They are Both Sleeping

Which means that I have time to post this:



Now I am off to dig out the 3-6 month size clothes so Kai has something to wear that actually fits, clean out the stroller so I stop lugging around used sippy cups and empty sunblock bottles, and figure out all of the straps on the Baby Bjorn, so I can keep my promise to Jett and take the boys for a ride on the bus this afternoon.

Cheerio!

A Good Morning

Two Months

Happy Birthday, Kai. A whole bunch of days ago you turned two months old.

Oh Kai. We've done so many things this last month, and I haven't written about any of it. Do you think I'm not noticing your tiny details and accomplishments? Do you think I don't appreciate our busy, disorganized, happy days? I do! I do!

For example, I am currently, this very minute, bursting with the success of your nap. In other words, I'm thrilled that after many failed attempts, you've finally fallen asleep - while Jett is still asleep, no less. (Although I'm sure Jett is going to wake up any second now that I've bragged about you both napping for a few of the same minutes). And don't mind that you've only been asleep for two minutes. That's two minutes longer than our three failed attempts in the last hour.

I read that at two months old, some babies start reacting to their environment. So after Jett goes down for his nap, I draw the curtains in my room/your room, rock you in the chair, and lay you down in your cosleeper. You always wake up right away and fuss, and after just a minute or two I pick you up and comfort you and eventually start over, but I'm hoping that one of these days our routine will stick and you'll stay asleep. Today though, after our many failed attempts, I wrapped us up in the blue sling, put on a lullaby cd, and swayed you to sleep while standing in the kitchen. And here you are, still asleep, after I dare to sit down at the computer. It's all very sweet and cuddly, you wrapped up close to me, sleeping. If only it wasn't killing my back.

But I love it.

And now, my sweet baby, your brother is awake. I must type fast.

Do you know how much you've grown? Just exactly as much as your supposed to, which is just what we like in a baby. Twelve pounds, twelve ounces now, Baby Kai. You've grown out of some of my favorite onesies, and now I'm hoping you'll fit in the cosleeper until January. Today I took you out of the bassinet part of the stroller and sat you up in Jett's seat, and with a few minor adjustments, you fit. I couldn't believe it, and you loved it. Finally you could see what we were doing, instead of staring at the top of the stroller and just listening. Jett and I loved having you up and about with us this morning.

Another thing that Jett really loves about you is your over-abundance of drool and what you both can do with it. You blow bubbles with it, which Jett loves. I know he loves it because when he sees your bubbles of spit he squeals, "Bubbles, bubbles!" and runs over to you to point them out to me. Sometimes though it's just plain old drool dripping down your chin. That gives Jett the opportunity to really shine - he finds the nearest burp cloth, holds daintily on to the corner of the cloth, and gently dabs your mouth and chin to dry them off. It's very sweet, your drool and Jett's dabbing.



Oh Kai. I don't write well under pressure - the pressure of hearing Jett call to me from his crib, the pressure of trying to capture our sweet moments in one sitting at the computer. But I'll be back soon, recording your cuteness in as much vivid detail as I can.



Kiss kiss! We love you.

Ummmm.....

Baby books, pediatricians, baby yoga teachers, my own instincts. They all tell me I should talk to my baby.

But none of them tells me what to say.

I have trouble making small talk with people who carry one half of the conversation. Imagine my difficulties in coming up with an entire conversation on my own. If writing letters to Kai was as effective as talking, I'd be set. However, I've been told that listening and talking and learning how to carry on a conversation is important for a baby. So every day I face the challenge of coming up with something to say to mine.

When Jett was a baby and I was stumped for something to say to him, I'd simply narrate every single thing I was doing at that moment. He heard stunning commentary on unloading the dishwasher and folding the clothes. Diaper changes were a little more exciting because they lend themselves towards more colorful words and facial expressions. But still, it all felt a little forced. I felt ridiculous telling him that I was putting away the dinner plate on the second shelf, and asking him which dish I should put away next.

Sometimes I resort to reading my books and magazines aloud. It's not particularly engaging, I know, but I like to think that Kai likes the sound of my voice, and benefits from it alone. I know I benefit from it: Kai falls asleep only a few minutes in to every chapter.

Sometimes I sing. Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Pour Some Sugar on Me, whatever. Singing seems like a pretty good alternative until I hear a sweet little voice at the other end of the couch, ("No ninning! No ninning!") begging me to stop hurting his ears with all my music.

One reason it's so difficult to think of anything to say to Kai is that he looks so wise. I look in to his eyes and I swear he knows everything I'm thinking anyway. This is how I imagine it:

Me: You are the cutest baby!
Kai: No kidding, Mom. Grandma was just here, remember? I heard it, like, ten times a day.

Me: Look at those little toes!
Kai: Dude. You talk about my toes all the time. Find another fabulous feature, would you?

Me: Smile for Mommy! Come on, give me a little smile!
Kai: Eye roll.

Me: Do you have a burp for Mommy? Is there a burp in there for Mommy?
Kai: Gag.



All I can think of is to tell him I love him, and then I look at those eyes and I swear he's telling me he already knows.

How important, then, is conversation? Isn't it enough to rest his cheek on my cheek? To hold his hand in my hand? To smooth down his hair and lay his head on my chest? Isn't that enough?

A Great View

Love. Chaos.

Thank You

Grandpa manages two on the couch, and then spends all of his money on fudgy brownies because we were craving chocolate.



Grandma coaxes Kai into his first smile. Then she cleans our condo, makes dinner, puts Jett to bed, and spends 10 days changing nearly every diaper that needs changing.



And Heather. Oh Aunt Heather. For Aunt Heather, Jett will put on pants, eat a good breakfast, and switch from crying to laughing in seconds. I think Jett is in love with Aunt Heather.



So is Kai.



And so am I.