Letter to Anna: Month Two

Dear Anna,

I don't know when you are "officially" considered an infant and no longer a newborn, but I'm certain you think of yourself as a toddler stuck in a baby's body at this point; you are a mover and a shaker! It started with loving activity time of all sorts, with a preference for being on your tummy, morphed into you rolling over at 6 weeks and now you can be found wiggling or conducting your orchestra / directing traffic with your arms and attempting to crawl and push up with your legs during all of your waking hours. What can we say; you apparently have places to go and people to see.

Although all of this is exciting, we certainly don't want you to rush growing up. That said, you've done a lot of just that over the past month. We moved you out of the bassinet in our room and into your "big girl" crib about 3 weeks ago and you love it. Probably due to the fact that you no longer have to endure your Dad's snoring. But most likely due to the fact that you can squirm, grunt and toot your way to sleep without a nosy Mama peeking in every other minute. You've even started to take your naps in the crib, a good 2 - 2 1/2 hour one in the mornings and sometimes another long nap in the afternoon.

Even though you don't get to spend nearly enough time with him, you have your father wrapped around your little finger. He's started to give you a bottle and put you to bed each night so that you have dedicated "Daddy-Daughter Time." The first day we tried the evening feeding I was prepared for the worst … I had set myself up to pump while he fed you and was next to the baby monitor the entire time. After 15 minutes your Dad appeared and I was positive he was going to ask me to come in to feed you myself and soothe you to sleep … instead he held up an empty bottle and noted you were swaddled and drifting off. I was proud, sad and nostalgic all at the same time.

You decided this month that pooping was taking up extremely too much of your time and find it more efficient to only expel your waste a couple days a week. During the first week-long poop strike we were mildly worried, but a check during your one-month visit to the pediatrician confirmed there were no medical issues and apparently it's relatively normal for breastfed babies. You prefer to poop on the weekends … maybe you see being a baby as your full-time job and pooping is a leisure activity … or maybe you know that two sets of hands are beneficial when diapering after that long a stretch. Either way, what there is no lack of during these strikes are toots. You toot with gusto and make sure they count. Seriously, sometimes I think I gave birth to a teenage boy … the smell can be strong enough to wake me out of a semi-sleep state during your late night feedings.  It's a good thing we use an air purifier as white noise in your nursery.

We've started to mingle with other children this month and you are generally a star. We attend the neighborhood playgroup on Mondays, have Gymboree Play & Music class on Wednesdays and usually meet up with a friend for a Smoothie/Coffee dates on Fridays. Although you are usually the smallest child, you "wow" everyone with your personality, strength and happy disposition.

As many independent steps as you are already taking, you're still my sweet little baby and I cherish every single moment we have together. I love the quiet morning feedings when you're easing into the world and afternoons when you are starting the fight sleep, but still want to move and play. Most of all, I love knowing that you're my daughter and although you are growing fast, you'll always be my little baby.

Love,
Mom