Two months old - November 15

Eko is nine weeks old today!

Time is very relative – the days seem to have flown, but it also feels like he's always been here. They've been very full days, with lots of cuddling and play, singing, visits with friends, and long walks.

Eko has inherited his daddy's 'gift of the gab' and spends much of each day exploring his voice. We hear new sounds every day! Each morning at 7:30 he wakes up and begins his "morning monologue" and calisthenics where he chirps, warbles, and coos while flailing all his limbs. He's inherited his mommy's full baby cheeks, and at 13 pounds and 24 inches, he's very strong, holding up his head, pushing up on his arms during tummy time, and holding his weight in his legs for short bursts. He continues to be a very calm fellow. He's found his hands and loves to suck on his fists, which soothes him. His eyes, which are turning brown, are developing, too. After weeks of never noticing our cat Sasha, his eyes suddenly began to lock onto her and follow her around the room. He grins all the time and is learning how to giggle. Jade swears he giggles in his sleep.

As a family we're much more comfortable working with his needs. Cloth diapering, breastfeeding, baths, and dressing have all become second nature. Leaving the house used to be a huge event, but now we have outings all the time, visiting friends, going to restaurants and grocery shopping, and on 11/11/11 we took our first three-hour trip to attend Jade's brother Adam's wedding in Worcester, NY. Eko slept both ways and was a darling the whole visit. He met his little cousins Desmond (16 months) and Leo (5 months), the first of many visits. It will be wonderful to watch these little boys grow up together.

It's amazing the difference a week can make. At first Eko couldn't stand being in his swing, but now he spends short periods in it, staring happily at the shiny reflective mobile (pictured) and chattering along with the music. He still prefers to nap on or near us, never lasting longer than 15 minutes when he's on his own, with the carseat being the enigma.

Just before Halloween, 14 inches of snow accumulated in one night! Eko's first snow was epic, but thankfully it melted quickly. (Jay was none too pleased to snowblow our long driveway in October.) We decided to keep his first Halloween costume simple. "Eko and the Bunnymen."

Eko loves to spend time in chest carriers. He's getting big for his stretchy Sleepy wrap, so we purchased a Boba 3G carrier that quickly clips on rather than ties (a big plus when he's fussing and just wants to be held, not wait for the carrier to be wrapped, tightened, adjusted, tied, re-tied...). Snuggled in his carrier, he took his very first hike up Black Mt.. He was alert and calm the whole way. It was also a great step for Jade, her first hike since he was born. She felt strong and energetic and takes long walks with Eko all the time now.

We've come to love having him in the bed with us. It feels very right to hold him close all night, it's very easy to check on him (we just open our eyes), and we all wake up together grinning ear to ear. It also makes nighttime feeding very easy. Eko goes into a lighter sleep when he's hungry, and Jade partially rouses when she hears his hungry sounds. He stays asleep when he nurses and both are deeply asleep within minutes. The whole process is so smooth and gentle that he never cries and Jade never really wakes up.

We reached another milestone, one that will make Jade's return to work possible. While Jade was swimming in her first water aerobics class since the birth, Eko and Jay hung out in the lobby and Eko drank his first bottle of breastmilk. It's reassuring to know his mama can be away for a few hours at a time, and fun for daddy to have a role in the feeding.

As we write this month's post, Eko is settling into his late afternoon nap on Jay's lap with the usual symphony of honks, grunts, coos and gurgles, clasping his little hands together. This kid definitely has personality. When he awakes, it's time for a bath and massage...

Check out the Eko by-the-day slideshow here and the weekly header project here.