6 months

December 29, 2006 Dear Matthew, I am starting your "6-month" letter 2 days after your 6-month birthday. I haven't taken your 6-month picture yet, either. But if you're old enough to read this, you've already figured out Mama isn't the most organized woman ever (unless I've gotten my act together – that would rock!) I got the idea to write you a letter a month from this weird blog I sometimes read. Of course, I missed months 1-5. But I guess there's no time like the present to start. Maybe this is really the first chance I've gotten to write, anyway. You and Ryan keep me very busy. I wouldn't have felt right writing when you were one month old anyway. You were still in the NICU. And those days were some of the scariest and saddest I have experienced so far. At 1 month old, you were SO close to coming home, but you were still having the bradies, which broke/still break my heart. I snuck (sneaked?) the big Bears pillow in to your room. I had planned all along to lay you on it and take pictures each month, and your being in the hospital on July 27 wasn't going to stop me. Matty, I remember sitting with your dad in the NICU rocking chairs in your room, holding you (Daddy didn't hold you very much; I never ever ever wanted to put you down), and saying to him, "Do you think, when Matt starts smiling, that he'll be a smiley baby?" Daddy said, "Yes, I do." And I thought so too. Because even when you were tiny and still couldn't drink a 2-ounce bottle without turning blue, you were a happy baby. You only cried when you were hungry. The worst thing in the world was lying you back down in your crib when it was time to go, and watching your eyes pop open, like, "Hey. You're not holding me anymore. What the heck?" You didn't cry, though. (NOW you cry. ) When you came home, everything changed. You didn't sleep at night for over a week. You and I sat for hours in the rocking chair in your nursery, as I fought to stay awake and cuddle you. I was so worried - were you not ready to come home yet? I just wanted to make you happy. Even though I was exhausted, it was so cool to actually hold you as long as I wanted that I didn't even really mind the endless nights. It turned out you were screaming because you had some reflux. A little Zantac and sleeping upright in your car seat and all was well again. Just over 2 months old, you started smiling and cooing. It was so incredibly cool, even more so because you were a little late doing it and I had waited extra time. From the beginning of your cooing, you could tell it made us so excited, so once you started, you kept going. We did your footprints for Nana and for us. It was so nice that you were calm and patient. You even usually only woke up once a night, but I always missed you because you were still sleeping in your car seat. So even though you were right next to me, it was harder to snuggle you in the middle of the night if you cried. Mostly I only took you out if you were SCREAMING. Then I'd feed you with the light on to make sure you were perfecting the suck/swallow/breathe routine in the nursery and snuggle you. We started going on more outings once you were 2 months old, too. We had lots of visitors. You went to your first birthday party – Drake Roger turned 1, and you, Ryan, me, Aunt Emily, and Elle went to the pumpkin farm and out to lunch. You were very good when Mama and Daddy went out to dinner. That was also your first trip to Iowa. When you were 3 months old, Aunt Angie got married in Iowa. You attended your first wedding and were perfectly well behaved. We didn't leave the reception until 10:30 at night! Your family in Iowa was so happy to get to spend so much time with you. That's when I picked your Halloween costume. Daddy's cousin Zack, who was 8, asked me about the monitor you came home on. I explained you needed it because you had been sick in the hospital and sometimes forgot to breathe. He said, "He must be very brave," and he was talking about you! He was so right. You're brave like a lion. That's why I made you a lion for Halloween. Mama and Daddy took you and Ry to the mall to have your pictures taken for the first time at The Picture People. You were so good, and you even smiled in several of your pictures. You're such a beautiful baby. By 4 months old, your personality as a happy, friendly baby was well-developed. We took you and Ryan to Mass and baptism class, where you were very well-behaved. We went to Iowa again for Thanksgiving. The Kempkers love you so much! Mama and Daddy hardly held you at all all weekend. Mama even got to go Christmas shopping. No one in Iowa is crazier about you than Grandma, though. She absolutely adores giving you baths, getting you dressed, and showing you off to her friends. At 5 months, you started to work on sitting up unsupported. Mostly, Daddy and I would get you in position, then let go and see how long you'd last. We also had our first play date with another baby – your "girlfriend," Michaela Persico. Michaela's mommy is Mrs. Anji, who I used to be a teacher with. Michaela adores you! She holds your hand and babbles at you. You smile and laugh hysterically when she's around. I can already tell what a lady-charmer you will be later on. You went to Sydney Morin's first birthday party and were a big hit, and the next day, you and Ryan sat on Santa's lap at Daddy's work Christmas party. Oh my goodness, everyone there thought you guys were the cutest babies on earth. Which, of course, you are. This month is also when you began to show us how smart you are. You've had several colds already, and had little coughs and sneezes to accompany those colds. However, one day (December 15), I heard you make a FAKE coughing sound. When I looked at you and said, "Matt, what are you doing?" you smiled and did it again. It seems you've figured out that when you REALLY cough, you get lots of attention from Mama and Daddy. So you devised your own little pretend cough when you want us to talk to you. It makes me laugh, especially when you do it so much that it becomes a real cough! Your first Christmas was so great. Daddy and I took the first EVER picture of you and Ryan smiling at the same time in your Christmas outfits. We sent it to all our friends and family on their Christmas cards. When we took our family pictures, you were very cooperative and smiley and looked so grown-up in your blue striped collared onesie shirt. You got thoroughly spoiled by Santa, Nana and Papa Bear, Aunt Missy and Uncle John, G.G. and Auntie Mare, Grandma, and Grandpa. We took you to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and you slept like an angel the whole time. You and Ryan left cookies out for Santa, and he ate them! Next year we'll have to remember the reindeer. We kind of forgot them this year. Every day you amaze me with how funny, beautiful, and smart you are. I love you more with every passing second, and holding you snuggled in my arms is heaven. I can't wait to write your 7-month letter and tell you how you've changed from now. All my love, Mama December 29, 2006 Dear Ryan, I am starting your "6-month" letter 2 days after your 6-month birthday. I haven't taken your 6-month picture yet, either. But if you're old enough to read this, you've already figured out Mama isn't the most organized woman ever (unless I've gotten my act together – that would rock!) I got the idea to write you a letter a month from this weird blog I sometimes read. Of course, I missed months 1-5. But I guess there's no time like the present to start. At one month old, you and I had first started becoming the best of friends. You had come home at 2 ½ weeks old, and I adored learning how to take care of a newborn all by myself. You slept in the bassinet beside my side of the bed, and in the mornings, Daddy would leave for work, and if you woke up crying, I'd snuggle you in bed with me and we'd sneak in a few extra hours. You still love sleeping in our bed. We'd spend all morning together, and then Nana would come, and I would leave to visit Matthew in the NICU while you slept the afternoon away in Nana's arms. Although I loved feeding you in the quiet in the middle of the night in the nursery, there were a few nights before Matt even came home that you'd surprise us and sleep 5 hours at a stretch at night. Yay, sleep for us! On July 29, you went to Mo and Florin's wedding reception. I wanted to put you in this cute 0-3 month outfit Aunt Danielle and Uncle Rick bought you, but you were SO teeny that there was no way. So you wore a tiny newborn-sized sleeper and slept almost the whole reception. We didn't leave until almost 11. Just over 2 months old, you started smiling and cooing. It was so incredibly cool, even more so because you were a little late doing it and I had waited extra time. We did your footprints for Nana and for us. We started going on more outings once you were 2 months old, too. We had lots of visitors. You went to your first birthday party – Drake Roger turned 1, and you, Matthew, me, Aunt Emily, and Elle went to the pumpkin farm and out to lunch. You were usually quite good when Mama and Daddy went out to dinner. That was also your first trip to Iowa. The trip to Iowa was great – you slept all morning and only wanted to eat once. The way home was a nightmare! You had a terrible time falling asleep, and my poor baby screamed for 3 hours in the car seat. After that, you weren't very fond of your car seat. Okay, you hated it passionately. It's still not your favorite thing, but you have gotten SO much better. When you were 3 months old, Aunt Angie got married in Iowa. You attended your second wedding and were perfectly well behaved. We didn't leave the reception until 10:30 at night! Your family in Iowa was so happy to get to spend so much time with you. I had a hard time picking your Halloween costume at first. I thought about having you be "Ryan the Lion," but then I made you a tiger, since your cry is so loud and mighty that I have called you my Tiger Baby since you were tiny. Dear Lord, you were adorable. Mama and Daddy took you and Matthew to the mall to have your pictures taken for the first time at The Picture People. You were so good, and you even smiled in several of your pictures. You're such a beautiful baby. By 4 months old, your personality as a sweet yet loudmouthed baby was well-developed. We took you and Matthew to Mass and baptism class. The day we had the class, we had to sit in a reserved section near the front. You decided you needed your bottle RIGHT THEN, and you started fussing – the priest made you part of his homily! He was talking about self-esteem, and while you screamed, he said, "Now hear that young man? He obviously has no problem with self-esteem. He tells people what he wants when he wants it." Luckily, everyone laughed. We went to Iowa again for Thanksgiving. The Kempkers love you so much! Mama and Daddy hardly held you at all all weekend. Mama even got to go Christmas shopping. No one in Iowa is crazier about you than Grandma, though. She absolutely adores giving you baths, getting you dressed, and showing you off to her friends. At 5 months, you started to work on sitting up unsupported. Mostly, Daddy and I would get you in position, then let go and see how long you'd last. We also had our first play date with another baby – Michaela Persico. Michaela's mommy is Mrs. Anji, who I used to be a teacher with. You went to Sydney Morin's first birthday party and were a big hit, and the next day, you and Matt sat on Santa's lap at Daddy's work Christmas party. Oh my goodness, everyone there thought you guys were the cutest babies on earth. Which, of course, you are. You also visited your honorary cousin Devin Smith, who was born November 18. Ryan, you are the most giggly baby, and I love it. We never know what's going to make you laugh. Is it Daddy blowing on your tummy during a diaper change? Staring at Bailey? (You loooove Bailey, by the way. You're already pulling his ears and face. Ruh-roh.) Or is it Mama yelling when you pull her hair? You are a big pincher and hair-puller. Stop that! Your first Christmas was so great. Daddy and I took the first EVER picture of you and Matt smiling at the same time in your Christmas outfits. We sent it to all our friends and family on their Christmas cards. When we took our family pictures, you were very cooperative and smiley and looked so grown-up in your green striped collared onesie shirt. After a while, you got sick of it, but you were very good for a loooong wait. You got thoroughly spoiled by Santa, Nana and Papa Bear, Aunt Missy and Uncle John, G.G. and Auntie Mare, Grandma, and Grandpa. We took you to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and while you didn't stay asleep, you were a very good boy and snuggled into me while we listened to the singing. You also made eyes at everyone around us. You and Matthew left cookies out for Santa, and he ate them! Next year we'll have to remember the reindeer. We kind of forgot them this year. Ryan, there are no words for how much I love you. You're so silly and cute and smart. I love to hold you and snuggle you and play with you. I can't wait to write your 7-month letter and tell you how you've changed from now. All my love, Mama