Eliana Joy, you are TWO months! (Well, two months and one week--Aunt Rachel and Cousin Kaelyn were home this last week so Mommy is a little behind in updating this!)  Your daddy and I cannot believe how fast these two months have gone nor can we believe how much of a blessing you are to us.  You are growing by leaps and bounds, and we are so thankful you are ours.

This month you are started smiling at us.  You were 5 1/2 weeks when you gave us your first real smile, but you just recently just started smiling more often.  You are the happiest in the mornings, and you are still exclusively breastfeeding.  Although, you do take a bottle well when Mommy has to go to volleyball or when you stay at home to hang out with Daddy if Mommy  has an errand to run or something.  You are a horrible sleeper--not just at night--all day.  You refuse to sleep during the day unless you are being held which makes it difficult for Mommy to get anything done around the house!  There were a couple weeks this month where you wouldn't even sleep at night unless  Mommy was holding you.  Grandma Janet has been a LIFESAVER and often comes over to hold you for Mommy to do her homework.  She even came over one night when you would NOT sleep for me and let me sleep from 12:30-6:15.  Usually you get up 3 times a night, sometimes 4.  And sometimes more than that.  You still eat about every 2 hours, but sometimes I get lucky and you go 3.  Mommy is still waiting for the day where you sleep longer at night!

Although this month has been full of great memories with you, this month has also been difficult as you started crying A LOT.  We took you to see your pediatrician, and she thought you had reflux so we started you on some Zantac.  It helped for a day, but then we had to try a different medication the next week.  It seemed to help a lot more, but then we went through another week where you just cried, and cried, and cried!  Your pediatrician referred you to Riley to get checked by a GI specialist because she saw how you were screaming during your feedings and didn't feel comfortable treating you without you being seen by someone else.  The specialist essentially just said that it was reflux mixed with some colic and that you would get better with time.  We are all beyond thankful that it was nothing more serious, but, girl, let me tell you--you have some STRONG lungs!  None of us are wanting to wish away these first months with you, but everyone is ready for you to feel better.

This month you also discovered your play mat; you love laying under it listening to the music and watching the mobile and lights.  It's so cute hearing you cooing and making noises at the toys.  You are also obsessed with the ceiling fan!  You love staring at it as we hold you in the chair. 

White noise is still your best friend as it calms you do quite a bit when you are screaming your head off, and we frequently let it run at night with hopes of it helping you sleep.  You actually are still sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room because you gag and spit up in your sleep sometimes; Mommy is able to hear you better this way and make sure you are ok.  Once you outgrow that we will move you into your nursery.

You still don't get to go out with us much as you just cry usually; Mommy has actually missed the sermons at the church for the past 3-4 weeks because you refuse to stay asleep!  But church is really the only place you go.  Mommy tried to take you shopping with Aunt Rachel, Kaelyn, and Grandma Janet this last week when Aunt Rachel was home and you legitimately screamed the ENTIRE time.  I guess we will have to teach you to love shopping later :)

You are wearing a size ones diaper and have been for all of this month pretty much; you could have worn newborns for another couple weeks, but Mommy and Daddy didn't have anymore so we moved you up to ones because we didn't want to have to buy anymore when we already had ones in the closet!  Mommy was sad, and Daddy was a little sad too!  You are wearing 0-3 month clothes, and a lot of them are still big on you but newborn sleepers are too small because you are so long.  At your doctor appointment at Riley you weight 10 pounds 1 ounce and were nearly 22 inches long.  You are getting so big--I wish I could slow time down!

You also got to meet your new friend Haley as she was born this month; you looked so big compared to her!  Your daddy and I are excited for you girls to grow up together, and I am very hopeful the two of you can be just strong of encouragements to each others as her mommy and I have been to each other over the years.  You girls will surely have fun playing together, though!

Your daddy and I love you so much, and we continually are praying for you to grow up to be a woman after God's own heart.  We are so excited to see the plans He has for you, but do not want to miss out on the time He has given us with you anticipating the future too much.  He has taught us SO much through you already, and we know that He is not done using you in our lives.  I am sure month three will be full of more fun memories, and for that I am thankful.

You are a blessing, and it is a continual privilege to be your mom.  I fall more in love with you every day...you've made my lifelong dream of being a mom come true, and I hope you know I cherish EVERY waking minute with you.  You are simply beautiful, and your daddy and I love you so very much.