B.A.B.E. Week 50: the baby goal

I have now blogged about the completion or incompletion of 2 out of the 4 babedom goals.  Today, am going to blog about the "baby" goal.  My goal has always been deceptively simple - providing Elle with a healthy environment.  In other words, making sure that Elle's emotional, mental, and physical needs have been met.



I feel extremely lucky that providing Elle with a healthy environment has felt easy for the last 11+ months (knock on wood).   For so many moms across the world, it is certainly not easy to meet their babies physical needs, and maybe also their emotional and mental needs as well.  But for us, our basic needs are met (food, housing, security, healthcare) and we can transfer those physical needs on to Elle quite easily, especially since Elle's health is good.



Providing Elle's mental and emotional needs has also been a joy, not a burden   Mentally, it is so easy to engage her in learning about her world.  And as human beings, I think that we instinctually understand ways to play with our babies to help them learn.   To me, Elle seems so smart as she tries to navigate using a spoon to feed herself or explores her world.



Incidentally, I think that Elle may have finally really gotten her first word "mom".   In the past, I have blogged about her signing milk or saying bye.  Unfortunately, these milestones haven't truly been repeated so we aren't counting them as her first communication.  In contrast, Elle seems to call for me "mom" or "mama"  or has told me "mom" in quiet moments when we are cuddling.   She also now
points to my nose when I ask:  "where is mama's nose?"



And emotionally providing for Elle's needs as a full-time working mama hasn't felt as difficult as I anticipated for a few reasons:  (1) Wilson is such a great caring loving dad that he plays a huge role in fulfilling her emotional needs as well; (2) When I am not working, I am almost always with Elle and being with Elle means that it is a pleasure to respond to her emotionally; and (3) Working from home allows me the flexibility to take breaks and see Elle.