Category: Letters to Miss Leyba

Hi sweetie,

You’ve had such a big month. It has been a whirlwind June of physical developments: standing, sitting, rolling over, and crawling. You chat nonstop to Dad and I and have just recently started talking to other people too. You smile at everyone and love being out and about. Your hands are constantly in your mouth and you love sucking on your toes (sometimes both big toes at once). You are so much fun. We love you so much!

It’s amazing that you are five months old! Keep growing healthy and strong. We are here loving and supporting you.

Love, Mama

Dear daughter,

Here are some things I forgot to mention last week.

You love to grab hair, noses, eyebrows, mouths, clothing. You are very into sticking your fingers in our mouths.

You are constantly sticking out your tongue! It’s adorable.

You’ve found your voice. Oh, you love to shout! You are amazingly loud. Lots of shrieking going on over at our house. You are so proud of yourself and we are proud of you too.

You love Shrek. When it’s late and you’re very over tired and your gums are hurting and you’re completely inconsolable, we’ll turn on a children’s movie. So far Shrek is the only one you’ve been interested in (though you seem somewhat interested in ballet, as well as the documentary Coral Reef Adventure). Dad and I aren’t thrilled about the movie choice (and we’re getting awfully tired of it), but we’re glad it distracts you enough to stop the hysterical crying and get you to sleep. Everything in moderation.

Your new activity: climb across, over and down us. You just love to wiggle and look around. You move towards and reach for your toys now too. Touching, banging books and turning pages is especially fun and fascinating to you.

You love it when we hold you facing outward. So much to see! We need to break out the Moby Wrap and try tying you in so you face outwards. I think it will be a big hit.

You like seeing all the mamas and babies at our yoga class. On Tuesday you spent most of the class on your tummy (or wanting me to hold you) watching everyone and everything. You were captivated. We’ll have to keep going for the social time (since Mama is now starting her running training and thinking about taking an Ashtanga yoga class rather than the more slow paced Iyengar)…

More soon!

Love, Mama

Dear sweetie,

You are such a happy girl. You spend your days smiling, chatting, and laughing with me. We have so much fun together.

This month you:

• Always have your fingers in your mouth (your hands are perpetually soggy!).
• Greet Daddy with a huge smile when he gets home from work at lunchtime. (Yep, he still works from home every afternoon; you love it! How lucky are we?!)
• Love love love bath time. And now get really upset when bath time is over.
  
• Enjoy trips around the lake at the park out in the stroller.
• Love watching older kids, especially when they crawl or eat.
• Smile at strangers–especially ladies–and then shyly burrow your head into Mama or Dad (whoever is carrying you).
• Find the concept of Mama using the potty, brushing her teeth, and putting in her contacts truly fascinating (and frequently funny).
• Wear mostly 9 and 12 month sized clothes and already weigh more than your mama did when she was one year old. We are so glad you are so healthy (and haven’t gotten sick yet!).
  
• Roll over from your back to your tummy at every opportunity. Even when you’re exhausted and don’t really want to be there.
• Play with your feet, especially when they are barefoot. Evidently your toes are so delicious.
• Have so many new friends. It’s been a very social month for us.
  
• Talk to us. (We love it!) You talk and talk and talk all day long, but only to us, not to anyone else yet. After a very quiet play date or yoga class or trip to Whole Foods (when you are just absorbing everything around you and completely silent), you then babble nonstop to Daddy and I telling us all about it.
• Really discovered how to giggle. It’s a frequent sound around here nowadays and it warms our hearts.
• Have tried so very hard to crawl.
  
  

Our days together consist of us reading, singing, playing with blocks or books or feet or toys, going for a walk (usually with Daddy), having tummy time, practicing sitting up, kissing and hugging and holding each other tight, napping, smiling, and chatting. We also love to tickle you and make you smile. You’ve just recently discovered the joy of sitting on Daddy’s shoulders. I think if it were up to you, you’d be up there all the time.

We love that in the morning when you wake up, you look over at Daddy and me and smile. We feel so glad that you start your day happy and glad to see us, because we both love you so tremendously and are so happy to be with you. You are our sweet, sweet girl and you’re growing up so fast.

Love, Mama

Dear Miss Leyba,

At the beginning (left) of the month with Daddy after a bath and today with Chelsea at the playground

You are now two months old and you can do so many things!

You love to smile and occasionally laugh. You constantly babble and chime in (especially when mama and daddy are having a conversation); coo, squeal, and gurgle; draw out vowel sounds especially gah and coo; and cry differently for different needs. You also occasionally interact and talk to your stuffed animals.

You stretch your limbs all the way out, especially when doing yoga with dad (every morning); hold your head up for several minutes while one your tummy; hold your head very steady when held and hardly ever put your head down when you’re awake and we’re holding you; roll from your back to your side; and you have discovered your feet and can now grasp your toes.

Your vision is much improved. You now hold eye contact; track objects with your eyes; stare at us and our bookshelves (you’re no longer interested in the black and white pattern on the ceiling); and you’ve discovered looking at the pictures while we read to you (though you frequently prefer watching us read).

You make sweeping reaches with your arms towards objects (like books) and people, especially towards mama when you want to nurse (you recently started hitting me in your sleep to let me know that you are ready to be fed). You unfold your hands, which are now frequently open and inviting; briefly hold rattles; and frequently grasp onto us and our clothing.

You almost always sleep through the night now, letting me know that you need to breastfeed without even waking up. This especially amazes Dad and I. Hopefully we’ll be able to sleep through the night with you soon (ha!).

Every day you grow by leaps and bounds. Your dad and I are so proud of you. We can’t wait to see what you learn and discover in month three!

Love, Mama