Little Missy -

You’ve been in our lives for two months now. I feel like I’ve known you forever! In fact, just the other day I was thinking about how I can’t really even remember life without you, and how full and happy my life is with you in it.

In this last month you have started “waking up” so to speak. You have much longer awake times, although you are still quite a big fan of sleeping. You’re pretty laid back as long as your butt is clean, your tummy is full, and you’re doing exactly what you want when you want to do it. Sometimes it finds me a while to figure out what EXACTLY it is that you want to do, but when I find it, you’re happy and content.

You gave your brother and I a little hint of a laugh last week! We were tickling your chest and you let out a little coo thing while smiling, then immediately got the hiccups. Just like your brother and I, you seem to have gotten the unfortunate ability to get the hiccups simply from laughing.

Speaking of your brother, my God do you love him. Your eyes light up when you see him. You follow his voice around the room. You flash your biggest smiles when you hear his voice and when he kisses you. You can tell that he adores you, and you love him right back. It’s enough to kill me dead each and every time I see you two interacting with each other.

Girlfriend, you LOVE to sleep. And since I love to sleep, too, you’re basically my favorite baby ever. You’ve been sleeping through the night consistently for a while now. We can put you down between 8 and 10 (depending on your crankiness and hunger) and you’ll stay asleep until sometime between 4:30 and 6am. I know, I’m lucky. So lucky I can’t even believe it. I’m sure it’s just short term and suddenly you’ll turn into a sleep-striking maniac, but I’m taking things one day at a time. And these days are amazing. You, my dear sweets, can even put yourself to sleep! As long as you’re swaddled with your ocean noise and fishy lights on I can lay you down wide awake and you’ll be asleep within about a half hour. Occasionally we have to pop back in there to give you back your paci or turn your seahorse back on, but you’re a pretty content little girl once you go to bed.

Abby, we’re closing in on our last month together. You’ll start daycare pretty soon. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I mean, you’re brother has been in daycare his whole life, too, and without me working, your dad and I wouldn’t be able to afford the current life we live (which is pretty low-frills as it is). But instead of thinking about you being apart from me, I’m going to just focus on our time together and take things with each other one day at a time, one moment at a time.

Two Month Facts:

Likes - Aric, swinging, being under the play mat (or “tent” as Aric calls it), sleeping (through the night most nights!!! It’s incredible!!), Mommy’s milk, baths, snuggling, music, your car seat when it’s moving, your seahorse, the light projections on the ceiling.

Dislikes - When we can’t figure out what exactly it is you want, when your food doesn’t come out at the EXACT speed you want, dirty diapers, when your car seat stops moving while you’re awake (when you’re asleep I can get away with it!)

Wearing - You’re firmly in 0-3/3 month clothes now. Although your pants are a bit long. And by a bit long I mean unless you’re wearing leggings, your feet simply disappear in your pant legs. But everything else fits perfectly right now, and I can’t see you moving into 3-6 months any time soon (thank goodness!). Diapers are still a size 1, but I think we’ll be switching to Huggies. I miss the built in poo-catcher in those. The Target brand diapers just don’t hold up to explosive breast milk poop.

Dr. Appointment - You had your 2 month doctor appointment yesterday, and, honey, I’m sorry to say it, but you’re built like a bowling ball. You weigh 12 pounds 6 ounces (the 88th percentile!) and you’re 20 3/4 inches long (the 4th percentile!). Yep. You’ve grown a total of 1/4 inch. At least you’re on the growth chart, which was more than your Auntie Em could say But otherwise you checked out great, and the doctor isn’t concerned about anything! YAY!

Milestones (from Baby Center):
Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Vocalizes: gurgles and coos – Yep! And it’s probably the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.
Follows objects across field of vision – Yes indeed! You particularly like the owls above your swing.
Notices his hands – I don’t know. Maybe? You know you use your fists to shove into your mouth to indicate hunger … when they drift by your mouth during hunger times, I guess.
Holds head up for short period – Yep! Although you don’t like tummy time very much. Very UN-like your brother.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Smiles, laughs – LOTS of smiles, but just the one laugh so far. I keep trying for more!
Holds head at 45-degree angle – Yep, but again, you hate tummy time.
Makes smoother movements – A bit. You’re still a bit jerky but it’s not quite at the level of newborn jerkiness.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Holds head steady – Most of the time. We still have to be a bit cautious, though, because you do lose control still and either throw yourself backward or forward into our jaws.
Can bear weight on legs - Kinda, yeah! You actually like standing, although I don’t really want to encourage it.
Lifts head and shoulders when lying on tummy (mini-pushup) – You do your best lifting when you’re on your changing pad, so you can do this then. But on the floor or on your Boppy, not so much.

One Month (Jan 28th)