A few things about newborns

1. Infants are obligate nasal breathers: So they can breath and eat at the same time, yo!
2. Infants have unconscious attention – that is, they cannot help having their attention drawn to certain forms of stimuli. This explains their ‘interest’ in:
   • contrasting colors
   • Any sort of video
   • Sound. Particularly the proclivity of adults to use higher pitched, repetitive noises when speaking to infants – because they pay most attention and are most responsive to such.
3. Infants do not start out in life imitating adults. They only become gradually aware of their own behavior when adults imitate them. (ex: Notice that infants pause after you imitate them.) Meaning response from adults appears to be key to a baby’s budding communication wiring:

   • Babies are very aware of the non-verbal cues provided by adults through facial expression. They appear to control the pace of conversation by maintaining eye contact or by dropping their gaze. Either babies or adults may initiate the conversation; however, when babies react to the gaze of an adult and fail to receive a response they lapse into silence. Babies and toddlers need to be able to get adults’ attention. – Macleod-Brudenell, Advanced Early Years

 

The fact that most of what we are influenced by starts out subconsciously (and perhaps even after we are grown), tells me that it is particularly important the we prepare the young child’s environment with care. For example, if we hope to improve the aesthetic taste of our next generation, it would be nice to choose items that at least fulfill our adults standards of beauty. I recently finally got down to making the Munari Mobile prescribed by Dr. Montessori. It is fairly simple to make, but when finished I was quite impressed with the entire aspect of the item.

If you google Munari you come up with a plethora of his beautiful artwork, which are exemplified by simplicity and grace.

On another note, I really like the maternal/infant care videos by Global Health Media. I find them amazingly practical, clear, and informative. Below is a video about initiating breastfeeding, with the ‘infant crawl’. To see it is to believe it!

Little things

 

A daddy longlegs was walking across the glass. It froze when we noticed it, stopping with one leg poised on a book, as though it were in its way. Knox brushed everything off the glass top so it would have space to walk.

 

 

Small planes nursing off big plane, and a flying dinosaur. A few days later Knox found feathers and added them to the planes as well.

 

 

Things I do not want to forget. So many small and lovely things.

Day before last Mike made Inge gurgle with laughter while playing with her after work at the dinner table. First time she laughed.
——-
Quin: When we grow up you can give us coffee? 我們長大可以給我們喝咖啡嗎？
Me: When you grow up you can make your own! 長大可以自己泡喔！
Quin: When you and daddy grow small I will take you to the park. 你跟爸爸變小的時候我會帶你們去公園。

If only life were such a circular blessing my love!