two months with leo

You've reached two months little lion man! Your baby rolls are becoming quite the problem. Besides the fact that your chubby cheeks are a constant distraction, I just can't handle the fact that you are growing so quickly. You weigh 13 lbs (77%), are 23.8 inches long (88%) - although I think they measured you a little shorter than you really are because you wouldn't hold still - and yes, you still have a giant head. In the words of our pediatrician, "He looks like he's 6 months old." It's bad enough that you are already two months old, much less that you look so much bigger than that.

You've really become such a sweet baby. We turned a corner around 5-6 weeks much to everyone's delight. You were sweet before - just a little more demanding. ;) I don't think it was ever really your fault, though- I think mama just forget how much attention newborns need. But all of a sudden, things just changed. I suppose that's something I also managed to forget about new babies. You suddenly became less fussy, less needy, more content when awake, and easier to put down for sleep. Like I said, delightful developments all around. I was afraid I was going to have to hold you the rest of your life. Not that I minded the snuggles, but sometimes a mama's got to eat, shower and keep your big brother alive.

We've also made another wonderful discovery this month - I can put you down awake, and you will often fall asleep on your own. Praise Jesus. This is really the nirvana of baby sleep....and one of the biggest battles we had to fight with Charlie who would only fall asleep while nursing for the first 4+ months. We discovered this somewhat by accident, somewhat by necessity, and somewhat by remembering lessons of the past. Because I can't always pick you up right away when you fuss (second baby problems) and because I learned with Charlie that it can be detrimental to immediately pick up an unhappy baby, we have allowed you to cry and fuss a little bit in certain situations. And like magic, many times, this leads to a nice deep sleep. Of course we don't let you cry very long at this point (just a few minutes), and only when we know you are tired, but not hungry.

The first time this happened spontaneously when I put you down in your bassinet so I could get ready for the day. Charlie was on our bed watching Sesame Street and I just needed to put you down in a safe place (i.e. somewhere Charlie couldn't sit on you) for a bit so I could have both hands to get ready. You squirmed a bit and made some noise, but after a few minutes, I realized you had become very quiet. I peeked over and sure enough, you were asleep. I almost cried happy tears.

Now, I routinely put you down awake in your bassinet, and you drift to sleep on your own - both for naps and at night. It's so nice that after I nurse you before bed I don't have to wait until you are really asleep and then hold my breath hoping you'll stay asleep while I transfer you to the bassinet. It makes for a much easier bedtime for both of us. You've also successfully fallen asleep in the rock n play, mamaroo, and while laying in the outdoor wagon. You love wagon naps on a warm spring day. Of course, you still also like to fall asleep while being held (and swaying) or while moving in a stroller or car seat. And yes, you still have that wonderful quality of being able to stay asleep even when the stroller or car seat are no longer moving. All of this makes for one very happy mama. I'm hoping we can continue to have success letting you fall asleep on your own so we can avoid the worst of sleep training later.

You generally go to bed between 10:30-11 with your first stretch of sleep lasting about 5 hours. The longest you've slept is 6-6.5 hours, but that's only happened one or two times. After waking up to eat, you go right back to sleep for another 3-4 hours waking for the day between 7-8. Of course when Dada was out of town this week - his first trip away since you were born - you decided to sleep regress a little and wake up after only 3-3.5 hours. I hadn't changed anything we were doing so I think it was just an anomaly (growth spurt perhaps). Last night you slept from 11:30-5 so hopefully we are already back on track.

You aren't up very long in the morning before you like to take a nice long nap. We aren't on any kind of schedule yet, but you do generally take a longer nap in the morning and another long nap in the afternoon with other little cat naps sprinkled throughout the rest of the day. You've really become a champion daytime sleeper, and you aren't too shabby at night. Best of all, I can usually manage to get you to take a decent nap while Charlie is napping so I have a couple of hours to get things done in the afternoon....who are we kidding - more like a couple of hours to nap myself!

Your first smile was right around 5 weeks. It was so great watching you try to figure out how to do it. At first, you would only use half your face for a crooked smile. By now, you've pretty much perfected your form, but you don't give them away for free. You have even let out some good giggles in the last two weeks. Your first giggle was for mama after getting out of the bathtub. I used almost the exact method that worked with Charlie AND managed to capture it on video.

Charlie is the one who makes you smile the most. I think you like him. And I know he definitely likes you - maybe a little too much.... He has a lot of love to give, and doesn't quite know how to show you his affection. Right now, I'd say his favorite avenue is smothering. He wants so badly to play with you, but doesn't quite understand that you are just a baby. Mama has had to intervene a few times when he tried to lay on top of you or sit on you. So far, we've only had one intentionally aggressive moment when he bit you. That hasn't been repeated yet so hopefully it was just an outlier episode because you were taking up too much of mama's attention. He is still concerned when you are unhappy and has learned to say "baby cry."

You love laying on the kitchen counter. Maybe because you like looking up at the lights? It's a little unclear, but it's one of your favorite places in the house. We're afraid you'll roll over soon so I've started putting you in the very middle so you don't fall off. Luckily we have a big island. :) In fact, during wakeful periods when you don't want to sleep, you kind of prefer laying on flat, hard surfaces rather than in a rock n play or mamaroo. It's a funny little Leo quirk that we've learned to just accept.

You still love bath time, and would probably stay in there forever if we let you. It's fun to watch you become more aware of the world around you. You've started following us with your gaze, and you like to look at the mobile above your mamaroo. The fish tank in your crib is a fun spot to hang out while I'm folding/putting away laundry. Charlie likes to watch the fish tank with you too.

So far, you haven't minded just going with the flow as we shuttle Charlie to his toddler activities. We took two big family outings this month - opening day and the Air & Space Museum. You were a dream baby both times.

You are still eating about every 2 hours during the day. Sometimes I stretch you out more if you are sleeping or if we are running around town, but I generally aim for every two hours, and will probably continue to do that until you are truly sleeping through the night. The bigger issue in regards to eating is that you still refuse to take a bottle. We had some success earlier this month getting you to take the bottle from mama (I should mention that this totally defeats the purpose of said bottle) so we know you CAN take a bottle. It's just that you don't usually WANT to take the bottle. The last few times have not been successful - including last weekend when Mama went to grab coffee with a friend and get her hair cut. We figured I would eventually need to leave the house and let you do bottle battle with Dada so that's what we did. But you definitely won round one (why are my babies so stubborn?!), and Mama came home to a hangry baby 3 hours later.

As much as I love you, I would eventually like to go see a movie or enjoy a glass of wine with friends so we'll keep trying. I'm pretty discouraged about the whole thing because I'm afraid I'll never be able to leave the house again. Dada, however, seems pretty determined, which is good because he's probably the one who will have to find a way to make it happen. Godspeed.

Speaking of, it's been really nice to still have Dada around so much this month. He's still been working from home some or doing shorter stints in the office. He often hangs around in the morning to help get Charlie up and, when possible, all of us out the door for whatever we are doing that morning. His travel schedule is about to ramp up, but luckily we have visitors coming to help for the longer trips.

Every day gets a little bit easier as we figure out our new normal. I feel like a new person now that you are sleeping more and happier when awake. My heart explodes watching you and Charlie interact even though it's limited at this point. As much as I don't want you to grow up, I can't wait to see your relationship continue to develop.

holding hands

baby's mouth!

introducing Leo to Sesame Street

Wagon nap

another day, another wagon nap