Clara, today you are four weeks old, and just two days shy of being a full month old!
Incredible. Each day I comment to Papa on how tiny you still are. It doesn’t seem fair to be so small in such a big world. I’m still in awe of how prematurely we exist as a species. Humans are most closely related to chimpanzees and bonobos, and all of us experience infancy more slowly than most animals.
Sea turtles (arguably your father’s favorite animal) crawl to the sea straight out of their eggs, without their parents’ help, dodging predatory birds as they lumber through thick sand. That said, they can take decades to reach maturity [1]. Greenland sharks (Mom likes these) are among the slowest-growing animals, living for centuries [2]. Mola sunfish—maybe we’ll see one soon with Aunt Jenn at the Monterey Bay Aquarium—can grow up to 800 pounds in a single year [3], making them one of the fastest-growing animals.
As humans, we’re notoriously slow growers. We fall into the K-selection category [4], in which parents have fewer offspring but invest heavily in them. We’re pretty helpless at birth, but we’re bound for big brains and high cognitive abilities once we develop [5].
So looking at you, just a month old, is incredibly humbling. You’re so tiny in this big world. And while it’s true you’re not crawling or talking yet, I think calling you “helpless” is unfair. You’re already inching toward the resources you need: you cry out to communicate, use instincts and reflexes to keep help (us) nearby, and show your emotional state through your body. You’re also adorable—which helps trigger oxytocin, win empathy, and secure the care you need.
This week was a bit of a rollercoaster with your tummy troubles and spit-up affecting your sleep and mood—and, in turn, ours. For your one-month update, we decided to change up your weekly questions and ask ChatGPT (surely, by the time you read this, AI will be far more evolved) what a fond aunt might want to know at one month.
Month 1 Questions
What’s her little personality like so far—chill, dramatic, or already full of sass?
It’s hard to say exactly at this stage, Clara, but your personality shows most during feedings. You’re persistent—with your little grunts, slightly furrowed brow, and pursed lips as you try to climb and crawl. You’re ahead of your time physically: you can lift and turn your head, and you stiffen your legs and stand with support.
Any adorable quirks or funny expressions she’s already known for?
My favorite is your satisfied little lip smacks after a good feed.
Who does she look like right now—more like you, your partner, or totally her own tiny self?
You look most like your Papá. You’re definitely a mini-Pablo. Sometimes you remind me of your Uncle Austin as a newborn. Your dad sees bits of himself, and your Tíos Jaime and David, in both your looks and behaviors. You might have inherited my nose and head shape. You seem like me in some ways too—you want to be close to Mom, may be sensitive to cow’s milk (TBD), and like to be constantly in motion.
What’s her favorite way to be soothed or held? Any tricks that work like magic?
One trick that calms you almost instantly is when I hold your head and bum extended in front of me and slowly lift and lower you—just shy of a bounce. You also like to be burped and then fall asleep on my shoulder, curled into my neck. The most effective for naps, though, is being worn in your Solly wrap.
Has she started cooing or making those hilarious newborn noises yet?
Yes, you make tons of cute noises! Not quite speech-like yet, but you do a “wah” sound that isn’t a full cry but definitely expresses discontent.
What’s been the sweetest moment you’ve shared with her this month?
My favorite moment has been holding you in the crook of my neck while you sleep, especially after you’ve been crying. Knowing you feel safe and relaxed there is incredibly rewarding. I wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else in that moment.
How was her first bath—spa day or total betrayal?
You definitely did not love your first bath. By the third bath, you seemed more okay with it—until I poured a larger cup of water over your head and back. That did us in. You liked being wrapped in your infant bath towel, though.
What’s her go-to nickname so far (even if it’s totally ridiculous)?
Your most consistent nicknames have been huevo, sweet [something] (like sweet potato, sweet baby girl, sweet pea), and monkey monkey.
Any memorable “firsts” yet—like first smile, first blowout, or first epic stretch?
Everything this month has been a first: your first breath and cry, first feed, first bottle, first walk in the stroller and wrap, first contact nap, and first pee and poop in your mini potty.
What’s something about this first month that surprised or moved you the most?
What’s surprised me most is how you’re both so fragile and so resilient. You have more hair than I expected—and sometimes it looks blonde, brown, or even red depending on the light. You might have my hair color too. I’m most moved by how long I can stare into your big dark eyes, imagining what you’re thinking and how you’re trying to understand us. One other surprise: how much your temperature is affected by what you’re in. If you’re held by your dad, your body temperature matches his—and the same with me. You’re like a tiny, beautiful thermometer.
Happy first month, my little Magnolia. We love you.
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