two months

sweet noah~

you turned two months old this week (yes, i am a couple of days late... but i didn’t even do this for the older kids...) you are our “unexpected blessing”, our incredible gift, my little live-in guru and buddha baby... reminding me of what’s really important in this world. you got me to stop working so much, slow down, take a breath, and completely focus on our family this summer. there are times that i am disappointed that we didn’t fill our summer with more gardening, adventures, camping trips, etc-- but i have to remember, there’s time for that. this summer you are a newborn and simply being with you is enough. our days go by lazily in a rhythm of nursing, burping, cuddling, diaper changing, “flirting”, stretching, listening to music, doing chores, playing with the big kids. just everyday stuff, but you are happy, and that is enough.

this month your hair stopped falling out and the softest possible little crew cut started to appear. you’ve grown to over 14 pounds. your rash has completely disappeared, your tummy seems less upset, and your shoulder no longer seems to bother you at all. you have grown solid and sturdy, and i can support you around your ribcage in a sitting position and you can hold up your head, wobbly, but stable. you’ve started pushing off my lap with your legs into a standing position and seem very proud and joyful about it. you’re practicing tummy time and very determined about it. you make the sweetest little grunting sounds when it gets too tiring or frustrating. i can lift you up like an airplane and you’ll lift your head and look around. best of all, you started really smiling. your face simply lights up, your nose crinkles, your dimple deepens, and your eyes... just melt my heart. you’ve recently added sound effects, little goos and coos and ahhs that sound like you are so filled with glee you have to let some out in these little sounds. it’s really too much... and never fails to center me.

the big kids absolutely adore you. they can’t keep their hands off you, really. “oh noah baby...” you let them hold you, albeit briefly, but aren’t too sure of them yet-- at least about them holding you. but in the past couple weeks, you have really seemed to notice them and our dog, Bayli, and give them smiles. thank you for that-- it makes them so happy and proud to “get a smile” from you.

i’ve left you a couple times this past month. first, we took you to grammie’s and we went on to fernhill park (two blocks away) to give L & M some undivided attention. they missed you right away and it started sprinkling, so we were back after only 45 minutes or so. grammie held you the whole time, and gave you your first bottle. you did wonderfully. the second time i left for a bit longer to go get a massage from kristy and you stayed home with daddy and the big kids. i think they took turns feeding you that time. but most of the time, i am with you. usually holding or wearing you, though you are getting heavy and i have to take more breaks. you like laying down and stretching out, watching the mobile if we’re home, or watching the trees if we’re out and about. last weekend we had our first big adventure together-- we flew to CA to see my girlfriends/your aunties at the american river. you laid naked on the beach and listened to the river rushing by, and got doted on by the older kids. (Aliveah, Moorea, and Addie put you in their dollie stroller and pushed you around and you were such a good sport!)

you sleep well. again, for this, i thank you. really. thank you very much. you nurse and nap and nurse and nap from about 6-10 pm, then you’ll sleep until 4 or 5, nurse, and back to sleep until about 6:30-7:30. then i feed you again and hand you to daddy. you two enjoy your morning time together, i’ll have to have him tell you about that. and he brings you back to me when you’re hungry again (between 8 and 9). i get up with you, have some coffee, and check my email with you on the nursing pillow or on my shoulder-- or we sit on the couch with my feet propped up on the coffee table and you reclined on my thighs while we make faces at each other, coo, and “flirt”. then you fall back to sleep on my left shoulder for your morning nap. that’s where you are now. you rarely fuss anymore-- there’s really nothing that milk, naked time/new diaper, or swaddled/cuddled in the pouch time, or a nap won’t fix for you. and i can’t stop kissing your cheek, the top of your head, your neck, your belly, your toes, your waddle. and i can’t begin to describe your sweet, milky new baby smell.

so many words, so many photos, and still-- i can’t seem to capture the magic of this time with you. just know that i love you, bubbi-- and am so glad you’ve joined us. my heart has grown at least three sizes in the past two months.

xoxo
mama