2 months

What the? Was there a month that just happened? Where is it? Did you see it?  It just flashed by!  I find it hard to believe that whole month really was here and left before I even noticed it, but the calendar says that Little Miss is Two Months Old, and so I guess it did.
Miss has been busy this month, growing mostly. 
She has developed these absolutely fabulous rolls in Her thighs which give Her the appearance of a nice round dumpling.  Her newborn rash is gone, thankfully, and Her dimples (on both sets of cheeks) are in full heart-melting effect. 
In the last month, Little Miss has been working hard at becoming a Baby, instead of a larval newborn, and has made some serious efforts in three areas:
One- communications. 
This girl wants so much to just have a nice chat about the weather. Or whatever.  She focuses hard on your mouth as you speak, furrows Her brow in concentration, shapes Her lips in whatever shape yours are in- or as close as She can get them- and then coos.  She has the coo!
In Her case, it mostly goes, "Ah-goo!"  and then She grins in pride. 
And She grins a lot.  This is one smiley baby.  All She really needs is eye contact and a hello to break out the dimples.  Sing a song, make funny noises/faces, or laugh at something and She will add full-body giggles to the smile.  Little One still holds the record for most baby smiles and giggles racked up, but we've all been lucky enough to experience them.  It's like having rays of sunshine beam in through your eyes and shoot through to your toes and out your fingertips, just filling you with light. Is there anything better than hearing your child laugh?  No.  Even really good chocolate can just not compete.  
Two- Physical attention.
"Hey! Hey look at me! I'm awake! I'm all big and two months old, and I don't just sleep all the time anymore!  I'd like to be entertained now please or preferably cuddled.  Oooohh....in fact, cuddled.  Yes.  Only that will do.  Cuddle me or I will crinkle up in a pathetic, sad-faced little heap and pop out my trembly lip and actually say, 'Waah!'" 
Little Miss wants only one thing in life, really, which is just to be carried around. 
My mei tai is an absolute life essential to me at this point.  Without it no meals would get made, no laundry or housekeeping done, no swings pushed at the playground, nada.   It frees up my hands and also tranquilizes Little Miss, who can't seem to stay awake in that thing for longer than 2 minute stretches, max.  She looooves it.  Especially if I put Her in so that Her head flops back a little.  Enough for Her to be really comfy and for strangers at the market to warn me that Her head is falling off.
Three- Schedules.
Little Miss doesn't know what the matter is with us disorganized people that we just make things all up as we go.  Because She, for one, would prefer to have a PDA and digital alarm and stick to the schedule people!  With no help from me- except that I just sort of go with it- Little Miss has sorted Herself into a very regular bed time- (extra cuddles DEMANDED at 8pm, out cold in the cradle by 8:30) and sleeps through the night until I wake Her to feed at 4:30.  Then back to sleep till 6:30. 
She has also chosen regular nap times, which I would be wise to encourage, but I tend to ignore when I have other plans.  Bad C!  Because if Little Miss had Her way, She would take a nice solid nap at 9:30 and at 2pm (when Little One sleeps) every day, besides Her carrier-comas.  She'd rather be rocked to sleep, but She's perfectly happy to just be put down with a pacifier.  Sleep times are an exception to the cuddle me all day rule. 
Oh, but the pacifier.  Consider this foreshadowing.  I think this friendly little piece of plastic will become a formidable enemy in the future.  I hope I'm wrong.  But you can go ahead and mark those words, Peanuts, because I see an addiction coming on.  She displays several of the signs already.  We'll see. 
Other than that lurking shadow, though, we are sailing through the weeks because Little Miss is such a breeze.  Not that I'm biased, but She really is the easiest baby I've ever cared for, and ties Her sister for the most fun.  At two months, I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of two Littles, and we have evolved a new 'normal' in the By The Way household.  I can honestly say that I am having the time of my life.  Happy Birthday, Little Miss!  You are two wonderful.