2 months=)

catherine-

happy 2 month birthday sweet girl! you now weigh 9 pounds and 5 ounces. growing and growing, just like you should=) today was one of the sweetest days i've had with you so far. we hung out with you all day and you were awake and alert and content for almost all of it! you took your little naps here and there, but for the most part you just looked at us and we talked to you and told you all about our day and what's been going on around you in the nicu. daddy even carried you over to the window next to your bed and showed you what it looks like outside. it was beautiful out there with the leaves changing colors. it's what i call a "katie day" which means the sky was bright blue with absolutely no clouds. we'll have fun playing together on those kinds of days. we'll also have fun stomping in big puddles when it rains=) lately you've been smiling a lot in your sleep, and we have fun speculating what's making you do that...angel kisses, sweet dreams...all of your nurses have different opinions=) but guess what you did today! it was the first time you smiled at me on purpose while you were awake and alert and looking back at me! i loved it. i started crying a little. it was the most precious moment. we took lots of pictures of you to celebrate your 2 month birthday. i got some developed and brought them back to the hospital to show your nurses and they all loved them so much. they smiled and laughed and said "aaaaaw" a lot when they were looking at the pictures. so many people comment on your facial expressions-you make a lot of them and they make us so happy!!! you put one eyebrow up and stare intently at whoever is talking to you. or sometimes you look so concerned about something or another (i wish you could tell us!). and sometimes you just wiggle your arms and legs around and look up at us while we're talking to you with bright happy eyes and your mouth open like you want to talk back so bad! i can't wait till you can and you can tell us all about everything.

you started nasal cannula trials again a few days ago. you've been doing great sweet girl=) you've been slowly getting back into breastfeeding and improving little by little each day. we've been talking to your doctors about you being transferred back to chippenham (the hospital where you were born and where mommy works) because mommy has to go back to work full time in a few weeks. i can't have you here in charlottesville and me there in richmond half the week! that would be no good for either of us. but mommy's a little nervous about sending you back. i am fully confident you will get great care-the nicu nurses and doctors there are fantastic and it will obviously be so great for you to be so close while i'm at work (and at home-we live 7 minutes away from the hospital!). but here's a secret-mommy's a little anxious by nature and i just get nervous about moving you and changing things and people not knowing all your little quirks. we will also miss all our new friends at uva, won't we? no worries sweet one-we'll come back and visit. and i think you will like it at chippenham. these people have loved you for a while now-some before you even came out of my tummy, and sometimes they ask me when you're coming back to them=) you can do it my sweet girl. it's just a little change, and you are tough and resilient and i know you'll be just fine.

here are some of the pictures we took. you get more and more beautiful each day. we sit there and stare at you while you're sleeping and we just can't get enough of you. you are our joy precious girl=)

i love you-

mommy

sweet catherine=)

inquisitive...this is what you do with your eyebrow...you look skeptical=)

sleepy girl

this one was taken a few days ago...you were smiling in your sleep=) i love it.