B.G.,
These past two months have simply blown me away! You have done so many new things! I love watching you grow and master new skills; it makes me so proud.
You are doing much better at baby food now. You look for the spoon and try to grab it to bring it to your mouth. Also, you talk to the spoon EVERY TIME while waiting for it to come back to you. It makes me laugh. I think that you think it helps you get the food faster. You'll probably love food just like me. You haven't swapped to solids completely yet, but you're getting close!
You can sit up on your own now, too! We have to be nearby, though, in case you tip over. You do NOT like to fall. But, really...who does? Usually, we can sit you in the boppy and give you some toys, and you are a pretty much the Happiest Baby Ever.
Speaking of toys, you really like anything with buttons, lights, sounds, etc. You are so inquisitive when it comes to objects. Now, we have to be really careful as to what is in your line of sight and reach! I think you get that from your daddy. He is very observant and curious as well. Your toys of choice are your drums, Sophie, a handheld toy mp3 player, and your Elmo remote (which was Aiden's-as he likes to always remind us). And, as you can see...this month, you noticed The Sticker.
Disney Jr. has to be your favorite thing to watch. If you hear something on TV, you do this shake/jump thing and turn your head super fast, never wanting to miss a thing! Here's a video of you giving The Hand to your dad. He was interrupting your Mickey time.
I think you will be crawling any day. Or at least Army crawling. You can go backward, but the whole forward thing? You're working on.
During sleep, you will roll onto your belly and if you wake up, sometimes you're confused and you'll cry. This just started a couple nights ago. Once you're back on your back with your paci, lovie, and blanket, all is right with the world.
Right now your favorite sounds to make are Da-da-da-da mixed with a ta-ta-ta-ta. You also enjoy the occasional raspberry. No words yet, though. I'm pulling for "Mama". Duh.
You have experienced your first Tennessee Volunteers Football season, and I have to say that you look so precious in Big Orange.
Those are only a few of the things you have done that have made your daddy and me laugh, smile, or beam with pride. It's never dull with you and your brother around. That is certain. I can't wait to see how you grow this next month! We will have our first vacation as a family of four!
Another month has flown by, and you are growing and growing while continuing to capture our hearts with your charming little antics! You have hit several milestones this month. Now (on our third try) you can put yourself to sleep WITHOUT A PACI! This is something your big brother didn't do until he turned One! I would have let you keep it. In fact, that's why it has taken us three tries--Mommy kept giving in. But after complaining to Dr. Castleberry about how you can't keep it in while sleeping, she convinced me to help you quit "Cold Turkey". It makes me sad, but happy that you (and I) can sleep without it falling out and making you cry instead of getting some much needed rest! As I am typing, I am listening to you coo yourself to sleep in your own bed.
You sleep in your crib at night unswaddled! During the day, you still sleep in your co-sleeper, but no longer have to be attached to the bed. You still take two small morning naps and a BIG stretch in the afternoon! And I still get that sweet little smile when you wake. It makes my heart explode every time.
Some of your favorite things seem to be bath time, playing with your little toys, and most definitely watching Aiden. You have really gotten the hang of Tummy Time. And when you get tired of that, you can now roll onto your back all by yourself! Aiden is always there to cheer you on and celebrate when you do it. And you always give him your classic gummy grin.
This week, you will get to start trying baby food and cereal! I cannot wait to get that on video! If you are anything like me, you will love food.
Another milestone you have hit is being able to reach out to grab things. This is my favorite because I think it is so sweet when you reach to touch my face. Sometimes, though, it's hard to get you to let go. You like to hold onto your bottle or me when you're eating, reach out and swat your toys, and touch and grab people's faces. I just love to watch your face as you discover your little world.
We are so excited to see you grow into such a beautiful little girl. You make your mommy, daddy, and brother so proud.
I am sure I've said it before, and I know I will say it over and over throughout your life, but I cannot believe how time has flown. You are Three Months Old! As sad as it is to see you grow out of those teeny tiny onesies and socks, you are getting cuter and sweeter each day. I have always said that God made children grow in the perfect way. All of the fun, exciting, and cute things you do make it hard for me to get sad about you not being small anymore. He really knows what He's doing, huh?
This month, you have really developed more personality. You are still my little social butterfly. You smile from ear to ear to anyone who talks to you. You "talk" (coo, gurgle, ooh, and ahh) almost non-stop. My favorite is when I'm holding you and talking on the phone, you start grinning and cooing like I'm talking to you. So sweet. Every morning when I wake you or go to pick you up, you squint your cute little eyes and squinch your nose while giving the sweetest baby grin ever. And when I say every morning, I mean every morning. Even if you're fussy and hungry, you find a way to give me that smile. You also smile every time you see Aiden walk into view. He loves it! Mommy loves it too.
You laugh a lot more now. It seems you like silly noises and to be a little startled. The weirder I can be and the more it surprises you, the harder you'll giggle. It is just so cute. Anytime I try to get you on camera doing something, you will stare straight at the camera. This can be frustrating because it distracts you from laughing at me! But you sure do know how to lay the charm on thick. You bat those eyelashes and smile right into the lens. This is hilarious and scary at the same time. But we've had the chat about boys. But when we did you just laughed at me, of course.
We spend about half of our weeks at the swimming pool. You love it because, as I've said before, you love being naked. You are perfectly content just laying in the shade looking around or napping. Unless you decide you would rather be held. The past couple of times, you've not been to happy about Mommy putting you down. But that's okay! (wink-wink)
Ready for the pool
You take two little naps each day and one big three hour nap. You are sleeping 12 hours each night! Your big brother didn't do this until he was six months old! So good job, sista! You still wake a few times (but not fully) to fight your paci. Spit it out, whine, spit it out, whine... But you figure it out and go right back to snoozing.
You have found your little hands and sometimes seem amazed by them. Putting them in your mouth, swaying them in front of your face, clasping them together. It really is so cute. So far, no thumb sucking (phew).
Your favorite activities include baths, cuddling (especially in the Boba), looking at things, talking to people, blowing bubbles, chewing on Sophie, and watching your hands. You still poo and pee with the diaper off, but much less now, thank you! You also do this cute thing with your feet. You put them together like praying hands. I kinda love it.
I packed away your first box of clothes which made me tear up a bit. But I am enjoying dressing you in all of your cute little outifits! I am guessing this will only get worse as time goes on. Poor Daddy.
Tummy time is becoming more fun for you. You can hold yourself up much longer and kick your little legs like you are trying to crawl. Sometimes, when you want to be picked up, you will try to do a sit-up. This is something your brother did all. the. time. and it used to scare me, but he turned out okay, so I'm not as worried. But it sure does look like you're working on a six-pack. You are definitely getting stronger!
This next month, you will be starting cereal, and my least favorite, sleep training. This means you will be sleeping in your crib in your own room! Without a swaddle! I'm sure this will be harder on me than you. We will soon find out.
Happy Two Month Birthday! This month flew past us faster than your first. Everything has evened out, and we now have a beautiful schedule! You, Aiden, and I run our days like a well-oiled machine! But, we are still flexible whenever we want to get out and have some fun. You are down to taking six bottles a day and sleep 9-10 hours straight each night! Thank you!! You have been sleeping for longer stretches for a few weeks now.
Every morning during our snuggle time I notice how much you have grown. You've lost that pinkness and traded it for that baby soft skin, chubby cheeks, and chunky legs. I'm loving dressing you up in outfits! I could spend hours and hundreds of dollars in the baby stores. I am more than a little obsessed with all things pink.
Talking, I have to say, is probably your favorite activity. Cooing, gurgling, squealing, and clicking (this cute noise you make with your mouth closed) are at a constant while holding you. You also always greet people with a smile. A big one too. And if we don't reciprocate, you get a little upset. You really like Mommy to make silly sounds. That keeps you entertained and content, but leaves my lips a little numb.
You can fall asleep by yourself for your "big" naps and night time, but you love to be swaddled and sometimes you need your paci. Every time I swaddle you, I have to give your feetsies super smoochie kisses. It's a ritual I did with your brother too. I just can't not do it. During your "little" naps, Mommy likes to snuggle you, so I let you curl up on my chest. It's kinda my favorite. Other times, you will sleep in your swing-like when I have chores to do or food to stuff my face with.
Your favorite things to look at are the floor lamp by our rocking chair, the TV, people talking to you, and your teddy bear mobile. I crank it up for you while I wash your bottles in the morning. They keep you mesmerized.
When you feel me put your bib on or you see your bottle, you start smacking your lips for your bottle. It gets me tickled every time. Just too cute. You still like to poop when the diaper is off, although it has gotten a lot better. I thank you for that. You have grown to love bath time as well. I knew you would because you love being naked. Ha.
We had to take you for your doctor appointment yesterday, and while you impressed her with hitting all of your milestones (rolling from side to back, mini push-up, smiling, etc), you had to get your shots. It broke my heart. But, like your brother, you cried a little and then you were fine! Tough girl.
rolling from side to back
mini push-up
I thank God every day for giving me you, little girl. Just laying my eyes on you brings tears to my eyes. You remind me that miracles happen, and that God has a beautiful plan. I love you-love you!
Needless to say, I feel like a new woman. I actually had the energy to clean the ENTIRE house today. I just love my baby girl! She's growing up so fast. Let's hope this happens again and again!
Today you are officially one month old. I remember the first month going by quickly with your brother, so I truly have tried to savor every moment with you since we met. But time has still flown. It is so exciting yet heartbreaking at the same time. You have the sweetest little disposition and seem to be adapting to this new world of yours very well! Your family and I have enjoyed every minute we have shared with you, and cannot wait for the many more we will have in the months to come.
You simply are the cutest little baby (girl) bundle I have ever set my eyes on. You are so special to me and your daddy. Even though you are still so tiny, you still have found ways to either makes us swoon or die laughing. Around three weeks, you started to "ooh" and "ahh" and smile at us. Mommy was able to get it on video! You make the cutest (and sometimes funniest) little expressions.
You sure are unique and special. Did you know that you cry real tears? You have since our stay in the hospital, something that is pretty rare. Most newborns don't produce tears until later. This, my friend, has been working greatly to your advantage as it breaks my heart to hear you cry AND to see those streaks down your cheeks. Also, I would like to take this time to thank you for all of the "accidents" that have happened involving you and an open diaper. I always heard this is a boy thing, but you have proven that to be false. And did I mention that it ain't just the peepee? Yeah. Pro. Jec. Tile. Lucky for us, I have developed a super-stealth-ninja diaper swap that keeps you (and me-and the bedding-and your clothes) clean and dry. Speaking of laundry, we sure go through a lot due to your spitting up. Bless your little heart. I hate to see you uncomfortable. But the doctor says it's okay, and you are handling it like a champ! Much better than I handled reflux while pregnant. You go girl!
Sometimes I call you "Baby Grunts". Grunting is pretty much your favorite noise to make. You grunt in your sleep, while you eat, and even while you poo and pee! It really is the cutest thing. And it's nice that you give me a heads up to change your diapers! Also, when you sleep, you like to sing to yourself. Another sound that I just love.
So far, you seem to be a lot like your brother in that you are laid back and easy-going. But with most other things, you are different. He hated to have his diaper changed or be anywhere close to naked. You? Love it. Unless you're in the bathtub. You're still getting used to that one. He also did not care for the car seat. You could stay in it for hours. And while on the topic of your brother, he is just as smitten with you as everyone else! He always has to kiss you, and is so good at helping take care of you. Hopefully, that never changes.
You have hit many exciting milestones! You can hold your head up, sleep for a 5-6 hour stretch, take 4-5 ounces each feeding, turn your head to find a sound or voice, and even try to talk to us. I can't wait to go through next month's milestones with you. Every day spent with you and Aiden are just the best days of my life! You are my answered prayer, Baby Girl. I love you.
Coming Home
When we came home that Friday afternoon, I was so excited to get settled in. After about an hour of unpacking, laundry, and last minute nesting of baby items, I simply couldn't wait to put her in all things soft and pink. Aiden couldn't wait to show her his toys and have her put on the floor to play with him. We had to explain that she wasn't quite ready for that. He was content with just giving her kisses. Later that evening, family came by to visit. The next couple of days all blur together - a mixture of visitors, photos, gifts, and lots and LOTS of food! Not to mention sleeping and feeding in two hour increments.
Aiden
We were so blessed to have so many family members help out with Aiden. It was good to have that quality alone time with Anna Scott, and I think equally good for him to have more attention those first couple of days. As much as I missed him, I knew it was important for me to give 100% to bonding with baby girl. I also didn't want him to feel left out or ignored amongst all of the craziness. The first day that we all woke up together (and I was all on my own) was not half as stressful as I thought it would be. Aiden was more than eager to help out with anything and everything, and did not seem the slightest bit phased by all of the baby holding going on. I still made him snuggle with me anyway. I have to say he has been such a great help, going to get diapers, throw things away, getting her her paci when needed, etc. When he does help out, he calls himself (super hero of the day) before dashing off to his destination. The current top three are Superman, Green Lantern, and Batman. I try hard everyday to give him one on one time during her morning snoozes. We play in his room (his favorite) with super heroes galore! He is even sure to get me a pillow to sit on each time because he knows that it hurts to sit on the floor - such a sweet, sweet son.
Survival
The nights have been fine. Those first few days were hard on me physically. Once the pain meds ran out and the milk came in, OUCH. (Sorry for the TMI) Add to that tiny naps in place of a straight 8 hour night's sleep and raging hormones, and you have a crazy woman on your hands. Poor Jamie. But after those first couple of weeks, I noticed the weepies going away. Anna Scott started taking a little more each feeding which gave me longer stretches of sleep, and I started napping when Aiden napped (whenever I could). Now, we have a nice little routine. And most importantly, it has wiggle room. Which keeps me sane. The only thing I'm still working toward is evening time with Jamie. When I put Aiden and Anna Scott to bed, I dive in as well. I'm usually dead to the world around 7 pm everyday. I'm hoping that as her nighttime feedings stretch out, I'll be able to swing some primetime TV or a movie night with the hubs.
Our Routine
Our typical day begins with a feeding around 6 am. I try to squeeze in a little extra sleep before Aiden crawls into bed with us around 7:30. When that happens, I get up, pump, and fix Anna Scott's bottle for later. I get Aiden dressed, make up his bed, and we head downstairs to make breakfast. We spend our time with Mickey Mouse, get some cuddle time, and Mommy gets her caffeine. When she gets up, I feed her while he plays and like I said earlier, she goes to sleep and we play together in his room. SOMETIMES, I sneak in a little of The View or Barefoot Contessa. Then we have lunch and naptime. Mommy's favorite! If I'm dead tired, I'll take a nap. If not, I'll stare at her, take photos, blog (like today), or watch some Friday Night Lights. When he gets up, we get a snack and play. Then we just sort of do whatever until Daddy gets home. Last night, I added a relaxing, candlelit bath to my routine before going to bed. That was a brilliant idea. Slept like a baby. In four to five hour intervals, of course.
Overall, this has been the best time of my life. I feel so complete. I wake up everyday eager and ready for what the day holds. I go to bed each night so thankful for the day I was given. Being a mommy of two has to be the most fulfilling and rewarding experience ever. Each day is the best day of my life.
When we picked out this house, I was not even pregnant with Aiden yet. A baby was part of the plan, of course, but we didn't think about two babies. We just were thinking one step at a time, I guess. So, when the plan for baby number two came along, we looked at other houses, but never put ours on the market. I went through a few panic attacks, not gonna lie. Where will we store everything? How will I decorate? What if it's a girl? But, when we found out it was in fact a girl...I calmed down. Not sure what happened, but all of a sudden, I was content with where we are. I was bound and determined to make it work. I started gutting the walk-in closet, organizing storage bins for the attic, and making room for baby.
It worked! There is room for everything. A place for everything. Everything (most of the time) in its place. The next challenge was decor. I had always pictured white furniture for a girl. Problem #1. The manufacturer of Aiden's convertible crib/full size bed discontinued the conversion rails. Problem #2. Our solution? Use the espresso crib (until she has her own room-then I'll get the white) and purchase a headboard for Aiden. We still haven't done that by the way, but it'll get done. As for color scheme, I went through thousands of ideas, pinterest inspirations, and browsed the internet forever. Finally? I just decided to do what I wanted for him on "his side" and what I wanted to her on "her side". I didn't think about them blending well or whatever. I didn't want to compromise. And I think it worked out fine.
We did need something in the middle of the room to divide it in some way. That's where my contractor husband stepped in. He built a big deep-freezer-you-can-fit-a-dead-body-in-it-size toy box. We chose white instead of espresso so that it had that built-in look and became part of the room as opposed to another dark piece of furniture. And above that, we framed two baby stats printables. I got the layout from pinterest and just used word art in Microsoft Word to tweak the font sizes.
Aiden, obviously is in love with super heroes right now. So, around Christmas, when I came across these Batman sheets, I knew he had to have them! KiKi got them for him for Christmas, and Mommy and Daddy got him his big boy bed. Thankfully, Uncle B and G-Daddy and RaRa donated a super soft brown bedding set. That saved a lot of cash-o-la! Thanks, family. We moved his name down, which was super easy because we had originally "hung" them using 3M velcro strip thingies. But (lesson learned) when removing...be sure to pull down, not out. Or else, husband might get upset. Add a stuffed Spidey and Captain America? Done-zo.
The flipside (or actual side) or the quilt
As for Anna Scott's side, I went crazy with my mom in Pottery Barn Kids. After I had the bedding picked out, the rest was easy. If it was pink, I bought it. I added the pinterest pom pons hanging from the ceiling for extra fun! The same family friend that made Aiden's letters made some matching ones for Anna Scott, and that was that. We now have ourselves a fully decorated (minus Aiden's headboard and possibly a big shelf/ledge under the baby stats), fully functional nursery/big boy room, or as I like to call it the Bursery. It was a fun challenge, and I love the finished product. I can't wait to see them playing together on the floor!
Well, the "due date" had come and gone (two days earlier), and I was prepared to enjoy another day at home with Aiden as well as a family dinner out for my cousin, Blake's 30th birthday party that night. I had been to the doctor the day before and had made little progress, but some. But that didn't discourage me much because of my history with Aiden's labor and delivery. So we chilled around the house. I did make sure to get a shower that morning (just in case). I got very excited when I finally began feeling REAL contractions--I was beyond tired of those dadgum Braxton Hicks! They didn't become regular until around 2:30. I started timing them, and they were a half hour apart. I called Jamie and my mom because I just knew it was going down that night. By the time they got to be nice and uncomfortable, I noticed little man doing this...
When I asked him what was wrong, he said, "I'm having a contraction." So the human tape recorder caught me being a baby. Gotta love it. Right around that time, Jamie came home, and it was time to get ready to go celebrate Blake's birthday. By the time we got to the restaurant, contractions were about 13 minutes apart. The whole family was aware of what was going down, so they gave me my family push present early! It was my Ju-Ju-Be BFF diaper bag!!! I was so excited. Then, it got really fun. I placed my order during a contraction (the poor waiter had no clue). Also, I started noticing everyone noticing me and my beautiful contraction faces. We called my brother-in-law, who practices with my OB and he said not to head to the hospital until they were 8-10 minutes apart. And no joke...after we hung up with him, they jumped from 13 to 6 minutes apart. We decided to bounce. You should have seen the server's face when I asked for our food to go because I was in labor. CLASSIC. We said our "Happy Birthdays, Sorries, and I love yous" and got on the road. And WHOA...once we hit the interstate, those contractions were no longer playing nice. They were becoming more and more intense and closer together. FAST.
We got to the hospital very quickly (it seemed like to me), but I spent most of the time on the phone or sending texts to people. When we walked into the lobby, this is what we saw...
Yeah. So, I got redneck and yelled, "Hellooo?!" Kind of out of my comfort zone, but I mean at this point all that was on my mind was, "I'm going to have this baby as fast if not faster than I had Aiden, and I. Need. My. Epidural. before that goes down." So, the slowest moving woman in the history of humans came out from the back. Her excuse? "I was trying to finish my dinner."
So after spending waaaay too long with Mrs. Slower than molasses, we were admitted, and I was checked. I had made no more progress since my appointment (no surprise), but I was sure to tell her about my previous experience, and she was happy to get me into my delivery room. Since I was only a 1, my doctor wanted me to wait for the Epidural, and ordered some Stadol to start with.
WHAT??!?!?!
But. When my beautiful angel of a nurse, Jane, put that glorious drug into my drip...
I
Was
In
Heaven
Seriously? If your doc ever orders that stuff? Get excited. Shortly after my stint of flying over rainbows, I got my epidural. It was finally time to have fun and have my baby! Around 11:00, I was only a 3-4, so I knew I wouldn't have her before midnight. But, then it hit me! I might have Thursday's Baby! Thursday's Baby is a special promotion that the hospital does for the first baby born each Thursday. My nurse and I were determined. She found out that there was another woman in labor that was ahead of me. At midnight, she told me that this other chick was already at a 6 and her water had broken. But did Anna Scott and I let that get us down? Nope. Too competitive. So, seconds later, my water broke. She checked me. 6-7. Take that, chick down the hall! 20 minutes later, I was complete. 15 minutes after that, my doctor arrived and it was time.
I pushed 3 times (just like with Aiden). She was born "Sunny side up" which explains the super intense contractions. Unlike with Aiden, she was laid right onto my chest after delivery. It was a perfect moment. Perfect.
We had some time together, took photos, and showed her off to all of the family. It was the wee hours of the morning before we got to our postpartum room. I had gotten one last slug of epidural before delivery, and it took its own sweet time to wear off. I got what seemed like three seconds of sleep and the sun was up. I was super excited for my first day with our beautiful baby girl. I posted photos onto facebook like a mad woman, scarfed down a wonderful breakfast, and began the day of cuddles, visitors, and (I'm not gonna lie) really good pain meds.
That night was the best sleep I have ever had. Period.
I have to say that labor and delivery and the hospital stay (everything about all of it) are two of the best memories of my life. Both babies were just the best experiences ever. But as much as I loved the bed, the sleep, the food, the nurses--OOOHHHH THE NURSES, I was ready to get home. Ready to start life as a mommy of two.
Thank you, God, for blessing us with this baby. I know now why I had to go through the year I went through. If I had not gone through it, I would not be as close to you as I now am. If I had not gone through it, I wouldn't have this precious baby girl. Thank you for always knowing better. Thank you for always allowing things to work for the good of those who love you. Thank you for calling me to be Jamie's wife and Aiden and Anna Scott's mommy. Thank you.
