Our Big, Little Baby

Today Emmeline had her six month appointment. She is a bit older than six months, but with the Holidays and our pediatrician being on vacation, the earliest we could get in was this week. Emmeline now weighs 18lbs 11 ozs (3 lbs since 10/24), she is 27 inches long (1 and 1/2 inch longer since 10/24) and her head is 17 inches in circumference (one inch bigger since 10/24). Everything else is coming along smoothly. I really like our pediatrician. She is actually a family practitioner so Paul and I go to her, too. I heard about her through another Birth Center mom. Our doctor actually had her two babies at The Birth Center (TBC) so she is familiar with their practices and understands our point of view about natural labor and child-rearing (for the most part). The one thing I am surprised about is that she is really pushing us to get Emmeline in daycare or find her a regular babysitter. Maybe she thinks that Emmeline needs to be more socialized or she thinks that I need a break, but she has never explained her reasons. At this point I do feel like Emmeline is plenty socialized. We go to a Parent's group at TBC once a week and we go walking with two TBC moms and their babies twice a week. (We had a lovely walk today with the girls in sunny 66 degree weather!). She is not really able to "play" with the other babies but they look at each other, talk in their cute little babyspeak to each other and occasionally swap toys and grab at each other. Isn't this enough for a six-month-old? And of course she gets plenty of stimulation and learning at home with us. Maybe our doctor is concerned that Emmeline will have separation anxiety and I do understand this concern. My baby sister had this and it was really hard for all of us to deal with. Emmeline has started to reach for me when she sees me or if I am holding her she turns away from people if they reach for her. She has also cried a couple times recently at men that seem strange to her (common for most babies, I think). I have been trying to avoid the onslaught of separation anxiety for months now by making Sunday daddy/daughter day. I leave the house and do errands or something for myself while Paul hangs out with her (let's face it-he'd be watching football anyway). In addition, I have started to teach twice a week in the evenings. My classes are four hours long so with driving time and office hours it is closer to five and a half hours that I am gone from the house. Last night was my first night (ug). It went pretty well but it is hard to get back into it. As my mom said today, from now on I will have one foot in mommy-land and one foot in academia...two very different worlds. I do not know how I will cope or how Paul and Emmeline will cope but it is a necessity. I am very fortunate that I am able to teach in the evenings so that we can avoid daycare, but I do not know for how long. At least until this upcoming fall we should be able to be home with her.
Well, I must be off so that I can get back to work prepping for tomorrow evening's class. My little family is nestled all snug in their beds and I am burning the midnight oil. Ah, the plight of working moms everywhere...