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. 😉

Two Months Old!

Iyla Grace is 2 months old today! It's hard to believe she's only been on this earth that long-  in some ways it feels like she has been with us always.

How old? 2 months today

How big is baby? I did an unofficial weigh in on our scale this morning- looks like she is just at 9 pounds. We have her 2 month check-up Monday where we'll get her more official stats (and vaccinations- boo).

Baby milestones: Iyla is starting to smile a LOT in response to BC and I- it's the cutest thing. We get the most smiles while she is sitting on her baby potty- she loves it! Speaking of the baby potty, she is still doing great with that- now noticeably grunting when she goes. Hilarious.

Her eyesight has definitely improved, and she is tracking things more and more. She loves looking at ceiling fans, windows, and anything else with distinct light/dark contrast (like a wood door frame against the white wall).

Her legs are getting really strong- she now puts quite a bit of weight on them when held up. And the stretches she does when she wakes from naps are adorable! Add to those some old man grunts & she is almost constantly grounds for comic relief.

She has a pretty predicable bedtime routine now: down around 8:30, up 2x to nurse (usually around 2:30 and 5:30)- then up for the day around 7am. I've been catching a lot of beautiful sunrises lately! I tried transitioning her from her inclined Rock n Play to lying flat in her Pack n Play a few nights ago... and after the 2nd night of her waking up MUCH more often I have her back in the Rock n Play. We need all the sleep we can get around here! I realize at some point I am going to have to transition her back into her crib (and plan on having many nights of less sleep)... but for now I am just going to roll with whatever gets us the most Zzzzzs.

Iyla's current "HOT" list:
*Ceiling fans
*Being held
*Mornings
*Wannanub pacifier
*Her changing table
*Her baby potty
*Her Papa holding her hands
*Her Mama nuzzling her forehead
*Being sung to

Ceiling fan love caught on video

Her not so favorite things:
*Her carseat
*The 5-8pm hours
*Laying on her playmat for longer than 3 minutes
*Tummy time
*Having her neck washed (we call it her 'stink-neck.' Her Aunt Amy jokes that she is cooking up some roux in there.)

My postpartum body: I lost the majority of my baby weight in the first couple of weeks home, and have now plateaued at around 7 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. I still have a muffin top, looking more normal from the side but definitely wider from the front. I am able to get into my pre-pregnancy jeans more easily, though they are still a bit tight. I am trying to get out for walks & get back into my Ashtanga yoga practice here at home. I definitely could use some toning up- there is a whole lotta jiggling going on right now!

5 weeks pregnant vs 2 months postpartum

I am about 3 weeks into cutting out dairy, eggs, & soy... and also trying to avoid tomatoes, onions, broccoli, & beans. I'd like to think they are helping Iyla- though she is still having nightly "witching hours," where after 5pm she sometimes breaks into screaming cries for seemingly no reason at all, other than to release the stress of her day. The diet restrictions make it super hard to eat out, as almost everything contains diary or soy! I've been consuming many, many salads with grilled chicken lately.

What I miss: I miss eating whatever I desire. I also miss being able to run out on a moment's notice- for a jog, an errand, a happy hour, etc. BC's sister is in town this weekend visiting, and last night we were planning to all go out to dinner together after she arrived on her 5pm flight. However, when her flight got delayed to 6:30, it ruled Iyla and I out from being able to join, given that is just before her bedtime and the height of her fussy period (and boy did she fuss last night!). I was really bummed to miss out.

Most looking forward to? I am looking forward to Iyla's 3 month milestone, when I hear babies' fussiness tends to get much better. I am also looking forward to continuing to watch her developmental milestones- we are so amazed by this little creature, and so, so in love! Makes all the things I miss totally worth it.

I leave you with Iyla's 2 month photo shoot: