Dear Charlie,

You’re two months old today! As always, the time has been flying by ridiculously fast. You are growing like a weed– last week you wore an outfit that Alex wore to his first day of daycare when he was 4 months old! I packed up your newborn sized clothes not long after I wrote you last time, and you’re pretty solidly in the 3 months size at the moment. By the time I write you next, I bet I’ll be packing up that size too! Dad & I decided that this time around, we’re not going to keep all the baby clothes/toys/etc like we did the first go-round. Although it’s going to be nice to have all that space back in the garage & attic, the finality of getting rid of baby things is admittedly emotional for me. We haven’t decided whether we want to have another baby someday, but even if we do (it’s a BIG if right now) it won’t be for a few years at least. Knowing that you may very well be my last baby, I’m trying to burn into my brain all the precious little memories of what life with a newborn is like: the way your tiny toes and fingers curl up when I touch them, the smell of your head, the look of your eyes as they drift off to sleep and your eyelids get so heavy, the sound of your coos and even your little newborn cries. I’d forgotten how much different it sounds compared to our toddler’s cries (which we hear pretty often as well these days… but that’s another letter entirely. LOL).

Talking about crying brings me to the title of this letter. It is true that you indeed have colic– not unlike your brother did at this age but also not JUST like him either. Overall I would say it isn’t nearly as bad this time around, but I’m not sure if that’s because you don’t have as severe of a case or if we’re just more prepared for it now (having gone through it once already). You have a colicky period in the evenings, but it isn’t every night and there is no one particular way to calm you… different things work on different nights. Sometimes nothing works– Dad & I just take turns holding you/attempting to calm you until you finally fall asleep (like last night). Sometimes your days are 100% peaceful, other days are colic central and I can hardly put you down. When you go through those particularly rough spells, the sanity level gets pretty low in our house unfortunately. With Alex things were much more predictable, albeit more intense. The only thing that makes colic with you more challenging is that I don’t have the kind of free time I did when there was just one baby to worry about. I tend to feel extremely overwhelmed when you’re extra colicky on top of everything else I have going on. It’s times like those that I wish we lived closer to our families, so we could have extra help with you guys. If Alex is at home I have to try to divide my attention and can’t hold you as much (thank God I decided to keep sending him to daycare during my maternity leave, that’s been a huge help!)… even when he’s not here, I spend my days catching up on chores & projects as much as I can (or rather, as much as you will allow me to. Haha).

Speaking of Alex, he is still a very good big brother to you so far. There have been some subtle ways that I’ve noticed the addition to the family affecting him, but overall I think the two of you find a lot of entertainment in one another. Although he still loves to share his stuff with you, the only “gifts” he’s been able to truly impart on you so far are germs. :-\ Late last week all three of us (me, you & Alex) had a terrible cold. It started with Alex and quickly spread to me and you. Sigh. Luckily for you it seemed to be fairly mild– just some congestion & sneezing.

As far as milestones go, you quickly “forgot” how to roll over (which I hear is common in babies that roll over that early).. but have started to smile more. 🙂 It is so cute! Dad gets the most smiles though– he can get a smile out of you almost every time he looks at you, whereas I’m lucky to get a smile once a day or so. But I know it will come in due time! The other big milestone is sleeping– you sleep really well at night, only waking up once during the night to eat (if that). Woohoo! That will be a big help when I go back to work in a month. Now that the end of my maternity leave is drawing so close, I’m starting to dread going back to work a bit. That first week especially is going to be so tough! But, I know in the long run I’ll be glad to be back at work. As much as I love you boys, I just don’t think I’m cut out to be a stay at home mom.

Anyway, here are some pictures and videos from this past month. Sorry there aren’t more… the colic leaves little time for taking pictures.

Big brother time! In that first picture, Alex was showing you his Legos. 😉

You generally hate tummy time… but tolerate it a little more on the pillow. Our little penguin friend usually keeps you company!

So handsome! And so big! Folks seem to say that you look more like me, whereas Alex looks more like Dad… and although at the moment I tend to agree, it’s really too soon to tell. Your hair is an auburn sort of color & even looks red in the sunlight (at the moment– it may very well lighten up the way Alex’s did) and your eyes are blue. That last picture cracks me up every time I look at it!

Lots of sleeping going on, as you can imagine! That top picture was from your first trip out to a restaurant (one of my & Dad’s favorites– a new Mexican place called Chuy’s). Notice in the bottom picture that Alex thought you could use a Ninja Turtle. LOL

Some artwork you & I made for friends recently. 🙂

Quality time with my boys! It’s a tight squeeze fitting you both in my lap… but I always make sure there’s room. 🙂 In the last picture you actually were about to cry because the binky had fallen out of your mouth, but to me it kind of looks like a smile or a smirk in this shot! LOL

THE POUT! This is one of my favorite faces of baby-hood. It’s not as cute on toddlers. Haha. So clearly it took a few tries, but eventually….

We got your two month shot. 🙂 It’s amazing how much life can change in just a couple short months like this… but I truly would not have it any other way. Despite the ups & downs, you have truly been such a joy and a blessing to our family already. For that Dad & I are so, so thankful. All of us love you so very much! ❤

And as I wrap this up, it’s now the day after your 2 month “birthday” … what can I say, these days it’s almost impossible to knock out one of these letters in one sitting. But I do have some extra news to add as we had your 2 month checkup today: you clocked in at 15lb 1oz, 23.5 inches long, and a 16 inch head circumference. That puts you in the 97th, 77th, and 92nd percentiles respectively– confirming my suspicions that you’re a big dude! The pediatrician said you look “perfect” and had no concerns whatsoever. Always music to a worrywart mom’s ears! 🙂 I suppose that’s about it for now, Charlie Bean (my current favorite nickname for you, no idea where it came from)… Until next time!

All my love,
Mom