As urged on by my reference materials (both Japanese and Western), I started tummy time last week; whereby I give Yui some time off on lying on her back by laying her down on her tummy which would help her exercise her neck muscles. It makes her fussy after some time though so I only have her on it for a couple of minutes or so.

When I started last week, she can barely lift her head, as expected. She would lift her head a bit, like 20 degree angle, then have it back down again. Sometimes when I put her on her tummy it happened that her head is a bit raised. But after a few seconds on her tummy, she’d put her head back down and she’d only be staring down trying to lift her head as I encourage her.

This morning, her head was down when I laid her on her tummy. And then lo, she lifted it! And a pretty 45 degree angle at that, with her shoulders besides! I was gleefully cheering and clapping that she looked surprised at my behaviour. And because she was focused on me, she held her position for a long time, which made me even more joyful.

A minute after, when I was already hugging and cuddling my daughter, she must have felt my happiness and hence gifted me with her first real smile, never knowing that she gave me yet another reason to be happy. She has been smiling ever since her first week. But it’s at nobody and only when she’s sleeping. This time though, she looked right at me and smiled a big toothless smile. Suffice it to say that my eyes were brimming with tears of joy.

Six weeks (today!) and counting, Yui anak. Please be healthy, this I pray.