Letters to Lyla and Lottie

Water on the Tramp!

Dear Charlotte,

You are two months old my dear.  Your presence in our home is so perfect and fitting, it feels like you’ve always been here.  How lucky we are to have you.  You are still my sleeper baby.  You sleep in big long chunks during the day (like 3 hours around noon and 4pm) and sleep 4-5 straight at night. I call them your baby comas.   It’s amazing.  Thank you so much for being so good to mama.  I hesitate to say this part, but I do want to remember things fairly accurately so don’t feel bad when I say you are kind of a grumpy child when you’re awake.  You mostly cry and cry and cry. I’m not sure if it’s collic or reflux (which I am quite certain you have).  It’s hard that I can’t really console you but I want you to know it doesn’t bother me really at all.  I thought it’d want to die if I had a crier baby, but really, I love you all the same and rarely get frustrated because you sleep enough that I’m rested and up for long bouncing sessions.  Luckily, Lyla isn’t bothered by it either.  I just hope it’s not that you’re suffering and that I can’t fix it.  Aside from the cry spells, you are really peaceful and so loveable.  You are always up for a good cuddle session where you sleep nestled in my chest.  I could spend lifetimes that way. I love when you’re just waking up and you pull your head back to take me in.  You are so interactive already and smile just on your own.  I just love when I look down to notice you’ve been smiling at me.  You’re so quietly beautiful.  Understated.  The world you entered is certainly more loud and chaotic than the one your sister entered.  Lyla screams in your face, tries to kiss you( i.e. slims your face), and occasionally head butts you.  You take it all in stride and rarely seem bothered.  This is how I know you have such a laid back and peaceful manner about you.  Lyla is starting to love you a tiny bit more and I’m getting glimpses of what you’re life together will be like.  I see you being the relaxed one that lets Lyla boss you around.  I look forward to seeing your little personality come out more as you grow, but for now, stay a newborn okay me sweet?

`I think you have dad’s nose.  It flairs a tiny bit on one nostril (but is totally cute)

`Your discouraged hour is around 11pm each night.  You have a little crying spell and then zonk out

`You slept 7 hours one night!!!! It freaked me right out.  I kept checking to make sure you were alive.  That  sure was nice lovey

`You already love your bath!  It seems like Lyla hated it as a baby.  You’re almost too long already for the baby tub and boy to you kick and kick in there. 

`You are such a good talker.  I love our little conversations.  You have lots of stories to tell already

`I think I already mentioned this, but you had quite a wild ride one day when Lyla knocked you off the couch onto the floor.  You were in your carseat but I had just unbuckled you.  You weren’t hurt luckily, but I felt so bad I think I snuggled you to death that day. 

`Your smell is addicting and like heaven

`You are not a binky fan but sometimes enjoy sucking on your arm or fist

`You already beg for the boob!  It kills me. 

`I have you a bottle of breastmilk for the first time at 7 weeks old and you did NOT like it one bit.  You didn’t get mad or anything but you didn’t have any interest in trying to suck on it. 

`You have had the worst case of baby Acne.  You got it right at 6 weeks.  It plagued your entire beautiful face and was still there for your blessing.  Of course when I took you in for your two month appointment (1 day after your blessing) Dr. Miller said it was actually a form of dry skin (so all the times I washed your face to try to dry it out was really hurting things) and that I should use cortisone and Eucerin.  It was cleared up by the end of the day and you haven’t had a single blemish since.  Curse the timing but  I’m happy you’re rid of it. 

`You have the exact same stork bite Lyla had.  Right on the back of your neck.

`You look so peaceful when you sleep, there’s nothing like it.  You’re eyelids flutter, I think, because you’re dreaming of Heaven

`At 2 weeks old, I decided you had reflux because you did the same thing Lyla did: smack your lips, gag, and cry when I’d first lay you down asleep.  You can hear it come up in your throat and then you’d cry cry cry bloody murder.  I honestly could never just lay you down asleep and have you stay asleep.  It’d take 2 or 3 tried of comforting you and I know it’s because acid would come up your throat as I first laid you down.  I started you on Lyla’s meds at 2 weeks old (with Dr. Miller’s permission) and got you your own prescription at your 2 month appointment.  You’ve responded really well to the meds and seem much much more comfortable.  It makes me so sad you and Lyla have to suffer that way

`Sometimes when you’re crying, all it takes is eye contact and someone to talk to you.  It’s almost like you want to be mad but you can’t help but smile when you’re talked to.  It cracks me up

`You outgrew newborn diapers and are now wearing 1/2 diapers quite comfortable.  I bought too many thinking you’d grow (or not grow) the way Lyla did. 

`You are still such a hair puller!!

`You also outgrew your newborn clothes are rock size 0-3 months with no problem.  I was very sad when I boxed up your newborn clothes, and yes, I cried.  You outweigh your bestie, Reagan!

`Did I mention your first smile was right at 4 weeks and you do it all the time now?

`You’ve had now UTI issues since your hospitalization.  That was one of the scariest thing mom’s ever faced and I now take your temperature or feel your forehead kind of obsessively. 

`Zach has coined the term “skullet” on your behalf.  This, because you have such a bad receding hair line that it’s skull (or baldness) and then hair in the back.  Thus, Skullet

`You know your mama.  Dad claims you hate him, but I think it’s just you know my smell (which means food) and so you stop crying when I hold you.  I’m not going to lie, I like it  

`You have the sweetest coo

`You are spoiled and like to be bounced.  WE don’t know how you know the difference but you like bouncing standing up! No sitting on the job

`You HATE and I mean HATE any kind of jostling.  It’s like you get so comfortable when someone’s holding you, that you pass out.  When someone rearranges you, or pass you on to someone else, you get TICKED.  You settle right back down though after you make it know that we made you mad. 

We LOVE you LOVE you LOVE you. 

~~~~~

Dear Lyla, You’re 20 months old my baby girl.  You have seemed soo old and mature lately.  I don’t know if it’s because you’ve grown up as a big sis or if you’re really just becoming my big girl.  I can’t help but smile when I watch you play or do the funny things you do. I’ve been shocked lately because you follow many complex instructions.  I just had no idea how much you understand.  You throw diapers away for momma and will run and grab a clean one if I just say someone’s poopy.  You’re so smart.  You’ve become much more accustomed to Lottie and do sweet things like bring her your baby’s blanket and kiss her.  You are less and less interested in hurting her every day.  I think you’ve almost completely adjusted.  You are such a spunky little thing.  It’s just so funny because what you lack in size you make up for in personality.  You are SPUNKY my babe.  You aren’t afraid to embrace things that seem scary or to tell anyone what’s up.  You have the ability to exert your desires with very little words and a lot of grunting and pointing. I think it’s safe to say you’re intimidated by very little.  You are such a social child.  You’re always up to play and interact with anyone.   There is so much that is infectious about you.  You little laugh, your excitement, your smile.  I revel in little mommy moments I get like when you’ve just woken up for a nap and want to lay your head on my shoulder.  When my kiss is the perfect medicine for a scrapped knee or bonked head.  When you actually let mom get past the first page of a book.  Those moments are precious to me.   As always, you are so beautiful.  WE love you baby

`You say “Caca”! To smelly or gross things.  You’ll also scrunch up your nose. 

You say “awe!” to any baby in a book or on TV

Your first real sentence was so fitting to who you are.  It was “I wanna go!”.  You always want to go and would go home with just about anyone.  Needless to say we get out a lot or at least play outside a lot. 

You’re now an expert at most animal sounds.  They’re not all just a growl now   You can MOO, Oink, Bark, Growl, Roar, Tweet, and others still

You still love dogs as long as they’re at a distance.  You shriek anytime you see or hear one!

You can say Callie and Melissa (which sounds more like Mluh) and boy do you LOVE your aunties (Aunt Jenny is mom to you because that’s what your cousins call her).  You get so excited anytime you see them

You say disgusting like “gusting!”.  It’s so funny

Like your mama, you only like icing off things.  You eat the icing off a cupcake or the inside of an oreo and then hand the rest back to me.  Beaters with icing or anything actually are your most favorite treat!  You’re not afraid to dip it back in for more. 

You seriously have the cutest laugh ever

You are scarily brave.  On the playground you run across this bridge thing without fear.  You also love to jump and really do anything. 

You’re catching on to counting!! Love it.  I’ll say ONE and you’ll say TWO!! and be so proud of yourself. 

Towards the end of your 20th month, it was like something clicked and you started talking SO much.  You catch me off guard often by saying a tough word or sentence. 

You are in this phase where you like lining things up and getting things just right.  You line your toys up in the bathtub and in your kitchen.  It cracks me up

You call for dad the way mom does, “babe!!”.  HAHAHA.  You’ll be in the other room and call for dad loudly saying “babe!”

You are so good at asking for help.  All throughout the day you’ll say “HELP!”

You have Beiber Fever for sure.  You now sing the “BABY, BABY, BABY OHHH” part of the song.  It’s the most adorable thing ever. 

You want your picture taken now and will bring me the camera and say “cheese!”

After your bath or if it’s chilly outside you’ll say “BRRRR”

You now want to hold Lottie.  You’ll let me put her in your lap but then you want her off right away and kind of shove her forward.  We’re getting there though

In addition to spunky, you’ve been described as a little Spit Fire.  It’s pretty accurate

You hold your own with the boys you play with.  The girls are usually timid and you’re on the go with the boys doing whatever they do.

You’re into stripping these days.  You can take off your diaper these days and just love running around naked.  You even say “nakey!”

You like to have your baby swaddled.  You bring me your babe and a blanket and have me swaddle them.  Then you’ll carry it around. 

You say hello like “LOW!”.  It’s so cute

You ask for a bite of food when something looks good.  You’ll say “BITE!!” to anyone.

You have an obsession with coke which I blame your grandma for.  You ask for a “COKE!” anytime you see a cup

You love the Shrek Movies and saw the most recent one at the theaters!  We’ve enjoyed two of the summer movies.  You love getting on the little booster seat and eating your popcorn.  You usually may attention for about 30 mins, then you’re out. 

Now when I ask you if you w hot dog you BARK!

You want everything girly that mom does.  You’ll bring me hairspray and want some

When I ask if you wanna go you say, “c’mon!" and runs to the door”

You LOVE swimming.  We fill up your little pool with warm water from the water heater and you will lounge out and lay on your tummy.  It’s so fun to watch

You LOVE your trampoline.  LOVE it.  It was like Christmas the first time you got to jump.  At least once a day you run to the back door and say “jump!”  You get on and pat on the trampoline so we’ll get on with you. 

You so ring around the rosie and FALL down

When you hear or see birds in the sky, you sign bird.  SO cute. 

You are very demanding at times.  Especially in the morning.  First thing you do is sign milk and say “MILK!”.  In a tyrannical way. 

You’re slightly OCD at times.  You want things just SO and things given in both hands etc. etc. 

You say banana in a funny way.  You roll your tongue back and forth

I think you had a little growth spurt at the first of the month because you started eating a ton.  You are look a little bigger too

You kinda manipulate for attention.  If we’re together and Lottie starts crying, you suddenly start crying or asking for attention. 

You are starting to say Lottie.  It’s so sweet the way you say it. 

2 month STATS

Weight: 10 lbs 14 oz….53%

Height: 23 inches….76%

Head: 15 inches….34%