Watching Her Learn

The dusk of the day was settling into evening, and our littlest one, now two weeks old, was having a rough go of it. She had been having stomach issues during the day, and we couldn't quite get a good assessment as for how to make her more comfortable. Sleep? No. Change of clothes? Sorry. Food? Just for a brief spell, but then the howling resumed. Pacifier? Spit that thing right out, thank-you very much.

So I held her close to me, hoping that being held and moved around constantly would help her find some peace. I worried that she was cold, so I had her bundled up snugly in multiple blankets so that she resembled an overstuffed Chipotle burrito. With so many layers around her though, there was too much space between her head and my chest, so her head continued to bob back and forth as she tried to find a good position. I held her even more closely, hoping that by compressing the blankets that her body would be near enough to where she could lay her head on my chest, feel its warmth, and be comforted. Alas the blankets were too thick, so I thought I might have to make a decision to unbundle her in order to bring her closer to me so that she might find support for her weary head.

But then, an amazing thing happened. I watched my Precious One actually learn. I observed her as she looked at my chest, looked at her hands, and then realized that her head would never reach me with the way things were. Remarkably, she then placed both of her hands on my chest, and with the gap closed, placed her head on her hands. It was a perfect fit. Her head was resting peacefully on her hands, and comfort was finally reached. She had achieved something using her own capacities in order to meet one of her basic needs. She drifted off within seconds.

I sat still with her for another five minutes, in awe of her ability to learn to adapt despite being so young. I also wanted to cherish five more minutes with her, because, well, she's my Precious One. Eventually though I had to lay her back into her crib, and I finally felt at ease that she would find some rest. I smiled to myself as I left the room. I had witnessed something special.

Two minutes later she was crying again.