see and hear. I think I talk so much that it is just part of his background noise! Since one of Shawn's brothers is deaf, we've also been trying to use sign language with him which has been really interesting because he is actually paying attention to me. Now, my knowledge of signs is seriously limited, but I am trying to learn the words that are particularly useful for a babies life. You know, "Where is your moose?" (his favorite toy is a Lamaze moose that his Aunt Megan gave him). "Do you like your moose?" "Are you hungry?" "Are you tired?" Things like that. The whole time I'm signing to him, he stares at my hands and face, following along, with this quiet smile on his face. It's like he actually gets it and knows that this is another way to talk. Isn't that cool?

Babies are amazing.