Maren: Giggle Monster

Maren has turned into a giggle monster.  She is highly amused by most anything, especially Ezra antics.  She thinks it is hilarious when Ezra throws blankets in the air.  Go figure.  She laughs when I make animal noises.  She laughs at silly songs.  She laughs when I look at her with a funny face.  And, she loves being tickled.

She is officially an adorable chunk, measuring in the 95th percentile for height and weight, and in the 99th percentile for head circumference.  But, I didn't need a doctor to tell me that, my newly developed arm muscles are testimonial enough for me.  

Maren seems to be more physically active then Ezra was at a similar age.  She is very antsy if made to sit on a lap, and will try to turn, push, roll, squirm, and wiggle free.  While lying on her back, Maren will either hold her legs straight up in the air or arch her back and neck and attempt to roll over.

She has been diagnosed with some minor torticollis, or in other words, stiff neck muscles and joints that make turning or reaching left difficult.  She and I met with a pediatric physical therapist and have been working on a few simple exercises to help the situation.  She seems to be making some small improvements, and despite the discomfort she is probably feeling, works incredibly hard to move her little body. 

She is getting better control of her hand reflexes and will now pat mt cheek, grab my nose, and pull my hair when I hold her.  Recently, while sitting on my lap, she grabbed my bowl of soup, which--luckily--was only lukewarm, and dumped it on me.  She is teething now, and pulls in her bottom lip to massage her gums.  She is very keen on the pacifier too, for the same reason.