Today is the first day of fall: the only season my sweet little son has yet to experience. Less than four short months and Cal will be one year old – crazy. My disbelief has less to do with time’s passage than Cal’s complete transformation from a totally reliant infant into this individual who crawls between my legs, recognizes words, imitates sounds, and perseveres after whatever’s in his sights.
And with Shaun working long, hard hours, I’ve been spending lots of quality time with Calvin. In recent memory, last Sunday’s lazy, hot and wonderfully long hours stand out. Cal’s great grandmother Kathryn was at our house all day and Cal spent probably three hours outside splashing in water, laying in the hammock and sitting in shade under the shade tree with her. During that time, Cal de-leafed a dead mint stem – plucking the leaves one-by-one off their perch and crinkling them to hear their melody. When I brought out a bowl full of water and bottle parts (which he promptly giggled at), he would alternate sucking on the toys, patting the water and methodically ferreting out any errant leaves that had landed in his tiny reservoir. He was sparkling, and in his element.
Last week at a moms club event, one mom led a discussion centering on temperament and behavior modification. Much of the behavior mod discussion wasn’t relevant to babies, but the temperament information made me think about Cal’s disposition, Shaun’s and mine, and how we all play off each other. Right away I deduced that Cal was different than myself (loud and intense) and more like Shaun in his many gregarious and outspoken mannerisms, but as I thought about it, I could see how we have some things in common too: his sensitivity and interest in others, his perseverance and focus, his vocalization of emotions. On an online quiz I took, we both were rated as “spunky” – but I think spunky in different ways. On another Web site, I found the “dimensions” of temperament, and wrote some notes under each:
Activity level. Calvin is generally squirmy and active. Although the natural world can bring out his relaxed side, he still craves new experiences and likes being on the move.
Regularity. Since he was born, Calvin has wanted to eat at regular intervals (2 hours), and, early on, started sleeping regularly without any schedule-setting from us.
Approach/Withdrawal. When Cal sees something new, he brightens up. He's happy to play "pass the baby" at a party! New people bring interest, and even though he has some stranger anxiety emerging, as long as I’m not in the room, he’ll interact happily with other people.
Adaptability. Cal thrives on consistency, but is open to the occasional schedule change, as long as his sleep is accommodated. Hey, he camped at a remote beach on Tomales Bay. I think his adaptability is thanks to his interest in novelty.
Sensory threshold. I would say Cal is more sensitive than not: he likes his bottle room temperature, sleeps only certain ways and with some coaxing (rocking) by us and prefers the feel of soft blankets. He will also wake up in response to racket (usually mine) in the kitchen.
Mood. Cal is quick to giggle, smile and smirk (he has a new, tight-lipped grin he sports nowadays), and lights up when he sees someone or something he likes. When he cries, we know he really does need something — and it’s usually comfort, sleep or a helping hand.
Intensity. Cal definitely seems extroverted – he laughs and cries loud. He also "talks" a lot. If he is unhappy, he makes it known. Generally, he enjoys making noises, like squawks and high-pitched squeals. His new MO is repeating sounds he hears.
Distractibility. Calvin can be highly persistent so it depends on what he’s being distracted from – if it's sleep, he likely won’t be distracted easily. If it's a toy he's passionately moving toward, he also won't be happy. But if it's a worthy distraction, it might work.
Persistence. If the item is new, Cal will play with it for some time. If it is something he wants and it is off limits, he will stop at nothing to get it in his tiny paws!
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