Startling Reaction

In the category of good news/bad news, we've been noticing Maria reacting to things that startle her. The good news is that she reacts to things that startle her more. The bad news is that she reacts to things that startle her more. The latest was last night when I moved the mosquito net above her crib (the mobile keeps getting caught on the net), and accidentally knocked a very light wood picture of St Francis onto the pillow right next to her. It might have touched her, but nothing painful--as I said it's very light. She jumped, then got this horrible look on her face, opened her mouth, and looked like she was going to start crying or let out a wail or something, but then she regained her composure (do 2-year olds do that?) and was ok. Andy saw what I imagine was the same face the other day, and I've heard Sue mention it as well.

Along similar lines, she's been very ticklish lately, and again opens her mouth and you just know that any second now she's going to laugh, but not yet... I'm sure some day it will come.

She's been opening her mouth very wide the past few days, mostly while eating, I think. In general, she's starting to open her mouth for the spoon so fortunately we don't have to shove it in her mouth anymore (not as wicked as it sounds), so that's pretty exciting; but in addition to that, sometimes she just opens it like she's trying to figure out if she can fit an egg in her mouth (like my siblings did one day, long ago).

The other exciting thing Maria's been doing is hugging tight. Although often accompanied by pulling hair, I still think it's great.

Oh yea, and in the 2 days or so that we've stopped using the TobraDex (antibiotic ointment), her right eye has started to get crusty--maybe some sort of infection? So, I'm back to using the goop again. She was acting like it was bothering her before we stopped using it; almost like it was stinging. Hope it clears up before her surgery Oct 4. Her lower left eyelid is starting to get bad again and her right eyelids are so swollen they look like they're going to pop.

We visited Manoli's Greek friends at the restaurant today. They haven't seen Maria in months, maybe almost a year?? I don't think they quite know what to do, say, or make of her. She really took to Nick. Kept looking at him when he was talking (unusual) and was holding on to him when he held her (he doesn't seem too put off by her).