Happiness and gratitudes: Niece-Baby edition

• I took her to see her reflection and she smiled delightedly at herself, every time.

• These little sighs and mildly dissatisfied/musing noises she makes to herself.

• Her feet flexed when you pick her up.

• She laughed wildly for about three seconds when her papa smacked some kisses against the side of her face. Who knows why a baby laughs? I mean, what is it like in her brain?

• She's in the 75th percentile for weight, 85th for height, and 90th for head size. Also basically bald.

• Shocked-looking staring-big eyes ALL the time. And blue. So blue.

• Fascinated by hands. She holds mine for minutes, feeling it out with her own cool, tiny-nailed, half-scrunched hands. Like she'd tell my fortune, or like how blind people in movies read faces with their hands.

• She will stop crying if you let her look at one of her parents' iPhones.

• Her cheeks are like mochi. Irresistably squinchable.

• The clothes bar in her closet lined with tiny little jackets.