Elise at Two Months

The second month of life with a newborn is always the hardest. You're a pretty easy baby, but we still had to survive a few weeks of fussing and a lot of time walking you around.

Month Two, A Photo Essay:

I am so, so tired.

I am past exhausted, but still won't sleep.

You've fed me, changed me, walked me, and pacified me.

WHY AM I NOT ASLEEP!?!?!?

Month Two is not my favorite.

Here are your amazing two-month-old skills:

*in size 2 diapers at night. We're trying to use up the size 1s as quickly as possible.

"Ooh! Definitely ready for bigger diapers, Mom!"

*you've outgrown all your 0-3 month clothing and fit quite snugly in your 3 month clothes. You are a tall baby.

*Official stats: 11 lbs. 23.5 in. Your head is 37.5 cm. So taller, smallish-average weight, and a small head.

Waiting for the pediatrician

Shot time!

You weren't thrilled, but got over it quickly.

*You still prefer to sleep in Daddy's arms. Mom doesn't hold you properly (something about that dangling head--she just can't get it right):

*You are getting some deliciously chubby thighs. I love them.

Thighs!

Not even your chunky thighs can fill the parachute pant legs.

*There is no question about that hair now--it's RED.

Red, red hair!

*We're still fighting small battles with the baby acne. It's mostly gone from your cheeks, but will flare up on your forehead or temples.

*Your siblings love playing with you. You don't always enjoy their games, but can't do much to protest yet. And so things like this happen:

Never mind that it was like 75 degrees that night...

Seth was sure you needed all the blankets.

*The spit up! You are a fountain of spit up. The worst part is how unpredictable it is. Some days you don't spit at all, some days you and I go through several outfits. Sometimes it's right after you eat, sometimes hours later. I will be very, very happy when this stage ends.

This picture courtesy of you simultaneously blowing out your diaper

and spitting up all over yourself.  Skills.

*Also, pooping. Pooping is still a huge ordeal that generally interferes with sleep. I also blame it for your spit-up, since you are constantly trying to nurse while pooping. It can't do good things for a tummy.

Forget that Sunday nap, Mom.

Just hold me while I poop.

*Finally starting to smile! It took you a while to get it right--you would contort your face into some great expressions while you were figuring it all out. But now you smile when we pick you up from a nap and I love it!

*You've also started laughing. You're usually more prone to laughing at bedtime, and you prefer to laugh at deep voices and singing. You spent the entire intermediate hymn at church laughing in Dad's arms while he sang.

Elise selfie

*You LOVE talking to us. You want to stand on our laps, look into our eyes and pull monkey faces while we talk to you. Sometimes you even coo or blow raspberries back. Talking to us almost always gets you to stop fussing.

*I think I've discovered your true origins. All you need is a dye job and an earring:

*You're starting to want a consistent morning nap, which is (of course) at exactly the same time we have to leave to take Catherine to preschool. You do sleep in your car seat, but not as well or for as long.

*You're starting to give me a solid chunk of sleep at night, usually from around 10 pm to 2 am. Occasionally 3 am. Hooray! You're usually up for the day between 8 and 9 am.  Still pooping from 5-7 am, though.

*You learned to roll over! Then forgot. Then remembered! But you don't do it consistently. So you're stuck doing tummy time. You're pretty good at holding up your head and shoulders, especially when someone lays down with you and talks to you.

Head up...

...and over she goes!

Despite this being the hardest month, you have still been a pretty easy baby. If someone could just hold you in their arms all day, you would be perfectly happy. And your smiles and laughs make it worth all the fussing and lack of sleep. Tired as I may be, I still love your grin when I pick you up in the morning! Looking forward to happier days and (hopefully) longer sleep at night!

 

The Aaron

Sometimes you get extra-special kids who need extra-special love.

Luckily they come with built-in Mom attractors to ensure they get all the love they demand.

For example: crazy, adorable, curly piles of red hair:

Delicious chubby cheeks and ridiculously long lashes: 

Puppy-dog eyes and a spattering of freckles across the nose: 

And that is how Aaron gets all the Mom-loving he demands!

Dad is Gone: A Tragedy

Dear Dad, 

I know you used to travel for work. But now that I've been born, that nonsense needs to stop.  What's more important? Providing for your family? Or carrying me around all evening in just the way I like? I think the answer is obvious.

But you apparently don't. You left me all alone with Mom and my siblings for FIVE DAYS. Mom's okay. She is the Food Source. But she doesn't do things the way I like them done. Here's what happened the night she attempted to give me a bath (a job that falls clearly under your domain):

"Do you even know how to do this? I'm suspicious."

"Worst. Bath. Ever. I'll try to hide my disappointment."

"Do you see this, Dad? Those are CURLS on my head!

Where is my mohawk? This woman is nuts."

"And then, instead of carrying me around (as is right and proper),

she made me do TUMMY TIME!"

"I couldn't hide my disappointment any longer."

"Worst part: she actually tried to put me in my swing while I was STILL AWAKE.

Obviously that worked out really well for everyone."

"But I guess she is the Food Source. I really like food."

"So I'll reward her efforts with my first real smiles!

See what happens when you aren't home, Dad?

You should never leave again."

As far as Jon trips go, this was a pretty short one--Monday through Friday. It was frustrating knowing he was actually just a couple hours away in Virginia, but it was not worth driving home with crazy traffic every day.  I was pretty nervous before he left, but we survived! But we were all very happy when Daddy came home: 

"I remember you!"

Crazies

Sometimes the people at church like to schedule meetings at 5:30 pm.  Apparently dinner isn't a high priority for someone. And so, it was just me and the kids for dinner. Good thing they are totally well-behaved and not barbarians:

We always sit in our chairs, never stand.

Definitely no cheeseball faces.

And no sharp utensils near the eyeballs. Never.

We never reach across the table to eat fruit directly out of the can.

Or wield our strange tape-covered creation.

Or wear our Halloween costume to the table.

Nope.

Fine.

At least one of them was well-behaved!

Beautiful Girls

Beautiful Girl #1:

New haircut, plus curled for the first time ever!

Beautiful girls have sparkly finger and toenails

Beautiful Girl #2:

Purple is her color

Bows don't happen often, but I love when they do!

Beautiful Girls 1 and 2 together:

Beautiful hair for everyone!

Sister loves: 

Sister kisses: 

Sister snuggles: 

And a dose of reality:

Because even beautiful girls take some terrible pictures on occasion!