Month Two

     Oh Abby, this month has been wonderful! Last month, things were a little hectic as you cried constantly. Thankfully, this month, things have gotten a bit better! I am able to enjoy you much more!

Family Fridays!

Sleep:
     Cousin J told me about the book she read and the schedule that they put baby A on recently and how wonderful it has been in helping them. I know that Abby is a little too young to put on a schedule, but I thought it would be better to start working towards it now, rather than wait and randomly begin new things one day. So, I started the schedule J told me about: we eat, play, and then sleep. It has actually been helping a lot! I decided to start this routine when I noticed that you were a bit more wide-eyed after you ate (you used to fall asleep right after you ate, sometimes even while you were eating). We started playing in your activity gym once you finished eating, and then once you got a little fussy, I'd wrap you up tight and rock you to sleep. Worked like a charm! You fell asleep much faster that way!

     And then a few days ago, we went to dinner at a friend's house, and I noticed that she put her son down while he was still awake (She'd swaddle him, give him his pacifier, and lay him down), and he'd magically fall to sleep on his own. Just to prove that it wouldn't work, the next day I gave it a shot with you... and it worked! What?! I was amazed. Of course, it wouldn't work twice... I just got lucky that time. So, I tried it later that day again, and it worked... again! Shocking! It has worked every time for the past few days! I am forever indebted to my friend Jacqueline for this little tidbit of wonder! I even tried it at night for our bedtime, and while you were awake for just a bit, you fell asleep without crying. This is the best thing to ever happen to me!

Growing:
     Everyone has been commenting about how amazing it is that you are able to hold your head up already. You haven't been having much tummy time yet (we're starting that now), but I think that you've strengthened those neck muscles by hanging out at mommy's shoulder. You really liked that spot during your first month... not so much anymore, but thankfully, the result is strong neck muscles. You like to look around and explore everything around you.

     You also like exploring when you are playing in your super cute activity gym. You are finally able to grasp the little birds hanging down from the gym. You hold on and shake it back and forth with your strong little fingers! It is adorable! While you play in your gym, mommy reads to you, and you seem to love it. You play for about 20 - 30 minutes and then you begin to get a little fussy and uninterested in the gym and mommy's stories; That's when we get ready for your naps or bedtime.

What to Expect:
     Mommy has been reading What to Expect The First Year, and it's definitely been a help! I was wondering how to talk to you, and how to play with you; and of course, I turn the page, and there is a whole section all about those very things. I've learned that I should read to you, so I read to you from the book (and we learn together); I've learned that I should narrate everything I do to you so you can begin to get used to language and conversation; I should talk with you and not at you (I should ask you questions and pause to let you answer, and expand upon whatever cute little noise you make. Yesterday at the grocery store, you helped mommy pick out everything at the store, you were such a big help). I also learned that I should give you your space, this was a new idea to me. I shouldn't constantly be in your face, while that is a very good thing, I should allow you to explore the world around you and become aware of and used to your own body, and how to entertain yourself. And I learned that I should sing to you... no problem... your daddy and I do that constantly already! We sing old songs to you, and we sing make-up songs about what we're doing with you, and how beautiful you are!

     Another thing I've learned is that I should imitate you. When you make cooing sounds I should make them back to you, setting a foundation for you imitating language. What's great is that this month you started making noises other than cries! It's been so great! I love it! It takes me by surprise every time you do it. You've only make the cooing sounds a few times, but it's been wonderful! I love that we're getting to the stage where you can make sounds and get my attention through noises other than crying. And of course you're usually smiling as you coo, while is all the more adorable! And, you've been smiling a whole lot more this month as well. You have such a gorgeous smile! And while those smiles tend to come mostly after you poo or spit up all over mommy, they are beginning to come at other times as well. But, even when you spit up all over me, when you smile afterwords, you melt my heart and I don't seem to care that I'm soaked in stinky spit up any longer.

Week 7 & 8

Eating:
     Speaking of spit up, you still are spitting up quite often, at least once a day, sometimes twice. There doesn't seem to be much I can do about it. Whether I burp you or not, if you're going to spit up, you're going to spit up, and that's that. Sometimes you have a big burp, and then quite some time later you spit up... while other times I don't even burp you, and you don't spit up at all. I've decided to stop trying to figure it out and not stress about it. I'm still tracking it though so I can see how often it's happening.

     You eat less often now, instead of 10-12 times a day, you average 6-8 times a day. Instead of eating almost every hour, you've moved to every 3 hours or so. And within the last few days, your schedule has changed a little more. You have started sleeping through the night, so we get up anywhere from 6-8am and eat and play and take a catnap. You tend to eat more often in the morning, every hour or so, then take a big nap in the early afternoon. Then you eat every 3 hours or so until bed time, with another good nap squeezed in there as well. You have been going to bed around 8-10 each night. (Notice how long of an uninterrupted chunk of sleep this gives mommy! Heck yes!)

     Abby, you are such a joy. Mommy and Daddy are so excited that you've begun smiling so much! We have such a blast singing and dancing with you and watching you react. You are one loved little girl! And I can't wait to see what month three brings! We love you!