Eco is growing so fast and learning so quickly that it is hard to keep up, most of all in writing.

In week 6, he learned how to smile and that really is a whole new world, since this means that is communicating consciously and directly. Also, it is incredibly cute.

If we smile at him, he smiles back.

He has also learned to stick out his tongue in reply when we stick out our tongues at him (hm, he better forgets about again that before he enters kindergarten). It’s amazing how he can imitate us even though he probably isn’t even that conscious of the fact that he has a tongue yet.

One thing he knew how to do from Day 1 onwards was how to pout and he has been practicing that a lot, too. Especially when the milk bar doesn’t open fast enough. But he’s learning in that regard, too. He stops crying when we place him on the side and he starts to make drinking motions because he knows that position means that milk is on the way.

He also holds conversations with us – when we pick him up with our hands under his arms and hold him in front of us so our faces are at the same level, he beams with joy (and we melt away, of course) and he makes little throaty laughing noises. We imitate him, then he imitates us again and you can see how happy he is at realizing that he is making us react and that he is establishing contact. He smiles and beams and laughs so much during this that he usually ends up with a hiccup. Hiccups are starting to annoy him, just like in a grown-up.

He can also hold his head almost on his own by now and his eyesight is so good that he can identify us across the room.

The next step will be grasping and holding – the past few days, we’ve seen him consciously reach in the direction of things for the first time. Yesterday, he accidentally held onto one of his stuffed animals for a few seconds, though he still isn’t conscious of the fact that this means “holding on” that he could move an object that he holds onto.

And just this morning, as I was working on the side (and I feel guilty every time I look to the side and see him there, smiling expectantly at me – how can I spend any minute NOT dedicating him my full attention?), I caught him staring at his own hand for the first time, with utter curiosity, slowly moving his fingers and turning around his hand.

The period of peace where Eco just lays happily on his back, is content with a smile and a look, and can’t move on his own or grab things is about to come to its end. And I couldn’t be more excited about it!

On the other hand, my glasses (and Patri’s) are already trembling with fear…

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