What’s It Like to be 2 Months Old?

How I Am Growing

• My head is still a little wobbly when I’m propped up.

• I hold my head up for a few minutes and turn it sideways, when I’m on my stomach.

• I cry with real tears now, but usually only enough to wet my eyes.
• I move my arms and legs and “bicycle” with my feet when I get excited.

• I hold onto things for a little while. Did you notice that my hands are open most of the time now?

How I Talk

• I gurgle, laugh, and smile when I’m happy.

• I like to try out cooing sounds.

Make it easier for me to hear and learn the patterns of words. Talk slowly, raise the pitch of your voice, and say your words VERY clearly. When you repeat words and phrases that helps me learn, too.

How I Feel

• I need lots of cuddling and holding.

• I can have lots of feelings, including feeling happy, scared, or uncomfortable.

• I feel happy when I hear you tell me that I am beautiful and you love me.

• I feel happy and secure when you give me what I need, such as feeding me when I’m hungry, changing my diapers when I'm wet, or rocking me when I’m tired.

How I Understand

• I recognize different voices and people.

• I recognize a few familiar things, such as my bottle.

• I like to stare at people and things.

How I Respond

• If I am a quiet baby, I spend a lot of time just looking.

• If I am an active baby, I will spend more time moving, smiling or screaming depending on how I feel.

• I am fascinated by my own hands. First, I may just look at them. Then I may bring them to my mouth. This may have happened before, but now it is because I decided to move them.

• I blink at shadows made by my own hands.

• I follow you with my eyes when you move.

• I can follow moving objects with my eyes.

• I can see bright colors now.

• I smile at people.

• I quiet down when I suck my fingers, a bottle, or a pacifier.

• I perform just to get your attention. I love it when you get excited about what I do.

• I don’t like some noises, such as loud televisions and radios. I will tell you this by fussing. Turn it down, Mom and Dad!

Time for a Checkup

Look back at last month’s newsletter to see what it’s like to be 1 to 2 months old. Is your baby doing anything now that she wasn’t then? Look for growth in each area, and gently help your baby learn new things.

Check off what your baby is doing. Healthy children are very different, so don’t fret if your baby is early or late in some areas. If your baby was born too soon (prematurely), use checklists from the date your baby was due, not the actual birth date.

When you record what your baby is doing in her memory book, be sure to record the dates as well. Take this list to the doctor when you go for checkups.

Sometimes parents wonder if their baby is developing normally. There are warning signs to watch for. To get more information on these warning signs, go to this Web site: http://www.firstsigns.org/concerns/flags.htm.