Dearest Rhino,

Today you are two months old! It has been another wonderful month with you and so much has happened!

You have grown so much! Daddy and I used to carry you around in your car seat all the time, but now you are almost too heavy! You have your doctor’s appointment tomorrow where you’ll be weighed (you haven’t been since you were two weeks.) Whenever we go out in public, people think you are much older than you are because you are such a big boy and are often very alert and interested in everything around you.

You did a whole lot of new things this month! We visited Daddy’s Uncle Roger in San Diego. It’s a long car trip, but you slept most of the way, only waking to eat. When we were there you saw your Grandpa and Aunt Jen before she moved away from California. They were very happy to get a chance to see you one more time before we move away. You also met a lot of cute dogs and went for your first hike (attached to me!)

Right now my brother, your Uncle Matt, is visiting us from Texas. He is just here for the weekend, but wanted to meet you before we move away. He plays the guitar when we’re just relaxing around the apartment, which you seem to enjoy. You also had your first trip to the zoo, where you saw giraffes, macaws, elephants, and lemurs. You also visited with my friend Denna’s son, Tyler, who just turned two years old. You met him when he came over last month and he really loved you. After the zoo trip you also went to the beach for the first time. You slept the whole time, but I stood in the water with you strapped to me. It has been quite an eventful time!

Daddy and I have had such a great time getting to know you better this past month. You have been so smiley with us, which is just the best thing ever. You have such a gorgeous smile! I printed out some black and white patterns and glued them to cardboard to stick on your things for you to look at. You will stare at them for the longest time and sometimes smile at them. Just recently you started to coo and babble. Often times you hold long “conversations” with these black and white patterns while you’re getting your diaper changed! You also converse with Daddy and I, which we both really get a kick out of!

You are about to have a really exciting adventure in a couple weeks. At the end of this month we will be moving to Japan and will be there for a few years. We have been waiting for a little while to get everything in order with your official papers but are now finally ready to go. It was nice that you were born here in the US so your relatives could come and visit easily when you were first born. We won’t be able to visit with all of them quite as frequently because we will be so far away. It will be fun in Japan — Daddy has always wanted to go there, so we are very excited. You will get to see so many interesting things and hopefully you will remember a few of them!

You are such a fun baby and Daddy and I love being around you so much. Every day we feel tremendously blessed that you are with us. You are growing so fast all ready, it feels like we just brought you home two weeks ago rather than two whole months ago! But at the same time, I feel like we have known you much longer all ready. It just feels right having you in our family, like we have been holding a space specifically for you. I never thought I would enjoy being a mommy so much. Thank you, Rhino.

Love,
Mommy