My dear Valor Zeal,
You're two months, my little love! You're growing squishier by the month, which we find exceedingly endearing. You weigh 12 lbs and are 22 inches long. You wear size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothing. Your feeding and sleep patterns have become more predictable, for which we are more grateful than you can comprehend. You stopped cluster feeding (for now) throughout the night at the beginning of the month. Nowadays, you're nursing every two to three hours during the day for up to fifteen minutes per feeding (so efficient!), and averaging every four hours at night for fifteen to thirty minutes per feeding. Nursing is a cherished pastime for us both. They're instituted spells for me to unwind from the day's frenzy and focus on bonding with you. You curl your body snugly around mine in sweet contentment. When I'm not simultaneously entertaining your big sister with stories and songs as you feed, I steal some time to memorize your newborn features (the peach fuzz on your head; the creases on your thighs). At night, you either sleep beside us, swaddled with your arms out or in your bassinet. You're sleeping longer stretches at night, averaging three to four and a half hours (five hours twice)! Your daddy and I are giddy whenever we get at least a four hour stretch. Your daddy puffs out his chest and proclaims, "I feel like a champ!" We're less zombie-like this month since you distinguished between night and day.
Now that you're more awake during the day, you're getting acquainted with the world. You stare bright-eyed at your surroundings. You discovered your voice at seven weeks. It's the cutest to witness you go from newborn grunting to vocalizing with "mhm," "urh", "oo," and "ah." You smile more often when you're milk-drunk or when you're asleep, but you're beginning to charm us since you turned seven weeks with fleeting smiles while you're awake, although we must wildly entertain you with inflected chatter and exaggerated facial expressions to earn them. You are content to practice tummy time for short increments of time. Your neck muscles are getting stronger as you do. You're nearly able to pull your head up vertically. Right now, you can lift your head up half to three-quarters of the way up. You enjoy being on your back to track the colorful dangling shapes on your baby gym. You love when your daddy gives you a warm bath. Most of all, you crave being in my arms. You settle down for a nap only when I cradle or wear you to sleep. Whenever you're fussy, the pacifier helps, white noise helps even more, and my holding you close helps most. If I put you down after you to doze off, I lay with you so you can intuitively burrow your face and body into my side before falling into a deep sleep. You constantly desire to be held, considering your chair, bassinet, and bed lackluster substitutes for the comfort and security of my arms. Therefore, you get worn a lot during the day as I juggle caring for you and your big sister. I confess it's trying at times to hold you often. Please be patient with me as I learn that God is teaching me how to be joyfully sacrificial in motherhood. At the end of the day, it is the absolute most darling thing that you must be as close to me as often as possible. Your sweetness melts my heart. I know these days of carrying your littleness will be gone before I know it.
I already feel like you're growing too fast. Besides your teeny expressive feet, your chubby cheeks are probably my favorite feature of yours. I could kiss them all day long. Most people are convinced you're the mirror image of your daddy. You definitely seem to have his eyes. You have my ears. We're unsure of everything else right now. We'll see as your features and personality develop in the coming months. Until then, we are enjoying your adorable squishiness. We affectionately call you "boo boo" around here. Your big sister loves to squeal "Hi boo boo!" first thing in the morning and "Bye boo boo!" before she goes to bed. Her greetings are always accompanied by kisses. Know that you are so dearly loved by us all. We are so excited to watch you grow.
Love you so,
Mama
P.S. Valor Zeal at 0 and 1 month. Plus, his birth story.
He is so precious!
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