elsie - two months old

written April 12th

And just like that Miss Elsie is two months old.  Somehow this month didn't go by near as fast as the first, but it wasn't slow either.  Elsie is growing and changing at lightening speeds.

The little miss didn't slow down on her growth at all this month.  She's got chubby cheeks and thighs to prove it!  At her two month well visit she weighed 10 pounds 9 ounces and was 23 inches long.  She gained half an inch on Ryann, but they still weighed the same.  How weird is that?  I'm curious to see if that trend will continue throughout the first year or so.  Overall the doc said Elsie looks great, very healthy, and to just keep doing what we're doing.  Of course the two month appointment meant shots, and they SUCKED.  Poor Elsie was doing the silent cry she was so upset, and even nursing didn't really calm her down.  She has been fussier the last few days, but I don't know if it is because of the shots, or just her age or what.  Poor girl.

For the most part Elsie is wearing all 0-3 month clothing.  There are some newborn dresses that I've used as tops, and I think a couple of other random newborn things that still fit, but that is it.  Even a few of the 0-3 sleepers look like Elsie could outgrow them before she hits three months.  And at the same time some of the onesies look ridiculous on her.  Baby clothes are so funny.  She is still wearing size one diapers.  E nurses 6-7 times in a 24 hour period, and takes roughly four naps during the day.

Just a few days after Elsie's one month appointment I made a trip back to the pedi.  We were pretty certain she had reflux and needed meds.  But we didn't yet have Elsie's insurance card and the prescription was pretty pricey out of pocket, so we opted not to fill it until her card came.  In the meantime I cut a lot of dairy and chocolate from my diet.  Over the course of the month her spitting up has slowed down and she doesn't seem to be quite as bothered by it.  I have no idea if it is the change in my diet, or just her digestive system maturing, but I think I'll keep trying to stay as dairy free as possible for another couple of months, and then see what happens when I add it back in.

Sleep still sucks.  I mean it could be worse for sure, but I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in I don't know how long, and it doesn't appear to be coming anytime soon.  For a while E was great about falling back to sleep after nursing in the night, and then it started to be tougher and tougher.  Part of the problem was that I would unswaddle her to change her diaper, and then not swaddle her until we were finished.  And the swaddle would piss her off royally.  Now I swaddle her between sides.  It makes her mad, but once I pop a boob in her mouth she gets over it.  We usually get at least one four hour stretch between feedings at night, sometimes a tiny bit more, but for the most part she is still an every three hours kind of girl.

goodbye knee wrinkles, now we're working on thigh rolls

If I wait too long to put her down for a nap she is a BEAR about going to sleep.  The last few days have been unreal with how difficult it is, resulting in a fussy baby, a lonely toddler and a tired me.  At this point I feel like I'm just waiting to sleep train her.  I know she is too little now, and lots can change in the next couple of months, but this resembles how Ry was SO much.  Hopefully after this month when Chris's schedule is a little more predictable and we aren't all over the place we can settle into a better routine and start trying to put her down awake.  But I doubt it will go over well.  Who knows.  I suppose I should think about transitioning Elsie out of the rock 'n play too, but I'm dreading it.

Let's see, more random stuff about Miss E... both her tear ducts are still clogged.  She has some blonde hairs growing in on the top of her head.  Woot woot for no more baldness.  Even though she still looks a little bald.  Her eyes look like they're starting to turn blue.  She seems to be turning into a real mama's girl.  Flattering and annoying all at the same time.  Seriously, when she cries sometimes it sounds like she is saying 'want mama'.  I'm not lying, ask my mom!  And she has one of the best pouty lips I have ever seen.  She doesn't really like her paci, even though when she finally gives into it, it seems to calm her down.  We still need to add more tummy time into our day.  Elsie's head and neck control kind of sucks.  It is definitely getting better, but I remember Ry being much stronger by this age.

Over the past month she has had her first St. Patricks Day, her first Easter, visited Grammy and Papa's house in Kansas for the first time, been on an airplane, visited Grammy and Papa's Georgia house and the beach for the first time and probably some more firsts that I can't remember.  But the absolute best thing from this month?  Smiles.  Ohmygawd the smiles.  Elsie's smile is just plain adorable.  Especially when it gets all big and her tongue sticks out.  Those smiles can fix almost anything.  If only they could magically clean the house too...  And the cooing.  That is adorable too.

Oh I almost forgot!  To celebrate her two month birthday Miss Elsie rolled from belly to back for the first time.  I thought it was a fluke, but I put her back on her stomach and she did it again.  It hasn't happened since, but I was impressed that she did it twice in a row.  I was surprised that she rolled over so early.  I think Ry was 11 weeks before she rolled over.  Thanks to the iphone I managed to catch Elsie's first roll on video:

Elsie girl I love you so much.  Can't wait to see what the next month brings!

And because I get asked about it a lot, my mom made Elsie's quilt using this tutorial.  Most of the fabric came from Joann's.  Her little flower headband is from here.