5/5/06 - Whim and Foibles

Eva is 11 months old now! Her first birthday is rapidly approaching! We're so excited because Eva's eye doctor says her eyes have improved enough that we can reduce patching her right eye to an hour a week, instead of every day. Since she hates the patch and always tries to take it off, that’s really good news. It's amazing what babies will consider offensive and acceptable. The old adage about babies being born as blank slates is a myth. They have decided preferences and distastes that are often contrary to yours, and wouldn't budge for a tidal wave. For instance, Eva shudders at the touch of grass. Whenever I try to sit her down on the grass, she tries to lift her legs up and cringes, then cries for me to pick her up. I don't know if it's the texture or what, but she hates it. On the other hand, if she's crawling after the cat and he happens to stop short suddenly in front of her, she'll occasionally end up with her face in his behind. This, unfortunately, doesn't seem to bother her, so we have to be vigilant about making sure she doesn't touch his unsavory parts by accident. Or her own, for that matter, since it's increasingly difficult to makes sure that curious hands and squirming feet stay clear of the danger zone during diaper changes.