MONTH TWO.....and a few months after.

By month two I was finally getting a little more sleep (it is amazing what that can do for you!) and settling into being a mama. My body was continuing to heal and each day I felt stronger. We got out for early morning walks before the heat moved in. Cora's personality remained calm and a schedule was naturally falling into place. Babies have this amazing rhythm about them that never ceases to amaze me.

I loved those early summer mornings with Cora. Our rocking chair is right next to an east facing window and the morning sun streaming in is beautiful.

We took our first road trip to my parents house in Texas. What would normally be a three and a half hour drive took about five, but we enjoyed taking our time and traveling with the babe. I remember the weather was unseasonably cool for that time in Texas, and we had a wonderful time lounging around in my parent's backyard under the cover of the towering trees. It was a perfect afternoon and Cora didn't seem to mind it a bit! For the matter, neither did Daddy. On the way back to Oklahoma we stopped for a wonderful picnic lunch next to the Route 66 Museum in Clinton. Looking back she seems so tiny in my arms. We finally had all the new babies and moms over for lunch one afternoon and spent some time snapping pics of them lined up in chronological order from youngest to oldest. Can you believe all these sweeties were born within seven weeks of each other and all on the same block? The middle three were all within one week. It is going to be fun having so many playmates on the street.
In late August we took advantage of the Oklahoma heat and our dear friends' pool to see how Cora would take to the water. One of our former youth group kiddos gave this hilarious baby bikini to us as a gift. It is now in her time capsule. The water was a wee bit chilly, but once she settled in she didn't mind it.

Towards the end of the second month, Cora started smiling for real. Not just the little sweet smiles in her sleep, but real, live I'm looking at you kid smiles. Oh, it melts your heart, and that's just the beginning. She also rolled over for the first time when she was two months old, but then decided to wait several weeks before doing it again.

One thing I'm learning is that each day with a child is better than the last and each day brings new discoveries. It seems as if your heart might run out of room for the growing love you experience, but it doesn't, it just keeps on stretching until you think it might explode. One day they reach out for a toy, and it makes you so proud. Then they start to reach out for your face when you are rocking them and it is such a precious moment. They struggle during tummy time and then they start to get the hang of lifting their head up. Things change so fast.

In October, we drove to Austin to ride in the Livestrong Challenge with my brother and dad. Cora got bored and decided she wanted to drive.

We rented a little cottage on a river and really enjoyed each other's company. I want to give a shout out to my father who raised over $2,500 for the Livestrong Foundation, and also to my brother for encouraging us all to participate and organizing it. It was a wonderful time with family. Here we are enjoying the back porch on a beautiful day.
After returning from Livestrong, Halloween was right around the corner. We had put a little thought into dressing up, but weren't really sure what we should do. Since Cora's birth, we have taken to calling hier Cora Bird, or just Bird, or Birdie, or any varieation of bird, because of her many bird-like faces and sounds. So naturally, we decided she should be a bird and us bird watchers. More specifically, Cora was a bald eagle and here she is in all her feathered glory.
Here she is with her friends -- a bee, an olive, a bear, and a bat.

And finally, all decked out with mom and dad, and our good friends.
November was a bit of a tough month for us. We had to put our dog down, and the whole month was sort of swirled with grief. For Thanksgiving we were feeling a little sorry for ourselves and really didn't want to go anywhere, so we stayed home and celebrated thankfully with a motley crew of neighbors, friends and strangers.

At then end of November we started Cora on solid foods. She is an ambitious eater and likes almost everything she's tried, which to date includes, peas, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, zucchini and squash, green beans, blueberries, pears and prunes. She is definitely getting the hang of eating off a spoon and is already wanting to feed herself! Independence here we come.
Are we caught up to the present yet? Just about. I think I'll save December and baby's first Christmas for the next episode.