created especially for us: Letters to James

Dear James,

71 days. That's how many days it's been since you were brought into the world. Ah. Mazing. I can't believe 10 weeks as flown by so quickly. You bring such joy to our lives that I can't ever imagine you not being a part of our day. Here is what you are like right now:

Growth: As of nine days ago, at your two month appointment, you weighed 11 lbs 5 oz and were 23.75" long. That puts you at the 26th percentile for weight and 86th for height. You are long and thin with a big head (77th percentile). You will grow into it though, maybe it just means you're extra smart for your age. =) You have been in three month clothes for a little while now, but the cloth diapers are also adding to that a bit. The doctor says you are looking strong and healthy and expects you to start rolling over sooner than later!

Eating: You are a great eater and pretty much have been since you were born. Your eyesight is improving and you're becoming more aware of your surroundings which makes you a little more distracted during your feedings. There is a whole big world out there to discover and you clearly don't want to miss any of it!

Shots: You were vaccinated at your two month appointment for a lot of different things. You cried harder and so differently than I had ever heard you cry before and I hated seeing you in so much pain that it made me cry. I fed you right after though and that helped you (and me) feel better. You slept more than normal that day and were a lot fussier but have been so much better ever since. The oral vaccine you got messed up your digestive tract a little bit but other than smelly, yucky looking poops you are doing great and don't seem to be affected by it at all. I am so thankful for that.

Sleep: Since you were born you have never slept as much as is typical for a baby your age. It was hard at first because a lot of your awake time was at night but now it's all during the day. You are going to bed pretty consistently at about 10pm each night (regardless of what time we get you ready for bed), waking up once to eat, and sleeping again until around 7am. Your first stretch of sleep varies right now from 4.5 hours to 6.5 hours. You're slowly getting better, but the shots seemed to have messed up your schedule a little bit. I've been praying a lot that your little body gets that figured out soon. During the day you usually take one long nap in the morning (2-3 hours, I usually sleep during this time, too) and a few mini naps after that (20-45 minutes). You get fussy when you start to get tired and usually need help falling asleep - you like to fight it a lot. Some days it can be exhausting and I hardly get anything done but your smiles and generally happy nature make it a little easier.

Interactive: You have become so interactive in the last couple weeks. You smile all the time, especially when dad is hanging out with you, and you've even had a few little laughs. You are very close to starting to giggle and we can. not. wait. It's easy to tell that your eye sight is improving and you are focusing on and following things that are farther away. Lights or bright areas in a room are your favorite thing to focus on unless Dad or Mama are talking to you.

Mouth: This is a big focus area for you right now. Not only are you "talking" - making lots of cooing and oo-ah-oh noises, but you've also become drooly and are often seen with spit bubbles on your lips. You have also purposefully found your hands and love licking/sucking/drooling on them. You take a pacifier sometimes, usually just to help you fall asleep, but it's clear that you prefer your hands right now.

It is so fun to see you growing and learning. We love you right where you are at, but we are also excited to watch you grow into each new stage. Here are some pictures of you/us from the last few weeks.

Love,
-Mama