2 Month Doctor Appointment

Eloise had her 2 month doctor appointment yesterday, and this kid is still measuring gigantic! She weighed in at 12#7oz (75%), and her height was 24.5 inches, which was officially "off the charts," so the doc notates that at 98%. Her head was also in the 95th percentile, at 15 3/4 inches.

It still baffles me that I helped create this GIANT BABY.

The best part about the visit?

The vaccines.

Yes, you heard me right.

Why the vaccines? Because this kid SLEPT WELL for the first time EVER last night. And by slept well, I mean we only got up 2x instead of the typical 6-7. Eloise went down around 10pm, awoke to nurse at 2:30 and 5:30 (and having a 3 hour long 2nd sleep shift is UNHEARD OF!), took awhile to settle to sleep, but eventually slept again from 6:30-7:30.

Can we just give her shots every night before bed? I joke, I joke.

Eloise did great at her appointment, even after a morning of not-so-great broken up naps. She smiled and cooed at the doctor and nurse, and was very brave for her 3 shots and 1 oral vaccine. She cried really hard when they went in and kept crying on and off as I nursed her afterward. So sad! I gave her a dose of Tylenol when we got home, and another right before bedtime. She's been doing great ever since- no fever, just extra sleepy with many more poopy diapers than normal (that happened to Iyla post vaccines too!)

She was diagnosed with oral thrush, which is an overgrowth of candida in her mouth causing white telltale spots on her tongue, lips, and inside her cheeks. Very common, generally harmless, and easy to treat with medicated drops.

Other than the thrush, Eloise passed all of her other 2 month milestone markers with flying colors! This kid is getting more settled, predictable, & charming every single day, and both BC and I continue to fall more and more in love with her. She's a cuddly, content (except for the car or others holding her when she is TIRED) sweetheart, and we just love watching her little personality unfold!

 She did great with the oral vaccines. Eloise is generally cool with anything that resembles food going into her mouth (gas drops, probiotics, etc). And look at those LONG LEGS!

 This is how she spent the afternoon, passed out in various locations.

Today Eloise woke up smiling and is still sleepier than normal. I am taking full advantage of her sleepy state with multiple errands, and would LOVE if we lucked out with another restful night.

Here's hoping!

Two Months Old!

Sweet Eloise Jane, today you are two months old! This has been such a fun month in that you've started to really smile, coo, and interact with your world. Your face has so much sweetness and expression in it, and you continue to be such a cuddle-bug!

How big? We won't have your official stats until your doc appointment next week, but suffice it to say you are HUGE. You have consistently measured in the 100%+ range with height since birth (your doctor office notates this as 98% when you are off the charts) and you are easily wearing 3-6 month and 6 month proper clothes as well as size 2 diapers (we just broke out the cloth diaper stash- wahoo!). You are also busting your feet out of your Miracle Blanket swaddle. You are as big as Iyla was when she was closer to 8 MONTHS old!

3 days vs. 7.5 weeks!

Flexing those strong muscles

Long legs and arms!

Sleep? Not good. Not good at all. This week went from bad to atrocious, with our first "long stretch" of sleep lasting 2 to maaaaybe 3 hours- then you're up every 1-2 hours all.night.long, often needing lots of time and effort to go back to sleep (one night you were up thrashing those long legs of yours from 2:30-6am!). I think I was spoiled with your sister, who at 2 months was only waking 2x/night in a predictable schedule with a 6 hour first sleep stretch! You tend to wake around 6 times/night right now.... it's rough.

A local doula I'm taking a Mama class with mentioned that babies who were programmed to have accelerated growth often nurse a lot more during the night, and are also often a bit more fussy during those hours due to a sensitivity in their bodies to all that rapid growth. Hmmm.,,,sounds surprisingly like a baby I know!

Eating? You love to nurse all day every day, usually every 1-2 hours. You continue to be a champion latcher, and if you happen to miss the bulls eye good GOD does that HURT. You have such a strong sucking reflex! You are still not a huge pacifier fan, but will take it to soothe when you are tired and no longer want to nurse. However, the minute you fall asleep it pops out again!

Likes/Dislikes?

Likes: 
*Ceiling fans
*Staring at my painting
*Your big sister (she gets the best smiles from you!)
*Cooing and vocalizing (you make this funny laugh sound where you suck in air and almost gasp!)

One of your favorite things to study came out of my college Painting 101 class

Dislikes: 
*The car
*The stroller (BOO- likely b/c you are still in your car seat with an adapter)
*Sleeping for more than a 3 hour stretch
*Having anyone but me hold you when you are tired

New abilities?
*Smiling!
*Cooing & lots of "baby talk"
*Taking an occasional nap in your swing (to which I always do a happy dance!)
*Discovering your hands and feet (you furrow your brow and cross your eyes while studying them- it's hilarious)
*Starting to purposefully swat at things
*Putting weight on your legs when held upright

 Hand/foot study session

How's Mama?
*Tired... so, so tired
*I've still plateaued at 14-17 pounds above my pre pregnancy weight, sporting a nice life preserver donut around my waist. It's so hard to find time to exercise, though with your newfound ability to take an occasional nap in your swing I HAVE gotten in two modified Ashtanga yoga sessions!
*I am still having issues with my left arm/hand going numb & tingley throughout the day.
*I've had several "creeper" headaches where I don't get a warning with ocular flashing lights, just pain that progresses to a migraine level and hangs around for a couple of days. I always seem to get these on a Thursday- when my chiropractor's office is closed until the next Monday!

Here are a few more photos from your past month:

We just adore you sweet Eloise, and are so grateful to have you in the family! Here's to another month of growth, gorgeous smiles, and hopefully more sleep. 😉

It Takes a Village

We are on week #2 of BC being gone abroad for a work trip.

How we feel about that. 

Iyla was all for our 2 week long "Girl Party." Eloise? Not so much.

When BC initially told me about his travel schedule, I knew I would have to rally and plan ahead for lots of help, given I'd be rolling solo with a newborn and active 3.5 year old.

And I have to say, thank GOD for family and friends. It's still very, very hard without BC here- the hardest times being morning and bedtime- but I am surviving on the grace and good fortune of help from others.

My sweet mother-in-law Linda flew out to be with us Tuesday through Saturday of last week, which was sooo helpful. She helped get Iyla up and ready for school each morning, helped drive her to and from school, helped with dinner and house chores, and took the reigns with Iyla's bedtime. It was AMAZING (thank you Linda!) and Iyla & Eloise absolutely adored having their Grandma here.

The Saturday that Linda left I invited our friend Andy and his 11-year-old daughter Lily over for dinner. Iyla and Lily are thick as thieves, and played all evening long. Then Andy & Lily helped prep Iyla for her bedtime, getting her into her pajamas and reading stories. It was great for all involved!

Come Sunday, my friend Kelley came and picked up Iyla in the morning to take her and Kelley's daughter Sabine (one of Iyla's best buddies since they were 3 months old!) to the museum and park. Afterwards they returned to our house to play awhile longer- those two little girls just adore each other and play so well, it's the cutest thing! They love to play "Baby & Mama," where one of them is the baby, the other the Mama, and they play act putting the baby to sleep, feeding the baby, etc, over and over and over again. So sweet.

This week I am much more on my own, though my amazing nanny has volunteered to come every evening after her other day jobs to help with dinner and bedtime. I am so lucky! And even more fortunate? She takes care of one of my very good friends' daughter several days a week, and to help me further this friend is letting Veronica leave early on 3 of the days so that she can pick Iyla up from school and then stay through bedtime. So, SO helpful- as any car trip I can avoid with a screaming baby is a happy, happy thing!

 Nanny cam picking up Iyla from school

Sweet Veronica with Eloise

It hasn't all been easy sailing- the girls have definitely thrown in some really fun curve balls while BC is away, to include:

*Iyla falling down our stairs for the first time EVER (and this is a full, long WOODEN staircase). I was sitting on the couch with Eloise when I heard the slip and helplessly watched her tumble down, down, down. Holy HELL was that scary for us both, and thank GOD she was completely fine, save for a racing heart. It could have been so much worse- I hate to even think about it.

*Eloise going through another big growth spurt (like this kid needs to grow any more -ha!). Sunday night saw us up every.single.hour nursing throughout the night, while last night she pulled a "let's stay up thrashing my legs and fussing from 2:30-6am" session, complete with a blowout through her onesie and swaddle as the grand finale. Given I am in charge of getting both girls up, ready, and out the door by 8am daily this week, these long nights make for some not-so-fun mornings.

 Screenshot of our Sunday day/night nursing sessions. Phew!

We are finally in the home stretch, with BC returning late Friday night. It truly takes a village to help with a family, and we will be oh so glad to have ours back together and intact again! 

Until then, let's hope the girls behave (and start sleeping better)....

Ahem. The little one sleeps just fine by day, thank you very much.

Baby Clothes Debacle

It appears I have given birth to both an extremely tiny baby (Iyla was 5#14oz at birth) and an extremely huge baby (Eloise was a modest 7#4oz at birth, but her rate of growth has been astronomical!).

I knew when we were expecting a July baby that the seasons with hand-me-down clothes would be off (Iyla was born in November).... but I didn't anticipate the immense size discrepancy that would also factor in.

The other day I pulled down Iyla's 6-12 month clothes bin with the intention of "looking ahead" for any usable clothes for Eloise, so I would better know what I might need to supplement with. As I began pulling clothes out I was shocked to observe that almost everything would fit Eloise NOW. Then I also noticed that several of the clothes were labeled 3-6 months and got a little annoyed with myself that I'd apparently misorganized the bins (I am a Type A organized planner!) It was then that I realized the reason 3-6 month clothing was in a 6-12 month bin was because my tiny little Iyla Grace was WEARING 3 month clothing AT 6-8 months!

It just amazes me how different these two sisters are already. People tend to say Iyla resembles me (and that would hold true with her petite stature given I am 5'2)- and Eloise definitely came out favoring her Papa, who is 6'4!

Here's a fun comparison shot. That is a size 6 month dress, and on the left you have an eight MONTH old Iyla wearing it, on the right, her eight WEEK old sister Eloise! Crazy:

And a few more photos of each girl respectively in this oh so cute dress:

Iyla was only 13#11oz at 8 months old, and I suspect Eloise is already there!

 My smiley big girl!

At least now I know what I'm working with, and that I'll have to be digging way ahead age wise into the hand-me-down bins. I wonder how long it will be until these two are SHARING clothes?

Genetics are so fascinating!