Dec. 31, 1999 - Friday
Babies can make a lot of noise. I'm actually quite surprised at how little noise Harry makes compared to stories of other babies. Maybe it's just a father's admiring deafness, but even Harry's wonderfully infrequent wails don't seem as piercing as I believe I've heard from other babies. However, more curiously, he can make noises from the other direction that would rival any beer drinking, football watching, stereotypically over-weight American man. Harry's not lighting it up every day, mind you, but every now and then he can really lay down a surprisingly audible rhythm. Last night, for example, he actually woke me up with his tooting, though neither his nor his mother's slumber seemed affected by the music. I think our barbecue beef, ribs, and beans dinner was probably the culprit as I've learned that such residuals are transmitted directly from mother's milk.

While I've written previously that Harry's sleep habits are refreshingly different from stories we hear of most newborns, the above incident points the reality that Harry's great sleeping habits don't mean his mother and I are necessarily getting our normal rest. We've both woken several times when Harry, who sleeps in a bassinet in our bedroom, begins making little gulping, nasal, or slurping noises. It often turns out that he's not awake nor even about to wake up, but we lie in overly anxious anticipation that he will awaken at any moment and begin his demands. And, alas, we've blown a good night sleep.

Nonetheless, he's a beautiful child and I wouldn't take back a minute of lost sleep. I love listening to those listen sounds, watching him discover his arms and hands, and watching him cycle through his repertoire of facial expression, even though I know they're usually an indication that I will soon have a chore to do. Heck, I even find I enjoy changing his diapers. That pleasure will likely wane over the coming weeks and months, but for now it's a time I spend with my son. More often than not he's very calm, often listening to me sing a little song to him, and is generally joyfully endearing. Any parent knows the job is not particularly messy or smelly during these first weeks so it's actually a memorable bonding time. Clearly his mother may have the better deal when it comes to bonding moments, but at least I get to stare at his lovely little face during mine. And, every now and then, he seems to look back at mine, maybe even knowing already that I'm somebody for him.