Your Second Month

You have been a blessing in our lives for two months now. You are truly a miracle. We look at you everyday in amazement and awe because you are the most incredible creation. You are a perfect mixture of me and daddy. Everyone says how much you look like dad and I have to agree - but your temperament is a carbon copy of mine. You are stubborn, strong-willed and know what you want. I don't think there's anything wrong with that either. We may be in for it later in life though, because you're as persistent as me and as cute as your daddy. That's a lethal combination. 

You don't cry much, but when you do, you really let us have it. You let your presence be known with a cry like I've never heard before, to say you're loud would be a gross understatement. Most babies have a cry that gradually gets louder and louder - not you, you start at the highest decibel you can reach and daddy and me run to tend to your every need. Most of the time you only cry when you get hungry, so we are thankful that we are able to quickly make you happy again with a bottle of soy formula. As of now, you are eating about 3 or 4 ounces of soy formula every 3-4 hours. You also get so angry when you have the hiccups. They frustrate you and you cry, so of course, we had to figure out how to fix that for you. We have discovered a great fix - Gripe Water! As soon as we hear the hiccups, we give you a squirt of this amazing stuff and before you know it, you're smiling again!

In this second month, you have hit some awesome and exciting milestones! The most exciting for us is getting to see your AMAZING smile almost constantly. If you are awake, you are smiling. I remember the first day you smiled at me. June 11, 2014, you were only 5 weeks and 1 day old. I was surprised because you were still so little, so I Googled "when do babies start smiling?" and sure enough - other mommies had experienced this bliss early on, too! Your eyes light up at the sound of mine and daddy's voice and you make me feel like I can do anything when you smile at me. You also love to "talk". You babble and coo. Your dimples add another element of "adorable" to your smile. 

You've also started sleeping in your own room in your big girl crib! This happened just two nights ago on June 30 when you were 7 weeks and 6 days old. I think this transition was harder on me and daddy than it was on you. You are so brave. I was just sure that you would bawl when we left you alone in your room for the first night, but you didn't. You fell asleep peacefully in the glow of your nightlight. I think you are confident and independent and I admire those qualities in you so much. You love to have your bathtime, massage (yes, mommy rubs your belly and back slowly and you coo like it's nobody's business, most of the time), story time and a bottle with Karo. Then we wrapped you up tightly and lay you down to rest. Sometimes you put up a fight because you wanted some more of daddy's snuggles, but I don't think he minded rocking you for a few extra minutes until you're in a deep sleep. It took a couple of nights of you lying in your crib restless for us to realize that you love sleeping on your tummy, just like me. We went to Buy Buy Baby yesterday and bought a very fancy baby monitor for you. It allows you to sleep on your tummy without us worrying about you because it monitors your movement. Currently, your favorite music to listen to as you're being rocked to sleep is Jeremy Camp. 

During the second month of your life, your daddy's first Father's Day came upon us. Of course you were too small to really give him anything...and what more could he want but you, but I did get him a card and signed it "Love, Brooke & Brier". We went to Kyle and Paige's for lunch that day because we found out the hard way by trying to visit Burkburnett and Granbury that you're not a fan of traveling. Here you are looking super gorgeous with your daddy on his first Father's Day.

You love being with your daddy. Some of your favorite things to do are swinging in the hammock, reading books, and gardening! 

One of your favorite books this month is Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman. It is beautiful. It goes like this...

I wanted you more than you will ever know, so I sent my love to follow wherever you go.

It's high as you wish it. It's quick as an elf. You'll never outgrow it...it stretches itself!

So climb any mountain...climb up to the sky! My love will find you. My love can fly!

Make a big splash! Go out on a limb! My love will find you. My love can swim!

It never gets lost, never fades, never ends...

if you're working...

or playing...

or sitting with friends.

You can dance 'til you're dizzy...

paint 'til you're blue...

There's no place, not one, that my love can't find you.

And if someday you're lonely, or someday you're sad, or you strike out at baseball, or think you've been bad...

just lift up your face, feel the wind in your hair. That's me, my sweet baby, my love is right there. 

In the green of the grass...in the smell of the sea...in the clouds floating by...at the top of a tree...in the sound crickets make at the end of the day...

"You are loved. You are loved. You are loved," they all say.

My love is so high, and so wide and so deep, it's always right there, even when you're asleep.

So hold your head high and don't be afraid to march to the front of your own parade. If you're still my small babe or you're all the way grown, my promise to you is you're never alone. 

You are my angel, my darling, my star...and my love will find you, wherever you are.

You have had some special visitors this month. Poppy Steve came to see you! Gigi has been here and you visited Grandpa Barad at work, too! Neena, Poppy Kirk and uncle Hayden are planning a trip to see you next week! I don't have a picture of you and Gigi, but trust me - she's here a lot to be with you (at least once a week!) 

Other firsts? You wore your first pair of shoes and sat in your Bumbo for the first time this month. 

You also celebrated your very first 4th of July - Independence Day! We went to Granbury and spent the day with Grandma Sally, Popa Bruce, Neena & Poppy Kirk. You don't look so excited about the day, but you had a fun time! You smiled and made everyone's day. When we got home, we watched the fireworks on TV. Next year, you'll get to watch them in real life! We were afraid the sound of the fireworks exploding might scare you!

We also were asked to be the stars of special commercial for Grandpa Barad's credit union. A film crew came to our house and took pictures and videos to produce this awesome keepsake that will double as advertisement for Union Square! You are a tiny star.

Here you are on the day you turned two months old! Thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives! I feel more love than I even knew I was capable of feeling and all because of you, sweet babygirl.

Love you more...