Hazel is a little over 6 weeks old (6 weeks and 2 days, actually) and we are amazed how much she changes each day and definitely each week. Last week or the week before, we noticed that she started to be able to track people and things with her eyes. This week, she tracks more consistently, and turns her head from side to side while lying on her back. Sometimes I’m playing with her and talking to her, and she’ll decide she’s had enough and will turn away. Okay then, Hazel, I’ll just give you some space instead of making strange funny faces inches away from you :), I think. Actually, that’s more daddy’s job- the funny faces.
Hazel also likes it when I sing to her in a high pitched voice. Apparently, out of tune high pitched voices work to soothe her too. I’ve sung nearly every song I know the words to – and many more that I don’t. I’ve sung the alphabet (that’s an easy “go to” song for me), Mary Had a Little Lamb, Row Row Row Your Boat, Old McDonald Had a Farm, and Sunday Bloody Sunday. She doesn’t have a preference right now.
Hazel is a loud sleeper. Loud. I didn’t know babies could be so loud! When they say sleeping like a baby, now I think they mean snorting, gurgling, and whinnying like a baby horse in addition to deep sleep cycles where she is completely calm.
She is also starting to smile. Sometimes she does it before a stretch, sometimes she does it before a frown and a furrowed brow. Geoff and I are still debating whether these are gas smiles or social smiles, but we agree that we’ll take them anyway we can get them.
She’s also decided she loathes the carseat, which she happened to like just 2-3 weeks ago. Let’s hope it’s a love-hate relationship, and she’s going to cycle out of the hate part soon because the wailing in the car is unbearable! Especially if she’s already had a long day. Otherwise, this won’t bode well for our road trip from Portugal to Spain that we are planning!