A Letter to Owen

Dear Owen,

You are 2 months old today! It's hard to believe we have had you in our lives for 2 months! You have grown and changed so much.

You are now sleeping for 7-8 hours at night. That helps mommy and daddy sooo much! You have a new blanket that keeps you swaddled and cozy, making sleep so much better. You wake up every morning with a big smile- once you get that eyeball unstuck. You have a blocked tear duct in your right eye that makes it gooey in the morning. We clean it up for you though, don't worry. You used to pitch a fit every time we did that but now I think you want it cleaned up just as much as we do.

Here are some things about you that we just adore:

• You love the curtains in our bedroom. For some reason they make you smile. It's strange to us, since they are just plain, off-white curtains.
• Bath time has turned out to be fun for you. Mommy washes your hair first under the faucet and then gets out the tub for the rest of you. Daddy likes to help too. He likes to get the sprayer from the kitchen sink and hose you off. You have spikey hair after your baths.
• You love your swing. You like to sit in it in the morning and evenings for your cat naps. You have finally discovered that mirror and the toys that go around above your head. They make you smile and I think you are beginning to reach for them.
• You look like a cross between Stevie Wonder and an inch worm when we put you on your tummy. You can lift your head up but you aren't strong enough yet to keep it still. It goes back and forth and makes us laugh. When you get tired you just put your head down and rest. You can hang out on your belly for about 10 minutes before you get frustrated.
• You still have your chin quiver. It is so cute but you seem to be growing out of it. Developmentally, that's good but it will be sad for me when it is gone.
• You are good at going out to eat. You sleep through the meals making it nice for mommy and daddy.
• Your doggy, Carter, is finally used to having you around. At first, he wasn't so sure about you. Mommy was scared he was going to eat you. Now, he loves you. When you cry he goes to the room where you are and sits by you. He also likes to poke his nose in your swing and sniff you. Your eyes get wide when he is in your face. I think his whiskers tickle you. Carter has gotten a little too protective of you. He doesn't like when our friends come over while mommy is feeding you or you are crying.
• You have a fussy period in the evening. Sometimes there is just nothing that will make you feel better. To get you to settle down, we will carry you around in the carrier, push you around the house in your stroller, or try you in the swing. It usually turns out that you were hungry. Sometimes you just like to eat and eat so we don't always recognize your hunger signs.
• You have found your hands. You have been sucking on your fists a lot lately. You are also starting to reach out for things. Whether that is on purpose or not we don't know.

Not only are you changing, but we are too. Our late nights have been replaced with early mornings. On any given day, there are more baby bottles than beer bottles in the fridge. We can no longer get out of the house in under 20 min. It takes us that long just to get you loaded in your car seat.

We are sad to see you growing up so fast! You are outgrowing some of your clothes and newborn mannerisms. We are making the most of each day and loving each new milestone you reach. Mommy and Daddy love you very much and can't wait to experience the rest of our lives with you in it.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy