New Things We've Learned about You

Dear Izzy,

You are now eight months old.  At eight months, we're starting to see your little personality really take shape.  Here are some things we've observed about you:

1.  You'd rather be standing.

2.  Peas are your favorite vegetable.  Peaches are your favorite fruit.  (Daddy likes this photo of you.  He calls it your Godfather face.)

3.  You CAN hold the sippy cup by yourself.... You just CHOOSE not to sometimes.

4.  You like it better if daddy reads to you (rather than mommy) right before bed.

5.  You have a great sense of humor -- and it seems to be accompanied by the best laugh, too.

6.  For a while, you had a special corner for "taking care of business."  So funny 'cause it's true...

7.  You are addicted to wheat toast... but only if it has Country Crock butter on it.

8.  You know how to get to your toys... you don't know how to put them all back where they came from.

9.  If you could, I bet you would cut anyone who tried to take a graham cracker away from you.

10.  You are a social person and don't like to be alone.  Even a baby gate can't keep you away...

11.  You're a fashionista.  (Even mommy wishes she had your wardrobe!)

12.  You make Mondays bearable.

I'm certain this list is going to grow and grow.  But for now, these are the things I wanted to capture about my eight-month-old sweetie.

Love,

Mommy

Our Last Day

Dear Isadora,

Today is the last day of mommy's maternity leave.  Tomorrow, I have to go back to work.  And though I've missed some of my coworkers and friends while I've been gone, I will miss you even more.

I will miss your sweet ears.



I will miss your sweet nose and lips.



I will miss your tiny toes.



I will miss your sweet hands and chubby legs.



I will miss our time together -- just you and me.



Starting tomorrow, you will be going to a trusted caregiver while mommy goes back to work.  I know you'll be in very capable, loving hands while mommy is gone.  That gives me comfort.  But I guess my fear is that I will miss something.  Every day, it seems, you learn something new (and I learn something new about you).  I know I can't be there with you every moment of every day, but I will always be there for you.  That's what mommies are for.

This week will probably be harder on me than it will be on you.  But I know it will get easier.

You're the best thing I've ever done, Isadora Yume.  I love you.

Love,

Mommy

Two Weeks - Surviving and Thriving

Dear Isadora,

It's been two weeks since we brought you home from the hospital.  Two weeks since the hospital deemed that we were fit enough to take you home and keep you alive.  Two weeks since we officially became a family.  We've had a lot of help since coming home, too, and we've been so appreciative of all the food and goodies people have been dropping off for us.  All of the meals people have prepared for us have been so yummy and delicious.


 


Even Mimi came to stay for a week to help mommy and daddy during your first week home, and your Grandma Joyce Irene is coming next week to help, too.  Even though you're an itty bitty person, taking care of you is a big responsibility.  Mommy is so glad to have the help.  Speaking of help, your daddy has been the best helper of all!  He really shares in the responsibility of taking care of you -- and I know he does it because he wants to.  I've seen nothing bring him more joy than taking care of you.  You're his pride and joy!

Although it has only been two weeks since we brought you home from the hospital, we have already learned so much from you.





Here are some things we've learned about you and parenting so far:

1. No matter what we read in the parenting books, there's nothing like trial and error to teach us what you really need or want.
2. No matter how weird mommy and daddy think the consistency of your poop is, your pediatrician says it's normal.
3. When being held by daddy, you like for him to be standing, not sitting.  (And if he tries to sit, you have no qualms about letting him know he's doing it wrong.)
4. You're a night owl and you think sleep is overrated, no matter how we try to convince you otherwise.
5. You like to kick daddy in the gut while he tries to change your diaper.
6. Never ever change your diaper without a new one already in place ready to go.  You have been known to projectile poop and pee while a diaper is being changed.
7. You like to pee while being bathed and you like to poop while we're toweling you off.
8. You love to stare at the ceiling fan, lights, and picture frames.
9. Smiles induced by gas are just as real to us as ones not produced by gas.
10. You can be fickle.  Last week you preferred my right breast.  This week, you prefer the left.

Granted, we haven't learned any monumental lessons in parenting yet (other than sleep is a precious, precious thing), but we are enjoying learning who you are.  Even after a rough night of changing you, feeding you, and trying to get you back to sleep, seeing your sweet little face each day makes all the tears and sleeplessness worth it.

Love,

Mommy