Vowel Sounds

To get you to smile, all I have to do is make vowel sounds. You also love when I say,"the cow goes MOO!" When I do this, you smile and giggle and coo back. This interaction is the highlight of my day, and it makes me so excited for you to talk.

As a poet, I find these language games so interesting--watching you develop words is more exciting to me than seeing you controlling your head. I read you poetry every day. So far, I've introduced you to some of my recent favorites: the German poet Celan; the Greek poet Ristos; and the Serbian poet Popa. I hope you're sucking in words, listening to the sounds they make, feeling the cadence and the caesura between my breaths.

To utter. To make music with words. To hear your voice. To hear your voice...

The Elephant Toy

At about 6 weeks, you started obsessing over your elephant toy that hangs above your changing table. I call this toy Ellie; your dad named it Harry. Now at almost 10 weeks, you continue to smile and goo and giggle at this silly toy. Your father and I joke that you like it better than us because it receives more smiles from you than we do.

When you watch this video when you're fourteen, remember this time when simple things made you smile.

P.S.

There is nothing more
precious than you
sleeping, your hands
relaxed on your belly, your feet
turned inward, touching
each other.

2 months old: 11lbs 7 ounces, 23 7/8 inches

Officially 2 months old. You screamed through your first round of vaccinations, but now you're sleeping soundly. As I type this, I am watching you sleep. I wonder what you dream about. What I dream for you is a life full of family, good friends, learning, travel, and--of course--love. I imagine the day you fall in love, the day someone breaks your heart, the moment you realize you'll be fine, that life goes on, that you'll fall in love again, and again, and again. I only hope to be there for you, to share with you the great highs and lows of love.

Remember, I held you inside me.
I will hold you always, anywhere, anytime.

The world is wide open. Go. Do. Be.

Included here are pictures of your 2-month photo shoot with your Barak Obama doll. I took two different series. This month Obama upset you...

Leaf, Red

Yesterday, I gave you your first red leaf. I placed its stem into your tiny hands and you clenched it, waving it above your head, placing it on your chest.

Last November, when I found out I was pregnant, I sat on the living-room couch and stared out through the stained glass windows at the tree in our front yard. The leaves were all red then, most of them cluttered on the sidewalk. Fall was almost over; winter just ahead. I dreamed of holding you--although I did not know you were Noah yet--under the umbrella of red leaves.

September thus far has been summer-like, but our tree is turning red. Yesterday, I picked up one of its bright red leaves and placed it in your tiny hand.

You are Noah Michael. And I love you like I love red leaves.