Our Strawberry at Two Months

Sooooo...I spent last night WEEPING for two hours. Susannah has officially outgrown two of her outfits, which set off a chain reaction of [pretty irrational] emotions in my heart! I can't believe our daughter is TWO MONTHS OLD TOMORROW!!! The time has gone by so very quickly, just as every mother I know warned me it would. I remember receiving those sweet outfits as gifts during my baby showers, and how exciting it was to anticipate what our yet-unborn baby girl would look like in them. I remember washing and organizing them in her dresser just hours before I went into labor. I remember trying them on for the first time and remarking to Harry "just how big even the newborn-sized clothes are on her!"


And to think she has now outgrown them is shocking to me. I rejoice that she is growing and becoming extremely social and even more precious than ever before; however, these developments are bittersweet to me, as I know she and I will pass this way but once. Such a romantic time of life it is to have one's first baby...

Susannah now weighs approximately 11 pounds or more (this is our best guess according to our at-home adult scale that is pretty accurate...for adults anyway!), and is SMILING UP A STORM! She is starting to socialize with us while she eats, coming off the breast or bottle to smile and coo. She loves to have "conversations" during her "kicky time" after her feedings. She makes prolonged eye contact and can't seem to stretch her mouth wide enough or squint her eyes tightly enough when she delights in our special interactions. "Heartwarming" doesn't even begin to cover it! Her facial expressions are CHARMING...the eyebrows that show curiosity, the shiny and widening eyes when she is listening to us or "talking back" during our "conversations" with her, the trembling lower lip and the melting face that quickly follows when something startles her. Her little voice is becoming more intentional, though it is still pretty throaty and soft. Occasionally, she will surprise herself by making a cooing sound...her eyes get really big in response and she just freezes up as if she's thinking, "Who said that?"! Her body is extremely active. Her arms and legs and fingers and toes just FLAIL when she is on her back playing with us. She tracks objects beautifully, and pays special attention to Rylie-dog's waggily tail whenever we have family time on Mama and Daddy's bed. She loves when Mama and Daddy sing to her, and when we dance with her cuddled up against our chests. Needless to say, we could hold and sing to and talk to and dance with our sweet Susannah Joy all the day long! Our toilets officially have dark (probably permanent!) rings in them...


Susannah has started to enjoy nightly strolls through the park. She sits contentedly in her stroller contemplating the world around her, and then drifts off about 20 or so minutes into the walk. She continues to love her baths, as well, and will splash her feet and hands in the water that is under her in her infant tub. Sitting in the Baby Bjorn is also one of her favorite things to do. She helped Daddy water all the outdoor plants while "riding" in it the other morning! She was in the Baby Bjorn when we visited our WONDERFUL downtown toy store, Pufferbellies, for the first time on Friday in order to buy a birthday present for a friend Josh (Susannah's going to her first birthday bash this coming Sunday in Richmond!) and a Christmas present for cousin Sophie. She slept the whole trip through the store, which meant that Mama had a dangerous amount of time to look at the new inventory and dream of all the playing we are going to do in years to come...


We are savoring each moment of our precious one's life, and I am reminded again how I would not be complete without her. God has been so faithful to give me this blessed opportunity to become a mama, and Harry to become a daddy...

Enjoy the onslaught of pictures below! I am lethal with a camera when I'm around this baby girl :)

Isabelle and Mallory from my preschool class visited, along with Mallory's little sister Madison (left). They delighted in seeing our sleeping babydoll!

Madison kindly carried just a few (ha!) of Susannah's toys from her nursery to her bassinet. As an almost-three-year-old, Madison knows the value of waking up to a vast array of play things. (Don't worry...when Madison wasn't looking I immediately removed the toys so Susannah wouldn't suffocate!)

My overwhelming gratitude for this precious gift in our home is yet another reason for last night's tears, and the many that have preceded them.

We adore our sweet Susannah Joy!