Baby Talk

Well, I'm home for the holidays. 

As is my custom, I stay over at my grandmother's house where I get loads of peace and quiet and my own television (Food Network is on channel 40). This morning I woke up, showered, picked up my bagel and coffee (Gingerbread brew, in case you were wondering) and came home. My niece Emma stayed the night with Grandma and Grandpa Duns so she was in her bouncy-activity-lead-free-walking-seat in the middle of the kitchen when I arrived.

What is it about babies that makes adults lose their speech capacities and begin to speak utter gibberish? As I type this my sister Hagan is making the most ridiculous noises and asking questions such as "Who's got your nose? Who's got your nose?" in a variety of high-pitched catterwallings. This child is FOUR MONTHS OLD! Without a sense of Object Permanence (Hooray for Psych 101) every time she sees me its like I'm born anew in her eyes. So I highly doubt that she takes any cognizance of the fact that someone has purported to steal her nose. 

I say this all in jest. I think it's hysterical to watch how people talk to babies. Granted, I'd be more inclined to coax the baby to say "Rahner" or "Heidegger" or "Transubstantiation" than "ba-ba" or "nook-nook" but that should come as no shock. 

Emma is now sitting in my lap and I've realized that at 4 months she has a lot more hair than I do. I'm sort of jealous. She's wearing a floral onesie (one-z? One piece thing) and she smells good. 

So that's my first Cleveland update. I'm fighting off a cold - I'm bordering on it, tilting toward being sick, but I'm fighting heartily - so I'm going to go and relax with my book ("The Holy Sinner" by Thomas Mann) and try to stay well.