Mild Child

From the past 4 1/2 months of observation, I'd say that Allison Clare's dominant personality trait is mildness. Most of the time, her mood is contented and observant, and even when she becomes uncomfortable, she just whimpers slightly--often I won't even realize she's woken up for her nap because she's happily lying in her crib, looking around. If I'm folding laundry or cooking dinner, I put her in her little seat, and then when I look over, she's often stopped playing with her toys and is just watching me, as if she's been waiting for me to turn around, and she gives me this sweet, affectionate smile.

All of this contentment does have a downside: she doesn't like physical exertion (wonder where she gets that . . .). She should be ready to roll over, so we try enticing her by placing toys to one side, and helping her by shifting her weight over that way. But rather than complete the roll, what our child has learned to do is to resist the process--she throws her arm out to one side to brace herself, as if that were the game. It's actually pretty hilarious. Not that we want her to be a little lump, but we figure she'll do these things in her time. Life is pressured enough . . .

UPDATE: Just after posting this, she rolled over for the first time--lazily, as if she'd been doing it forever. What motivated her? Naturally, trying to get at her breakfast.