for caleb at two months

Dear Caleb,

The time I will have you as a tiny baby is fleeting, and as much as I love watching you grow, it's hard to watch these precious moments disappear into the past. Because I don't want to forget what you are like at two months, here are some things I love about you as you are right now.

What I love most about you these days are your smiles. Over the last few weeks they have evolved from awkward little half smiles to full smiles shared when coaxed and now to big grins given often without prompting whenever you are happy. Though he never asks for them like your dad and I do, your brother Garrett has the talent of making you smile spontaneously, which makes me think that either you think he his a hoot or you love him as much as he loves you. Probably both.

I love to see how your little world has grown as you've developed your ability to focus and follow movement around you. You love to watch people, and when something catches your fancy, you'll stop and stare intently as you soak in everything you can about this new or otherwise interesting object.

I love that you are growing and are, by all accounts, a healthy baby boy. Every day you are stronger and a little less floppy. In fact, you are holding your head up so well that the other day we abandoned the infant insert for the baby carrier in favor of allowing you to ride in it like the big boy you are becoming. You loved it, and cuddled up against my chest and slept as we continued our outing.

And speaking of cuddling, one of my favorite things to do with you is, in the quiet of Garrett's afternoon nap, curl up together on the couch where you, just as tired as your big brother, will fall calmly asleep against my body. Sometimes I will drift off to sleep, too, to the relaxing and rhythmic sounds of your breathing. I love, too, that in the last week you've decided to sleep for longer than short three-hour stretches. Six hours may not be a full night, but it is a beautiful thing in my book.

I don't so much love your colic, but I do love that lately you have had more good moments than bad. It makes me think that if we're not over the hump yet, we're at least perched on top of it. I'm trying my best to enjoy every moment with you, and though the colic makes it difficult sometimes, I do love that it means I get to hold and rock you more than I probably would if you were a calmer, more happy baby.

It is a delicate balancing act to make sure that I divide my attention as fairly as possible between you and Garrett, and I fully realize that it is not easy to be the second child. But I want you to know how much I love you, my sweet Caleb. My world is not complete without you in it.

Love,
Mama