2 Months

Dear James,
Welcome to 2 months!

I can't decide if you look cuter in the picture above or the picture below, so I'll just have to show both of them!

This past month you have started getting REALLY fun. I'm so excited about what's coming...more and more of your sweet personality! (I'm starting to think about your halloween costume and Christmas...) But, I'm also sad to see our little baby growing up (you'd think you were graduating from high school or something!).

Your stats this month:

Weight: 11 lbs 0.5 oz (33%)

Height: 23" (49%)

Head: 14 3/4 (7%) - clearly you have my head, buddy, not Daddy's head - for now that's what it appears, anyway

Every single day love grows in my heart for you - even though I don't know how that's possible because I love you so much. I know you are tired of seeing the camera flash in front of your face...and you've been very patient with me as I've taken 100 pictures of you a day :) Things to note about this month:

- We think we have your acid reflux figured out. You are drinking a bottle every single time, about 4 oz. each time, of my milk + rice cereal (1 tsp per oz). The bottle is good because it helps you be able to sit up more while you eat. The rice cereal has been fantastic because you don't spit up near as much anymore - sometimes not at all! You are taking Prilosec, which took me about a day to figure out the cost of at different pharmacies. It's a medicine that has to be compounded, and our insurance doesn't cover that, so we had to do some investigation. You know that Daddy is a major investigator of things, so he had me doing major research on different options :) We are getting the medicine from an older pharmacy here in town though, and they have the compounding equipment. I think the Prilosec is working great. We give it to you between supper and your bed time, and it's purple and refrigerated. You don't seem to hate it, but you don't really seem to like it either.

- You got your first vaccinations yesterday (except for your first Hep B vaccination that you got like 2 days out of the hospital). You got two shots and one oral vaccine. I can't remember what they all were, but one was for rotovirus, and I know it included whooping cough and some meningitis stuff. You screamed like someone just tore your heart out when they did it. Bless your heart. But, you stopped crying quickly, and Daddy kept telling you how exciting it was that you got orange band aids for the gators and what a big boy you were. I couldn't really speak except to hold you and try not to cry hard. You ran a fever last night of 100.4, but the dr. said that would be normal. You were very lethargic and clingy - not fussy, just really wanted to sit with Daddy or me. It was very sweet. I was worried about leaving you to go to sleep last night, but you did great!

- You are sleeping 5 hours straight at night and then waking up to eat and going back to sleep 2 hours and sometimes 3 hours. I wish it was longer, but the doctor says that for a breast fed baby you are doing great. You are very funny when I come in to get you. Usually you are starting to cry - because I wait to make sure you are not going to go back to sleep before coming in - and you seem mad at first - like, "What took you so long to get in here, Mom??" But then, when I start to unzip your sleep sack and get you out, you just smile and look at me. You are looking at us with lots of recognition now - we know you know who we are. You suck down that bottle in the middle of the night as if you've been working out in the yard or something. You are thirsty and hungry! I give you 5 oz., and you usually gulp it right down! It's hard for me to put you down to go back to sleep because you are so sweet. You just smile and talk to me. I always hold my breath as I leave the room because I'm so afraid you're going to freak out, but you don't. You are doing great at going to bed at night! We put your jammies on, then eat, then pray with you, then put you in bed. You usually don't even cry - you are just smiling or sleepy looking.

- Your first time to go to church will be this next Sunday. I am VERY NERVOUS about it. I am happy for our great church to see you, but I don't want lots of people in your face. I know that's why we've waited these couple of months to take you, but still, I'm planning to leave you in your carrier, strapped in, so hopefully you'll cooperate with that plan :)

- I haven't gotten your day time schedule figured out yet. The dr. told me to chill out and just watch you - that I'll be able to tell when you're tired and want to sleep. I wanted it to be completely regimented like Babywise, but it looks like the Lord is going to stretch me a little about that routine :) I just want you to be well rested and a happy baby! And you are most of the time, but I want to do everything I can to make that happen.

- You are not going to the bathroom through your pajamas anymore at night! YAY! This is huge! You are going to the bathroom less on your changing table, wall, face, and ear :) And, since the rice cereal began, you are going to the bathroom less...but more...does that make sense? It has become more "interesting" let's say. We can tell by the look of deep concentration on your face that you are struggling to go to the bathroom. We encourage you to get it out!!

- Although you are sleeping in your crib at night, you don't like to sleep in it during the day, and so that's okay for now. You mainly sleep in the swing or on the couch beside me on a blanket - with pillows stacked on either side.

- You seem to like it in the kitchen with me - which cracks me up.

- You are doing great on all your milestones. You are smiling - big time! - you are recognizing our faces, you are holding your head up pretty well, and you are starting to grab stuff. BUT, I cannot get you to grab toys yet. You'll grab my hair or my hands, or anything on me or Daddy, but you will not grab your toys. I try to hand things to you - even regular things that aren't toys, like wooden spoons or silverware out of the dishwasher while we're in the kitchen. You REFUSE to hold the stuff. I mean, you literally pull your hand back and look at me like I'm crazy. I keep trying every day - Daddy gets you to hold stuff because he slips it in when you don't realize.

- Your favorite toys? Still the infant gym, for sure. You love that thing! You are liking the glow worm more and more and you like a rattle that lights up. You actually didn't cry today while I read you three books - you just looked at them and me and smiled.

- You like it when we sing. The other night you were really fussy and I sang You're a Grand Old Flag and marched around the house with you for about half an hour. I also sang the medley of the songs from all the different branches of the service, and you seemed to really like the Coast Guard song the best. Not sure if that means anything - just want to note it.

- We've started praying with you at night - whichever one of us puts you to bed. You don't seem to mind too much. If you fidget around and squirm, I just keep praying, and then put you to bed. You'll understand soon enough :)

You are a joy to me. I cannot even type this without wanting to cry. I could never have imagined my heart could be so full of love for someone - even in the midst of exhaustion and frustration sometimes. I pray God will equip me to be the very best Momma anyone could have. I know I'll mess you up, but like I tell you, Jamesy, there is no one, I mean, NEVER ANY ONE, who could love you more than your Mommy and Daddy except Jesus. And that is A LOT.

We love you! Happy 2 Month Birthday!