One of the 1st surprising events was our daughter’s 1st vaccination. I had to google infant vaccinations and it looks like the 1st shots are at 2 months. The doctor told us if she cried for 2 days to call. It was a Friday. She cried for 3 days. I kept wondering if I should take her to the ER or urgent care since it was a weekend, but she didn’t appear to have any physical symptoms. There was no skin rash or difficulty breathing. I was at a loss for why she could be effected for days after the vaccination.
Afterwards, we changed our approach to infant vaccinations. Rather than just one more errand to conduct in a busy day, I took the day off. We went in the morning and planned a day at the zoo afterward. As soon as they gave her the shot, dad whisked her immediately outside – even before the nurse had time to put the band aid – in her favorite daddy back – chest mounted baby carrier. I stayed inside handling the close out paperwork. By the time I got outside, she had stopped crying. We focused on a wonderful day at the zoo, casually walking through the San Antonio zoo on a weekday so there were no crowds.
Very soon thereafter, we went for a long walk in one of our favorite mountain hiking trails. We used a backpack that I think of as the Cadillac of baby carriers – an Osprey. Dad carried her because he’s more sure of foot than I am and I worried if I stumbled and fell, she might get hurt. After about 30 or 40 minutes, we stopped to check if she wanted a drink or a snack or needed a diaper change. Once dad took off the pack and we got her out and sat her on a thick tree root, she burst out crying. She was inconsolable. We were both at a loss. There didn’t seem to be any reason for her to cry.
Also in the Cadillac of baby carriers, I took off one evening around sunset to get some fitness with baby on my shoulders. When the sun went down, she burst into tears and I think it was simply the fact that she had never seen night set in before that moment.
This is the Cadillac of baby carriers – Osprey brand backpack.
Frequently our daughter was aware of sounds I didn’t register. One days she was fascinated by the “music” of the swing set at the playground. I had no idea what she was talking about. Eventually I came to understand she was talking about the squeaking of the chains as the moved against the frame as the swing moved. Even in utero, she danced when I played music for my belly every evening before sleeping. She still raves about the soundtrack of movies, TV programs, video games. Sound is of particular fascination for her. So we got her into piano at age 2.
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