Sam's First Seven Months
by Mitch 8-15-00

Samuel Isaac was born 4 � weeks premature at 5lbs 15oz. He was born with some water in his lungs, which was somewhat routine, but had us a little worried for the first 12 hours. He was hooked up to oxygen and wired to a measurement apparatus and had wheezing sounding breaths.

Sam looked very Mediterranean at birth: a full head of thick dark hair, dark slate eyes that later became brown, and olive skin. He seemed very strong and hot tempered in the hospital bassinet. When upset, his body would contract, he�d get bright red, lift his head up, and let out a loud scream. Sam�s looks were striking. He had highly defined features, especially his eyes, and looked more like a person than most babies. Some days he looked Mexican, Cuban, Japanese, Greek, or Eskimo.

Sam was a very insistent baby. His cries were loud and demanding and would cause us to react immediately, whether to feed him, hold him, or reposition him. He was always consolable. Sam only wanted to sleep on his stomach, despite health warnings that infants should sleep on their backs. After feeding Sam, we'd put him to sleep on his back and he'd later wake up screaming. We�d flip him over and he�d fall back asleep immediately. Sam was not a great sleeper at first, and often had to be put to sleep on the swing. His mouth could never quite coordinate a pacifier, but he learned to suck his thumb instead. Sam mostly slept on his stomach, sucking his thumb to sleep, with his arm by his side. He is and was a good napper.

Sam was a very alert baby. As an infant he would stare at lights and shadows, particularly the shadow from his swing. When taking him out for a stroll, he would cry unless you put his seat up. He didn�t want to nap in the stroller, he wanted to see everything.After Sam�s circumcision, a new shift nurse wouldn�t let us leave the hospital until Sam peed. She unfastened Sam�s diaper, and Sam peed on her, right on cue, saving the day. Sam often peed on the changing table, and we would have to have a diaper ready to cover him. Once or twice a week we wouldn�t be prepared, and Sam would let out a stream of pee onto the wall, over his head, or occasionally onto his face which would startle him. Sam also cavalierly peed within a minute of placing him in his bath.

Sam always acted 100% like a boy, confirming to us that gender traits are innate. It�s the bulkiness of his build, the way he moves, the way he interacts with people and objects, his playfulness, his energy level, his voice.

Sam was always chubby and often called �fat boy�. He is hardly obese, but seems like he could successfully play for an infant football team. He has thick limbs; thighs as wide as my arms, small fat fingers that often curl into a fist, and a belly that makes it tough to put on the proper weight-sized diaper. He was in the 75th percentile for height and weight as of six months.

Sam�s most striking characteristic is how happy he is. He has a sweet good-natured disposition and a generous smile. He is very social and likes others. He�ll smile for anyone and allow strangers to pick him up. He greets you with his accordion voice; a happy exhort made from blowing air out and sucking it back in. Almost everything and anyone can make Sam smile and laugh. The challenge comes in making Sam bellyache laugh. It�s hard to predict what will make Sam laugh absurdly. Once it was crinkling a plastic grocery bag, other times it was fake throwing a ball at him, and watching another baby banging blocks together. It always makes us laugh watching Sam enjoying himself, as we�ve never seen another infant laugh like Sam.