4>: One Month

The Otter, as with most humans her age, has a limited range of emotional states: HAngry, Inquisitive and Sleepy.

Yea, those aren't really emotions. So, let me set mommy brain aside and look this stuff up.

According to most baby sites, humans come with three standard emotions: Happiness, fear and anger. As they grow, upgrades become available, usually installed by the parental units, to expand the potential range of emoting.

Turns out, this is contagious. I now function on the same three emotions.

When I snuggle into my pillow after a unanimous family decision to sleep: Happiness. When I get more than a sip of coffee when it's fresh and hot. Happiness, too. That moment when Man returns from work? My most happy moment. Mostly because it's nice to have your best friend around, but also because it's nice to be able to pee to the sweet soundtrack of your-baby-not-crying.

And because happiness also includes the many 'awake-but-not-feeling-anger-or-fear' moments, it takes up about 90% of the day on my side.

The next most common is fear. It's when your baby wakes up screaming from a peaceful sleep. It's when her breathing squeaks and wheezes like an asthmatic's. It's when your helpless babe starts dry heaving.

As for anger? It's there. By far, it's the least common of the three, but I'd be lying if I said it never reared its ugly head during the last month. Does it make me a bad parent? Maybe.

But, maybe it just makes me a parent. And that qualifying good/bad comes from our response to this emotion. Whether we step back, seek help and take a break -- or not. And I am forever grateful that, in those rare moments, I can tag out and let the permanent roommate take a turn.

These days, the Otter is starting to smile--and smirk--and respond to Man and my machinations, so I cant help but look forward to the pending upgrades. For both of us.

Feb 15: Otter Colored