To Etta, at 2 months

Dear Etta,


Happy two months, Baby Girl!  We've made it through the two hardest months.  Things will become easier now, I promise.  You're becoming more accustomed to life on this side of the womb, and we have learned how to communicate with each other on topics like feeding and ECing.  With each week, your daily rhythm becomes more established as it finds its way into the family's routines.  As you grow bigger and stronger, nursing is becoming easier as you learn how to perfect your latch to get more milk and less air, and how to breathe through a sometimes-not-so-gentle letdown.  And, we're learning how to nurse side-lying, which lets us nurse with much less time awake- something we can both use.


You are smiling!!!  I adore your goofy little grin and love all the effort you put into it- the buildup before each smile is precious as you strain your facial muscles, trying to convince them to behave as you want.  Most of your smiles, though, are aimed at two other beings- Tye, your beloved big sister, and Mico, your silly big dog.  Tye asks to hold you every day and will gladly drop any activity just to help change your diaper, and you smile at her whenever she comes near.  Just hearing her voice makes you smile, which is perfect, because she sings to you quite a bit.  And when Tye isn't around, Mico is constantly checking on you.  He usually sniffs you and walks away before you even realize he was there, but you end up smiling after his visits.  They both love you so much, Etta.


In these two months, Etta, you have changed our lives and transformed our family.  It's hard to remember life without you.  Just this week, I had to remind myself as I looked at photos of Christmas that you were still in my belly then.  The holidays seem so recent, and yet I can barely remember life before you arrived.  And when I start thinking of next Christmas, and how you'll be preparing to walk by then, I am overwhelmed with emotion and just want to cuddle your little self.  As the mothering phrase goes, The days may drag, but the years fly by.  Dressing you each morning, as you now outgrow your second set of clothes, reminds me to cherish each day and each stage.  I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.  


Love, 
Mama