Caroline is 2 months old!

Caroline, you are 2 months old today.  My maternity leave is done, but I still get another month at home with you until school starts.  I love that my summer is filled with time spent with you and your sister.  I'm trying to soak it all up.  I don't want to miss or forget a thing.  So here's what you're up to at 2 months old.

• You are becoming very aware of your surroundings.  When you're in your swing, you watch the mobile go round and round.
• You prefer to sleep on your tummy, so we let you during naps.  For a couple of weeks you even slept on one of our chests at night.  But for the past two weeks, you have slept every night in your bassinet. On your back.  I'm proud of you and us!
• Sometimes you have a 6 hour stretch of sleep at night.  It's not consistent yet, but it happens a couple of times a week!  The rest of the time you sleep for about 4 hours before waking for a dream feed, then you go straight back to sleep.  The lack of sleep doesn't bother me at all because I know how fleeting this time is.  At two years old your sister sleeps 12-14 hours a night, so I know there will be more sleep in my future!

Up until this week I was nursing you almost exclusively.  You really didn't like taking a bottle at all.  We started giving you one at least once a day to get you used to it.  It turns out that it's easier for us to keep your reflux under control when you're bottle feeding.  So now, you are also taking formula and it is going quite well.

You still don't like taking a pacifier.  Every time we try, it gags you.  I'm really okay with that since you're a pretty easy baby to soothe.

• Your eyes are still a dark grayish blue.  Just like your mama's!
• But opposite of your mama is your hair color.  Mine is blond with darks roots:))  Yours has been very dark since you were born, but the roots are now coming in light.  I'm betting you end up with the same color of hair as your sister, but we shall see!

You are holding up your head better and smiling more every day.  It's so fun to watch, and especially fun to watch Elizabeth notice it too.  She gets so excited for you. 

• Before you were born we were a little concerned with how Elizabeth would react to the constant attention you would require.  Whenever I held another baby, she completely freaked out and would scream "MY MOMMY!"  In the beginning, there was a little jealousy.   But that has pretty much vanished.  The opposite is now true.  Elizabeth is very protective of you.  When other kids get in your face or try to touch you, she quickly covers you and sternly says, "My Caroline".  It's the one time I don't mind her being territorial.  I hope she's always that protective of you.
• She still likes to hold you, but it lasts for all of about 2 minutes before she's bored and ready to move around again.  I think the idea of holding you is fun to her, but she's too much of a busy body to sit still long enough.  Soon enough you two will be playing and running through the house together!

• She doesn't like it when you cry.  At first we thought it was sweet how she didn't like for you to be upset.  But the truth is that your cyring bothers her if it's too loud.  She starts crying too and shouting "BABY CRYIN'!"  as if to say "Make her stop!  It's driving me crazy!"  It makes me laugh every time!!
• Sometimes when you cry she tries to shove a paci in your mouth.  We have to keep a close eye on her because she's rougher than she intends.  Even her hugs sometimes seem more like an attack.  But she does love to sing to you, and sometimes that actually does soothe you!

• Elizabeth won't leave for school in the morning until she kisses you good-bye. And when you are sleeping, she holds the video monitor without taking her eyes off of you.

My prayer for my two girls is that you will grow up to be best friends.  I know sibling rivalry is bound to happen, but you two are each others best gift!

Happy 2 Months Birthday Sweet Girl!!