Little Miss Cinco – our sweet 13 week old Ri’ – has set some serious preferences. She’s determined that life runs on her schedule. I’ve not yet figured out what that schedule is exactly, and I suspect she’s not sure what it is either.
Some days we nap after dinner is made until well after the siblings’ bedtime. Then, Daddy is in charge of getting everyone into their rooms and sleep on time. Ri’ wakes up about midnight and expects her late night “fourth meal.” Admittedly, I’d love to do a gordita run right around that time, but neither my stomach or my budget would thank me for obliging the desire. Other days, she is up and active, waiting for our “excercise” (complete with Mommy beat box sound effects) or James Brown dance along. Then, she goes to sleep late into the night, waking around 3am to nurse, burp, and rest some more.
We forgot her paci yesterday. Trust when I say that Ri’s daycare provider was not happy. I received a text as I walked out of work (the only time I get a signal is when first entering and then after leaving the building): “You didn’t send her binky today.” Uh… my bad. Ri’ was not forgiving of the supply omission, either. When I arrived to pick her up, she was already buckled in and ready to go, the empty nipple from her bottle squeaking as she sucked it (and air) ferociously. Poor baby’s eyes sported bags below them – evidence that “She didn’t sleep — she didn’t nap at all” was absolutely true. I’m told they drove around the block a few times to appease her, but to no avail. Ri’ was distraught without her sucky-thing. She even refused a bottle. Once I got her into the car, she sang a bit with the radio and fell asleep almost immediately. Lucky Mommy, right?
Personality is abundant. So is humor. It is fun, she thinks, to tease Mommy. Ri likes to suck on her closed fist (usually the knuckle of her pointer finger). Mommy doesn’t like this. Whenever she catches Ri’, Mommy pulls her hands away from her mouth and says “Get those hands outta there.” This brings an immediate and mischievious smile to Ri’s mouth and she happily reinserts that fist as soon as Mommy’s hands are a short distance away. It’s like they’re on a spring. It’s a little game Ri’ plays with amusement, but only with Mommy.
With Daddy, she likes to listen to Go-go. She likes Daddy’s crooning rendition of Kem’s “Share My Life,” but his attempts at James Brown or Lauren Hill or anything else Mommy has provided an off-key version of is rejected. It makes his three days with her while Mommy is at work somewhat unpredictable. She wears him out and he’s often exhausted when Mommy comes home and takes over as Ri’s personal entertainment.
We’ve discovered that she’s pretty particular when it comes to her people and when she wants to be lavished with their attention. Some days she wants big brother Rico – - and only Rico. Other days, she remains in discontent without Chi close by. Still others, she only wants Daddy or Mommy (and never the two together). She seeks out Ya sometimes, smiling up at him as he recites “I love you RiAnne” and lavishes her with kisses. She’ll even turn her cheek to him to ensure he plants each one in her preferred spot. We’ve seen moments of jealousy when her chosen person interacts with anyone except her. Yikes! The green-eyed monster stricks early.
We’ve only just begun to get to know Ri’, but it seems that “particular” just might be one of her many names.
She’s so beautiful!