Two Month Joys

"Slowing down is the fastest way to joy." - Ann Voskamp

I could not agree more to such a statement.  Why else have I felt such heart swelling joy in all of these long days of baby routine?  It's in the hours (yes hours) of watching my daughter, laying by her side, talking with her, and then repeating the cycle that I have found joy in the slowing down.  In the two months of her life, had I not had the privilege to bring my fast pace self down a notch, I wouldn't have noticed all of these precious "Nora joys".

• Hurricane-like swirl on the back of her head.  
• How she sticks her tongue out when she smiles.
• When she's shy, she closes her eyes.

• Finds comfort in her painted friends on her bedroom wall.
• When changing her diaper, she picks her legs up when wiping and sticks them straight when closing up shop...what a help!
• Hiccups that make her eyes as wide as saucers with every one.
• Blowing massive bubbles.
• Even throwing up...IN a bubble.  While it was gross, it was oddly fascinating...

• Sneezing and tooting simultaneously.  Gross, I know...but cute all the while!
• Holding her delicate little hands together.
• How she sleeps anywhere...the louder the better.
• Watches Dave walk out of a room ;).
• How she licks the floor during tummy time.

• Relaxed face in the bath, along with every other expression imaginable.
• Her yawns that have a little shout mid-way through.
• Screaming fits from scary sudden noise, yet all it takes is for me (across the room) to say "Nora, you're fine" and she is....comforting words have such an effect already!
• How she sucks on her bottom lip when sleeping.

• Her conducting a concert, directing traffic, praising the Lord arms ;).
• Arms over her head when sleeping.
• Mimicking us when we stick our tongues out at her (or the other way around).
• Giving her nose kisses, and then she responds with licking you.
• My love/hate relationship with the fuzz between her fingers and toes.
• The little finger that always creeps out of her sealed clothes.
• Her little toes that always make their way through crocheted blankets.
• Speaking of blankets, how fast it takes her to kick them off.  Her fastest record yet...2 seconds, no joke.

• Chillin' with the egg lady at the market while I quickly run upstairs for a few groceries.
• When her ears get folded and she has no idea.  It's crazy how that cartilage can bend!
• The victory of getting one massive slimy booger, and then hearing her big breath out of that nostril and sigh of relief.  And then usually a smile.
• Bicycle kicks with more "victories" ;).
• Big puffy sleepy "slit" eyes.
• Neck standing straight and tall and then bobbing her head like at a rock concert.

• Little hands hitting toys on the floor gym.  Every chime of those things makes me smile.
• Over-sized winter gear.  I feel like timing myself to see how fast I can dress and de-dress her...sheesh.

• Fitting into new clothes!  Only babies can enjoy "growing out" of clothes...I on the other hand am not enjoying "sizing out" of my clothes..ugh.

• Hearing her talk to herself through the monitor.

• Carting her around in the bassinet.  She is seriously the best companion.
• Relief after a stuffy nose suctioned, Q-tipped, and tissued.
• Her side smile that makes it look like she is winking out of her right eye.
• Furrowed eyebrows.
• Her dainty bracelet that finally fits her!

• Lifting one eyebrow...especially when working on a diaper.
• Looking at her to find she's already looking at me, and then she smiles and squeals when our eyes connect.
• Her love/hate relationship with her pacifier.
• Her salivating glance at us when we're eating dinner (if we are holding her close, she will follow the food from the plate to our mouths and back again!)
• The "oi oi oi" sound she makes when whining with her pacifier in her mouth.
• Her bottom lip that sticks out accompanied by her wide eyed glance of "Hello, don't you see me whining over here?!"

• Her sneezes that half way come out for like three times before the real one (it's so cute!)

• How she hums whenever I'm blow drying my hair or using the sewing machine.  Looks like she wants to be the loudest!
• The fact that it has only been two months and I get a lifetime of this!  (Well, at least until she's 18 and I'm forced to let go).

 I could keep going on, but I'm sure some of these will roll over for her 3 month update. May I continue to use His strength in doing small things with great love.