April 26, 2000 - Wednesday
Harry never seemed to get off to his happy morning self today, but I like to think it was because he had a lot on his mind. He's in the midst of a mental breakthrough, you see, regarding his hands. He's starting to realize that he controls them and is now reaching for things - admittedly with little dexterity at this point - held in front of his face. I guess, like everything else, he's been working up to this and there have been times when we thought he had hand awareness, but today was the day I knew for sure. Naturally, the first thing that happens with anything new in his hands is that it goes next in his mouth.

But, this day was a bonanza of learning for Harry. He's been working on rolling over and has gotten pretty good at rolling from his back to his stomach. For the first time today, though, he rolled over and then got himself back without assistance. Just before the successful effort, he had been trying but seemed to need a little support for his free hand. I obliged so he wouldn't get frustrated, but within just a minute or two, he did the whole thing himself. Of course, when he rolls over from back to tummy, he invariably lands with an arm underneath his body and that's of great assistance on the way back. Harry has yet to master turning from tummy to back when his hands aren't so advantageously placed.

I guess it probably happens with all babies about this time, but Harry also has the classic arm windmill thing going. It's a bit like the wiring between brain and arms isn't completely fine-tuned and when he tries to move his arms quickly, they react like a knee hit with a doctor's hammer and whirl about his head and down in front of him. Perhaps one of the reasons I thought he was unhappy today was that he kept emphatically pounding his fists.

Finally, although I wasn't there to see it, Harry's mother reports great progress with the Rice Mush. She won't go as far as to say more of it was going in his stomach than on his bib, but he is apparently starting to get the hang of it.


Comments, opinions?