One and two months
In just a few days, Hazel will be four months. I thought I should get around to posting my earlier letters to her before it's time to write the next.
One month:
Dear Hazel,
You are now a month old. Right now, you are sleeping on my chest, wrapped up in the Moby. You are sleeping on my chest because you won’t sleep alone. You want to be near us at every moment. And while that’s sometimes a challenge, mostly it’s just really, really wonderful.
A month flew by in a moment. Wasn’t it just a moment ago that I was holding you in my arms for the first time? Wasn’t I just saying over and over, for the first times, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
I am so happy you are here, and so happy you are you.
The first night of your life, we were so happy to have you here, and so worried. Every strange noise, everything you did and didn’t do, we worried. You cried until we figured out you just didn’t want to be set down. As long as you were next to us, you were happy.
The first day of your life, you charmed every one who came over. You stared around with your bright eyes and seemed to soak in all the voices, all of which you already knew.
We are lucky, you are a very enjoyable baby. You love to be held, you love to go out and socialize. You love when we have a lot of people around. You seem to be a social little thing, and you love all the talking.
You are growing so fast, and changing so quickly.
The first few days of your life, you screamed every time we changed your diaper. Now you love to lay naked on the changing table and kick and coo. You like staring out the window at the leaves, and will happily lay there for ages.
You love bath time. You seem to have inherited my fondness for warm water. I tried washing you in the sink in what I thought was a baby appropriate temperature. You cried until I warmed it up dramatically.
You’ve started making more noises, and getting closer and closer to a true smile. The first time I heard you coo, I couldn’t resist cooing back. I don’t think that will ever get old.
You are so precious, and there are a hundred little moments each day that I am reminded of that.
I came to bed recently, and found you with your head on your papa’s shoulder, cuddled up against his side. He was reading to you. “She cries if I stop, he said” I don’t blame you. I like it when he reads to me, too. I complain when he stops, too.
Seeing you with him makes me love him even more. Your head looks so tiny in his big hands, and he’s so tender with you. You are lucky, Hazel, your papa is amazing. And when you get a little older, he and I are both in trouble.
When you get upset, your chin quivers dramatically. I’ve never seen a baby with a chin quiver like that. It’s adorable and heart breaking at the same time. It’s impossible to ignore. If you can still do that when you are three, we are all doomed.
Sometimes when I’m holding you, especially when you are wrapped around me after nursing, I try to imprint the moment on my brain. I try to memorize how your tiny body feels. How warm and soft and sweet you are. I’m so excited to watch you grow, and yet I’m trying not to get so excited about all the new first, that I don’t enjoy the moment.
I am really looking forward, though, to all your firsts. I want to introduce you to the world. Camping. Hiking. Swimming. Rolling around in the grass. Birds. Bugs. Trees.
You made me a mama, and I’m so thankful. It’s a month after your birth, and I’m still saying “I’m your mama,” to you over and over. Each time it sounds strange and wonderful.
Thank you Hazel, I love you.
Mama
Two months:
Dear Hazel,
Today you are two months and one day old. I am a day late writing this (a theme I’m sure will be repeated many times) because we were busy camping with Grama and Grampa Loerch. We visited the Hoh Rainforest with you Grama and Grampa. We had a lovely time and can’t wait to go back and visit again. Maybe we can even take a nice overnight backpack with you.
This week we have been “camping” (RVing) with Grama and Grampa on the Peninsula. You met your cousin Lysie and great uncle Bill and great aunt Linda. We started at Port Townsend (Fort Worden) then moved ot the campground at Dungeness Spit. Your great-great grandfather was light keeper there and your great grandfather (Grampa Norm Kinyon, my mom’s dad) lived there, too. He took a boat across the bay to school each day. We walked on the spit with you and enjoyed the view. You mostly slept and just woke up to nurse. You love walking and being carried in the wrap.
You recently met your Korean relatives for the first time at Aunt Michelle and Uncle Lou’s place. I can’t speak Korean, but “I want to hold the baby” and “She is so cute” translate easily. So does “Are you nursing her?” There is really no other way to translate your great aunt squeezing her breast, pointing at me and then pointing at you. Apparently, she approved, because we both got a smile.
You have changed so much in just the last week. You are more interactive and so, so smiley. We even heard your first little giggle. You love to lay on your back and have people entertain you. It is easy to do because you are so charming. You smile and coo - and turn your adults into big idiots with no dignity. I can’t believe it, but I actually say “goo, goo, goo” to you. You love it and it keeps you happy in the car seat. You still hate the car seat and it’s the only time you really scream. We are so lucky to have such a charming, happy girl.
We took you to a restaurant in Sequim and you charmed the whole place. Really. The whole place. Nearly every table stopped by to say hi to you. You were so charming the whole time, smiling and cooing.
You are growing so fast. You barely, barely fit on my lap lengthwise anymore. You little head kind of dips off of my knees.
Speaking of your head, you can hold it up really well now, but for limited periods. I no longer worry your head is going to roll right off. You have even held you head up well enough that you have a real neck instead of looking like a wee turtle. Your fat rolls are adorable. You are so strong and can hold yourself up on your legs.
You like playing “Hazel presses” with Papa and your eyes get huge when he does it. When I do it you just look worried. I guess I don’t have the touch.
You still prefer to be held. So, you get held all the time while you sleep. Right now you are sleeping on Grama - you are so adorable like that, I just want to eat you up. I am amazed every day we made something so precious.
You have been sleeping in my arms each night. Your prefer to sleep on your side, tummy to tummy with me. Of course, you are supposed to sleep on your back per all the safety recs, but no one told you that. Your pediatrician said on the back is best - but on your side is acceptable since you are so close to me. Good thing, you think cuddling like that is the best and you will sleep 3 or 4 hours like that.
Papa had to go home today, and we will miss him. A week is a long time for him to be away from you. I can’t wait to see his face and your face when you see each other again. Your papa is amazing with you. You adore him and he adores you. He is always going to be the fun parent. I fear I will play the role of “mean mom” many times. I hope I can be fun too. Regardless of how fun I am, you can always know I am in love with you completely. You are my sun, my Hazel Sun.
Love,
Mama
One month:
Dear Hazel,
You are now a month old. Right now, you are sleeping on my chest, wrapped up in the Moby. You are sleeping on my chest because you won’t sleep alone. You want to be near us at every moment. And while that’s sometimes a challenge, mostly it’s just really, really wonderful.
A month flew by in a moment. Wasn’t it just a moment ago that I was holding you in my arms for the first time? Wasn’t I just saying over and over, for the first times, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
I am so happy you are here, and so happy you are you.
The first night of your life, we were so happy to have you here, and so worried. Every strange noise, everything you did and didn’t do, we worried. You cried until we figured out you just didn’t want to be set down. As long as you were next to us, you were happy.
The first day of your life, you charmed every one who came over. You stared around with your bright eyes and seemed to soak in all the voices, all of which you already knew.
We are lucky, you are a very enjoyable baby. You love to be held, you love to go out and socialize. You love when we have a lot of people around. You seem to be a social little thing, and you love all the talking.
You are growing so fast, and changing so quickly.
The first few days of your life, you screamed every time we changed your diaper. Now you love to lay naked on the changing table and kick and coo. You like staring out the window at the leaves, and will happily lay there for ages.
You love bath time. You seem to have inherited my fondness for warm water. I tried washing you in the sink in what I thought was a baby appropriate temperature. You cried until I warmed it up dramatically.
You’ve started making more noises, and getting closer and closer to a true smile. The first time I heard you coo, I couldn’t resist cooing back. I don’t think that will ever get old.
You are so precious, and there are a hundred little moments each day that I am reminded of that.
I came to bed recently, and found you with your head on your papa’s shoulder, cuddled up against his side. He was reading to you. “She cries if I stop, he said” I don’t blame you. I like it when he reads to me, too. I complain when he stops, too.
Seeing you with him makes me love him even more. Your head looks so tiny in his big hands, and he’s so tender with you. You are lucky, Hazel, your papa is amazing. And when you get a little older, he and I are both in trouble.
When you get upset, your chin quivers dramatically. I’ve never seen a baby with a chin quiver like that. It’s adorable and heart breaking at the same time. It’s impossible to ignore. If you can still do that when you are three, we are all doomed.
Sometimes when I’m holding you, especially when you are wrapped around me after nursing, I try to imprint the moment on my brain. I try to memorize how your tiny body feels. How warm and soft and sweet you are. I’m so excited to watch you grow, and yet I’m trying not to get so excited about all the new first, that I don’t enjoy the moment.
I am really looking forward, though, to all your firsts. I want to introduce you to the world. Camping. Hiking. Swimming. Rolling around in the grass. Birds. Bugs. Trees.
You made me a mama, and I’m so thankful. It’s a month after your birth, and I’m still saying “I’m your mama,” to you over and over. Each time it sounds strange and wonderful.
Thank you Hazel, I love you.
Mama
Two months:
Dear Hazel,
Today you are two months and one day old. I am a day late writing this (a theme I’m sure will be repeated many times) because we were busy camping with Grama and Grampa Loerch. We visited the Hoh Rainforest with you Grama and Grampa. We had a lovely time and can’t wait to go back and visit again. Maybe we can even take a nice overnight backpack with you.
This week we have been “camping” (RVing) with Grama and Grampa on the Peninsula. You met your cousin Lysie and great uncle Bill and great aunt Linda. We started at Port Townsend (Fort Worden) then moved ot the campground at Dungeness Spit. Your great-great grandfather was light keeper there and your great grandfather (Grampa Norm Kinyon, my mom’s dad) lived there, too. He took a boat across the bay to school each day. We walked on the spit with you and enjoyed the view. You mostly slept and just woke up to nurse. You love walking and being carried in the wrap.
You recently met your Korean relatives for the first time at Aunt Michelle and Uncle Lou’s place. I can’t speak Korean, but “I want to hold the baby” and “She is so cute” translate easily. So does “Are you nursing her?” There is really no other way to translate your great aunt squeezing her breast, pointing at me and then pointing at you. Apparently, she approved, because we both got a smile.
You have changed so much in just the last week. You are more interactive and so, so smiley. We even heard your first little giggle. You love to lay on your back and have people entertain you. It is easy to do because you are so charming. You smile and coo - and turn your adults into big idiots with no dignity. I can’t believe it, but I actually say “goo, goo, goo” to you. You love it and it keeps you happy in the car seat. You still hate the car seat and it’s the only time you really scream. We are so lucky to have such a charming, happy girl.
We took you to a restaurant in Sequim and you charmed the whole place. Really. The whole place. Nearly every table stopped by to say hi to you. You were so charming the whole time, smiling and cooing.
You are growing so fast. You barely, barely fit on my lap lengthwise anymore. You little head kind of dips off of my knees.
Speaking of your head, you can hold it up really well now, but for limited periods. I no longer worry your head is going to roll right off. You have even held you head up well enough that you have a real neck instead of looking like a wee turtle. Your fat rolls are adorable. You are so strong and can hold yourself up on your legs.
You like playing “Hazel presses” with Papa and your eyes get huge when he does it. When I do it you just look worried. I guess I don’t have the touch.
You still prefer to be held. So, you get held all the time while you sleep. Right now you are sleeping on Grama - you are so adorable like that, I just want to eat you up. I am amazed every day we made something so precious.
You have been sleeping in my arms each night. Your prefer to sleep on your side, tummy to tummy with me. Of course, you are supposed to sleep on your back per all the safety recs, but no one told you that. Your pediatrician said on the back is best - but on your side is acceptable since you are so close to me. Good thing, you think cuddling like that is the best and you will sleep 3 or 4 hours like that.
Papa had to go home today, and we will miss him. A week is a long time for him to be away from you. I can’t wait to see his face and your face when you see each other again. Your papa is amazing with you. You adore him and he adores you. He is always going to be the fun parent. I fear I will play the role of “mean mom” many times. I hope I can be fun too. Regardless of how fun I am, you can always know I am in love with you completely. You are my sun, my Hazel Sun.
Love,
Mama