Lena: 2 Months

Miss Lena is 2 months old today!

We're getting into somewhat of a routine. She usually wakes up between 7:30 and 8 every morning and is back to sleep by 9 (in the swing - I've given up fighting it). Some days she sleeps for 4 hours, some days she sleeps for half an hour. She's generally up for about an hour at a time before she's ready for another nap. And she usually takes a good afternoon nap. 

Breastfeeding is going better since my last update. I haven't had to give her formula yet. Just this week she's finally started to go 2.5 or 3 hours between feedings (with a little encouragement from me). She still only nurses on one side. I wish she'd do both because I think she'd get fuller and not get hungry so fast, but she must have a small stomach. Most times she absolutely refuses to nurse on both sides.

She's still pretty colicky. For the most part, if she's not eating or sleeping she's crying. Some days are worse than others. Once or twice a week she screams for a couple hours at a time - usually around 7:00. I still haven't noticed a pattern tied to what I eat. We can usually console her with a lot of walking, jiggling, shushing, singing, colic-holding, gas drops and gripe water.

She is happy once in a while. :-) I don't want you to think she's horribly crabby all the time. Look at this face:

She still doesn't coo nearly as much as Lucy did at this age, but she's doing it more and more. Usually if she's fed and well rested I can get her to smile and talk a little bit. She loves her playmat - she has more happy moments there than anywhere else. She loves her swing. And she loves to be held.

The good news is she is a great night-time sleeper. My mom said I was the same way: I cried all day, but slept all night. Lena's last feeding of the night is usually right around 9:30. She goes to bed without much fuss shortly after that and sleeps a good 6-7 hours! Glorious! Some nights she gets up twice (at like 3 and 6 - I know 6 doesn't really count as night - haha). Some nights she just gets up once. She's still sleeping in the Rock n' Play in our room, and likes to be swaddled - but only from the waist down. She freaks out when I pin her arms down. Haha.

It's amazing to me how different she is than Lucy. She's much smaller. Lena's still wearing all newborn clothes (with the exception of a select few 3 month outfits). Look at these picture comparisons:

LUCY - 2 months. Look at that leg chub!

LENA - 2 months. Scrawny little legs!

Lucy was 11 lbs, 8 oz at her 2 month appointment. Lena's appointment is Tuesday, but I'll be amazed if she's much over 10 lbs!  I think she cries off all her calories. ;-)

Lucy also had way more hair:

LUCY - 2 months

LENA - 2 months - she even has a bald spot on the back of her head already!                   

Another difference between the girls is their eye color. I actually think Lena's might stay blue!

This is LUCY at 2 months:

Look how dark her eyes were already.

And LENA at 2 months:

Still pretty blue! 

Time will tell, I guess! :-)

Overall, we're doing well and enjoying our sweet baby girl. I had somewhat of an epiphany this week. I was thinking about how much I love the newborn phase and how I'm letting it slip away with worry about housework and responsibilities. It's funny because it's exactly what everyone has told me - I just had to come to terms with it myself. I'm really trying to enjoy those moments cuddled on the couch with Lena, nursing in the middle of the night, giving her baths and smelling her sweet hair. They'll be gone before I know it.

One more thing:
I'm down 30 lbs since giving birth and still wearing my maternity jeans 24/7. I try on my regular jeans at least once a week, but I can't even get most of them up over my hips! And I still have a decent amount of belly flab. I'm glad I have a while 'til swimsuit season still. :-)