A New Day: 2 months

4.16.2010

2 months

Dear Gwenivere,

I can't believe you are 2 months old already. I'll probably say that every month, but really its amazing how the time flies by!

This has been a fun month, you are starting to do so much more. Like the 6 week smiles! Right on time girl. God really knew what he was doing when he made babies because those smiles start coming right at the perfect moment to give parents the extra boost to keep going with the long nights and tiring days!

And Gwen, your smiles are magic! I can't even describe how it melted my heart and filled me up the first time I saw you break into a grin... and even better was the first time I was sure that I caused it! Plus, you have one dimple, just like mommy does. :-)

You are such a sweetie now. Just so happy in the mornings, which is a beautiful way to start the day. I put you on your changing table and you smile, and coo, and take in the pictures on it with great relish. You love those pictures! We probably spend 15 minutes each morning, after we are done with being changed, just looking at and "talking to" those picture.

After that you will normally hang out in your crib, watching your mobile until mommy is done peeing and brushing her teeth. It's a great new development which my bladder and teeth appreciate. And the fun stuff, doesn't end there. You are awake so much more during the day. We make faces at each other, read books, and sing songs. We also do tummy time, which you still hate... but which has paid off, with a strong neck and strong legs. Unfortunately for mommy's productivity, your naps all seem to need to be on me, at the moment. Its like there's a switch, and when I put you down, you go into wide awake mode. But we're working on that!

Speaking of sleep... there are times when having you in bed with us is exhausting. And I don't even realize how much so until we have a night when you sleep for a few hours in your crib, and then I wake up to get you for the first time and it is magical how well I slept. But I still love it, and the times that I wake up before you, getting to watch your little eyelids twitch and hear your sweet sleeping sighs, well they make it all worthwhile.

Even better, the fact that you sleep like your daddy and I do, stretched out, with your hand thrown up over your head. I woke one night and caught you both sleeping like that, and it was only the siren call of sleep that kept me from jumping up right that minute to get a camera to capture the moment. The next morning I kicked myself a bit because it was just so adorable. Though it did make me wonder how we look... the three of us in a row, with our arms all thrown up above our heads like some weird roller coaster full of narcoleptics. It makes me wish I could have a photographer follow us around for a week, just to get these shots... the moments I want to remember forever.

But your sleep has improved. It still hit or miss whether you'll actually go down in your crib when we do you night routine. The routine worked perfectly for about a week, and has sporadically since then, but some nights you simply refuse to stay asleep until I hold you for an hour first. However your average at night is now closer to four hours, so that's good. And of course there was that one glorious night, 8 hours! And last night you gave us 7!! I can't wait for you to do that on a regular basis.

You are still breastfeeding like a champ, but now you're starting to take a bottle occasionally too. You are so out to give your daddy an ulcer though... since the bottle you decided to like is the expensive kind. And even that one doesn't hold a candle to the boob. But we're going to keep practicing this month, because daycare is looming, and it would be great if you would eat there!

You really seem to enjoy being outside now. We've been taking walks in the evening, all four of us, and you get so relaxed in the evening air. You'll often fall asleep, but if you don't, then you seem to love looking around at all the sights and the play of light. This is great timing too, since we're deep into a lovely spring.

The other day we took a blanket out into the yard to be with your puppy, which she loved. I can't wait until you are big enough to throw the ball to her. For now, we just watch your pup.

This month you've had your first holidays, and met a bunch of new people, and you are such a relaxed baby that you really take it all in stride. I hope you keep that trait for all your days. Relaxed and happy is the way to be!

Love forever,
Mommy