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first impressions
Jun. 4th, 2012 01:52 pmI have made a list of questions to respond to, and will continue adding them as people ask them where ever -- here, facebook, g+, livejournal, or out and about in the park.
I'm going to present the questions, some slightly edited, in bold, without attribution, then answer below them, one at a time, over time, trying for at least one a week, hoping for one a day.
If I were to sit down and observe Owen for the first time, what would I see?
Wow.
I think people who don't know him well and first see him, if he's at all awake, notice that he's headstrong and super-active. You can use words like brave, and fearless, and bold, and confident, and spirited, or whatever, but he's basically headstrong and hyper. ;)
That's a first impression thing, and it depends. Sometimes you might see him and think he's older because he (for example) can sit down with a book for 20 minutes and "read" it out loud with intonations, sort of telling himself a story, or can play with almost anything for a long time. He usually talks to himself while he does. But he's so active so much of the time, and I think a lot of people notice that first. I am starting to get sympathy comments and glances from other parents.
Another thing people notice, if he's somehow restrained or oddly calm -- if he's being held, or in his stroller or a high chair -- is that he adores interaction with other people and will seek it out and show off for it. He'll meet someone's eyes and just beam, or they'll laugh at something that's not him, and he'll laugh, then maybe a little louder, to get their attention, then it's all "how cute, I laughed and the baby's laughing!" and he's got his interaction.
We have inside-joke language to describe how he charms people, and he does. He charms them, he makes them smile and squee and come over and talk to him. I've heard people in other aisles at the supermarket: "Honey, did you see that baby? He's so cute. He was smiling at me!"
He's either going to save the world with his natural charm, or bring about its end. We hope he uses his powers for good.
organic chicken and strawberries for lunch
I'm going to present the questions, some slightly edited, in bold, without attribution, then answer below them, one at a time, over time, trying for at least one a week, hoping for one a day.
If I were to sit down and observe Owen for the first time, what would I see?
Wow.
I think people who don't know him well and first see him, if he's at all awake, notice that he's headstrong and super-active. You can use words like brave, and fearless, and bold, and confident, and spirited, or whatever, but he's basically headstrong and hyper. ;)
That's a first impression thing, and it depends. Sometimes you might see him and think he's older because he (for example) can sit down with a book for 20 minutes and "read" it out loud with intonations, sort of telling himself a story, or can play with almost anything for a long time. He usually talks to himself while he does. But he's so active so much of the time, and I think a lot of people notice that first. I am starting to get sympathy comments and glances from other parents.
Another thing people notice, if he's somehow restrained or oddly calm -- if he's being held, or in his stroller or a high chair -- is that he adores interaction with other people and will seek it out and show off for it. He'll meet someone's eyes and just beam, or they'll laugh at something that's not him, and he'll laugh, then maybe a little louder, to get their attention, then it's all "how cute, I laughed and the baby's laughing!" and he's got his interaction.
We have inside-joke language to describe how he charms people, and he does. He charms them, he makes them smile and squee and come over and talk to him. I've heard people in other aisles at the supermarket: "Honey, did you see that baby? He's so cute. He was smiling at me!"
He's either going to save the world with his natural charm, or bring about its end. We hope he uses his powers for good.
organic chicken and strawberries for lunch