Dear Mikey Bug –

We are laying in bed together and I am listening to your sweet coos and giggles, not really sure who, or what, you are ‘talking to’, but I am pretty sure it’s the wall sconce above our bed. I can’t believe a few minutes ago you were screaming bloody murder about nothing, or perhaps everything. We walked, we ate, we burped, we sang, we danced, we walked some more. Then suddenly, it was over. Your ‘witching hour’ episodes seem to be far and few between thankfully, but it leaves us all exhausted. And through it all, you are 2 months today!

We went to visit Miss. Vivienne, who was born a few weeks ago to some friends from church. We took them some dinner and had a quick visit. I marveled over how tiny she was and remembered you were once that small! Granted it wasn’t for long – you now seem HUGE. We had you 2 month check up today and you are a whooping 13lbs 2oz and almost 24 inches long. I don’t remember the size of your head, but you are in the 98th percentile for that. Such a big boy already!

You’ve had a busy month little guy:

You smiled for the first time! It is up for debate as to when it actually was, but your Daddy and I act a fool trying to get that smile from you and as the month’s gone on, you are giving them up more freely. When you get REALLY excites, who whole body smiles. Your eyes disappear (like Momma and Grandma), your arms bounce around and your knees go to your chest. It’s like every single thing you laugh at is the funniest thing EVER. Especially when we sing in different voices or tap your nose. It’s beyond satisfying to know you are showing us you’re happy. I can tell you are going to have an amazing sense of humor.

You met your Pop-Pop! And man, was he smitten with you. He cuddled you and talked to you and offered you sage advice, as a Pop-Pop should. Now we Skype with him once a week and he is 100% focused on you and how your week is going. Most the time your week is going well 

You had a few overnight trips already and are proving to be a stellar traveler. You visited Grandma and Grandpa a few times, then stayed at Bubbe and Aunt Phyllis’ house for Bubbe’s 60th birthday. You were the star of the show, and I think the birthday girl seemed just fine with that.

We’ve been dipping you in a fish shaped baby pool on the balcony and you’ve seemed to enjoy it, probably because we fill it with warm bath water. We are desperately trying to make you a water baby! One weekend we decided to put you in Grandma and Grandpa’s pool expecting you to scream, like most babies do, and you made a funny face, but warmed up to it pretty quickly. We even put you in a baby float and you liked kicking your feet! You were beyond adorable in your little swim suit and navy blue Gilligan hat.

I think the biggest change has been more for our family – Momma went back to work last week! You probably don’t remember, since you were still growing in my belly, but I was laid off from a great job in March. It was very sad and worrisome, but it ended up  being a good time for me to rest and prepare for you! The good news is I was offered a different position at the same company part time AND you can come with me as long as your needs are still pretty simple.  We go to the office 2 days a week, and we work from home the rest of the week. You are so content to explore a new place and snuggle into your sling and sleep while Momma works.  Sometimes it’s frustrating for me trying to meet the needs of the company and you are the same time, but I have to admit, I like being 110% focused on something, then glance down and see you peering up at me and smiling. You are such an easy going baby Mikey Bug. All my coworkers like having a cooing baby to snuggle with during the day. It’s been a tough adjustment for Momma, but we are figuring it out.

You also met a bunch of new friends, one such friend was Aunt Sara, who is not really your Aunt, but she has known Momma for the longest time. You were SO flirty, it was hilarious. You looked at her curiously and broke into a huge smile, cooed and made lovey dovey eyes. I think we are going to have a hard time when your hormones start moving!

My sweet baby, this has been a wonderful month. I can’t wait for the next month and milestones.

Love you,

Momma

Dearest, sweetest Mikey –

I just glanced at you sleeping in your cradle and then glanced at the clock and I realized, one month ago, you were 8 minutes old. 8 minutes! I hadn’t even seen you at that point, but you were getting to know your Daddy. This month has been equal parts challenge and overwhelming joy. I’m not sure who I was before you were born, or even conceived. You are already so full of personality and I feel like you are growing and changing drastically every day. As much as I pray for time to stop, or even just slow down, I am patiently waiting for the next milestones. Here’s a recap of your first month – things we’ve learned about you and things we’ve done:

You are one gassy baby! You burp, pass gas and get the hiccups pretty often and they don’t make you happy. Daddy and I are trying different burping techniques, and one that works is putting you on your belly, on my neck pillow and patting your back between your shoulders. Gassy drops seem to help too.

In the hospital, you hated being naked or changed. Now you tolerate it and sometimes like being naked. Being changed is another story. And you STILL hate baths unless we are scrubbing your back.

Along the same lines, you have a gift for spitting up down my shirt – every. single. time. I could be wearing a turtle neck and you could have eaten 3 hours ago and still lean over and spit up. Again, you’re gifted!

You love snuggling on our chest with your head firmly planted under our chins.

You are not a morning baby, much like your Dad, Uncle and Grandma. The best part of my day is watching you (try) to wake up. You fuss a bit, stretch a bit, fall back asleep, then 10 minutes later you fuss some more, wiggle your eyebrows, open your eyes, then fall back asleep. And oh boy! You make some grumpy faces! I know from the minute you start fussing I have about 20 minutes before you wake up. Just enough time to jump into the shower.

You were born with your eyes wide open and they are pretty much that way today – so alert! You love laying on your play mat watching the flashing lights, or sitting in your vibrating chair mumbling to your ‘friends’ who are hanging in front of your face. Bright colors can keep you entertaining for hours. Like Momma!

You’ve had lots of visitors – grandma and grandpa, Bubbe, Aunt Rachel, Uncle David, cousin Mollie, Siobhan, Miranda and some other friends from church who are helping keep Momma and Dad fed. You’ve enjoyed them all and looked at each of them with a burning curiosity.

We had a rough go of it with breastfeeding, but you have chunked up quite a bit and are a great eater! Not the most patient, but you do your best Sometimes we have to pull the bottle away so you can slow down a bit and boy do you get mad! You start moving your arms and legs, and grunting like a pit bull. It’s pretty entertaining. We just imagine you saying you are starving and haven’t eaten in days.

We’ve taken a few short trips out and about – the Fair Oaks Mall to window shop once a week, PetSmart to pick up Charlie, Target with Grandma and most recently, The Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum and Babys R Us with Daddy. You usually sleep through these adventures, but I love how strangers ask how old you are and marvel at your alertness and adorableness. They are right on both points.

Well baby, time for another bottle. Happy 1 month birthday. Life has never been the same or better since you arrived. Can we try for sleeping through the night next month?

Love you,

Momma