One 2.0

Sprout,

You are already a month old. Can you believe that? Me neither. It seems just like yesterday that we discovered you planned to make your way to this world, let alone that you came. I guess time really DOES fly when one is having fun.

Your first few weeks were really centered around adjustment. Daddy and I are trying to figure out how to best nurture and gawk over you while still providing your big brother with the attention he desires. I'm here to tell you, my sweet baby, that is no easy task. Most of the time, we feel as if we are failing. Yet, at the end of the day, we are all healthy and relatively content. We survive.

Based on the stats from your one month check-up, it would seem that you spend most of your time eating. You gained over four pounds in your first month. FOUR! I will be honest: It is difficult for me to figure out how much you actually eat. Sometimes, you want nothing to do with food. At other times, you will literally sit and eat for hours. Silly, baby!

Your preference is to be held -- pretty much always. You are a major snuggler. You have no desire to sleep on your own - in a crib, in your pack-and-play, in your swing, or anywhere else for that matter. You want to be in my arms (almost exclusively) all the time. I struggle with this a bit. On one hand, it is impractical to hold you all the time and Daddy and I want you to be content on your own. On the other hand, I am well aware of how quickly you will grow and how much less interested you will be in me in just a matter of months. Ah, the decisions a parent must make!

Other than being held, you also enjoy being outside a great deal, too. You think the trees above our deck are amazing to look at. You feel the same way about the ceiling at our local coffee shop, too. Of course, you typically spend most of your time sleeping above all else. I'll admit it: As the quarter winds down, and your brother acclimates to sharing our attention, I am thankful for this trend. I also like that at the end of the day, I can crawl next to you and just be. In a few short months, you'll have no desire to sleep through the day or to cuddle so tightly.

Your demeanor is gentle. When awake, you spend most of the time being quiet and taking in the world around you. Your bright blue eyes dart back and forth between objects as you work to adjust your vision and figure out who and what everything is. Most of the time, you are quite content just observing. With that all said, you have a temper and it is ferocious. Unlike most babies, you do not believe in the subtle whimper that leads to a cry. When you want something, you cry like you mean business. You turn bright red and are absolutely inconsolable until you receive exactly that which you desire (most often: Food). Then, just as quickly as you escalated, you are calm once again.

We are stopped frequently while out in public. People feel the need to comment on your amazing hair and bright blue eyes. Most people tend to assume that you are older than your actual age due to the sheer quantity of hair you have, your high level of alertness, and your stature. You respond by being mostly uninterested in their comments.

You have been an amazing gift to our family. Daddy and I did not know that we had more love to give after your brother was born, but you have shown us that we had so much more capacity. You have also given Tadpole the opportunity to shine. He loves you so much. He is inquisitive regarding your development, protective of your person, and thoughtful regarding all that which you may like to do with him. You are the perfect addition to our family. We feel so blessed to have you with us and look forward to making your life rich and fulfilling. We love you.

Love,
Mama