8 Months

My sweet Owen is growing and changing at the most rapid pace. I mean, obviously, but I just can't believe how much change happens in what is truly such a short amount of time. He is wearing mostly 6-9 month clothes. Most 6-12 month tops are a little too big for him, but he can wear a few. He can wear some 3-6 month pants in the waist, but he's too long for them. He's in size 3 diapers. He eats three 6 oz bottles a day and one 8 oz bottle. He loves drinking water out of his sippy cup or real cups. He also eats cereal at breakfast, and fruits and veggies at lunch and dinner. I've been feeding him table food at lunch and dinner if I am eating something he can eat. He has had and loved chicken, roast, and turkey. He loves eating Puffs and usually reaches for the container when he sees it. He can feed himself Puffs like a pro, but I usually still feed him at meals because it's faster. I try to strike a balance between helping him and letting him be independent. A lot of times he actually won't let us feed him his Puffs. He'll keep his mouth closed and try to get it out of our hands and do it himself. He is Mr. Independent. He still hates, hates, snuggling, but he does like to be held. If I hold him where he can look around and grab whatever he wants, he loves it. As soon as we try to snuggle him, he gets upset. It's funny and sad. My mom has always said that I was exactly like that. He definitely enjoys being active, and we always say "he sure is a busy boy!" He's been babbling constantly, and these past few days he has been saying "dada" a few times! He doesn't seem to be associating it with Ryan, but we are trying to teach him.

He goes down for bedtime and naps pretty much as soon as I lay him in his crib. No fussing, no anything. He's still sleeping great at night, and he's taking longer naps on a consistent basis. He's able to put his pacifier in his mouth if he finds it in his crib or wherever. I've been waiting for that day ever since we introduced the paci to him! Ha. Diaper changes have become extremely difficult because he either scoots across the room on his back, or rolls incessantly. The only thing that works for me? Giving him a diaper sack or box of wipes to play with. Great parenting, I know: this is not a toy. :-) He has four teeth, although one is a new development and therefore quite tiny. He enjoys having his teeth brushed each morning and night. He still smiles frequently, and he enjoys observing his surroundings.

People still, for the most part, say he looks like whichever one of us (or random family members) they know best. I'm really sensitive to people saying who he likes like, or who he acts like, etc. (although I'm guilty!) because Owen is his own person. He is not an extension of us. Actually, to quote a post I read several months ago (with no citation, sorry... can't remember where it came from): "My children are neither my possessions nor extensions of myself. They are image-bearing individuals with souls that will last forever." He has his own personality which is both innate and learned. He has his own feelings, hopes, dreams. He has his own beliefs, likes, dislikes, and worldview. As much as we can try to shape bits and pieces of him, he is who he is, and I will love him unconditionally no matter. I absolutely cannot wait to get to know this amazing tiny human. :)

7 Months

Owen is 7 months. Lately he's been doing many things that remind me of our earliest days, and I love it. He still makes a fist with his thumb under his index finger. Sometimes he still curls his toes under his feet. He still crosses his ankles, and it's possibly the cutest little mannerism. He watches intently as we do anything in front of him. A couple of times recently he even held his leg up in the air for a little bit. I get so focused on how fast he is growing that I forget we've only had him for such a short time. Each time he shows one of his earliest mannerisms, I'm reminded that it actually wasn't that long ago, and I like to sit with that feeling and enjoy it for a bit.

He's in size 3 diapers and mostly 3-6 month clothing. He's sleeping well and eating well, and he is working on cutting some more teeth. He drools like it's his job. He loves basically everything, but mostly just looking around and observing everything. He loves riding in the car and seeing out the window, and he his favorite thing to do is pull my hair. He reaches for it from far away. He reaches for everything he sees, actually, and I've almost dropped him several times because he is ridiculously determined. He hates snuggling. He won't do it. He's never really done it, but it was possible to force it a little bit. Not anymore. I didn't realize how not-snuggly he was until I held several of my friends' babies recently. Every single one of them immediately melted in my arms and laid their heads on my chests. Owen did that one time. One time. And I took pictures. It was a big deal. ha! My mom has always said that's the way I was, and I now understand why that is something she remembers: it's sad. I'll have happy Owen in my arms, but when I try to make him nuzzle in, he gets upset. It's a little bit funny; he is too interested in his surroundings to have time for that. He also hates the nosefrieda. If I recorded his screaming, you would think I was setting him on fire. Same goes for brushing his teeth, although that's hit or miss. Some days he loves it, some days he hates it. He has learned to use his arms to push mine away from him, and I'm not strong enough to physically handle him a lot of the time. He's strong. He always has been! We have always speculated about his personality, but right now I'd say he's quite the determined fireball. He's so sweet, too.  And freakin' cute. He smiles all the time, and I'm curious to know how much of that is innate and how much of that is learned because his mama has a case of the smileys, too.

I love him. Ryan and I both love him. I'd be leaving out something important if I didn't include that Ryan is seriously Owen's favorite human on earth. I'm ok with it; I think he's a great person to favor. :) Owen is so fun--such a gift--and I'm proud that he is my son.

Schedule

Owen and I thrive on our schedule. It keeps me sane, and I'm basically obsessed with it. I admit that it's just as much, if not more, for me than it is for him, but he does so great with it. I did build it around his needs, so it makes perfect sense. It's easily the best thing I've done for myself since he was born. As you'll see below, his nap times are relative. It depends on the nap he took before it. It sounds chaotic, but it isn't. He's extremely predictable!

• 7ish- Owen wakes up. I never wake him up; I'm not that crazy! He always sleeps until at least 6 (if he falls asleep later than usual, he'll wake up earlier--just one of those weird baby things), and sometimes sleeps until 7:30; he usually lands somewhere around 7 though. When he wakes up, I feed him 8 oz. of milk.
• play
• 2 hours after he wakes up: nap (usually 9 or 9:30)

• 11- eat veggies and drink 8 oz bottle
• play
• 2.5-3 hours after he wakes up from previous nap, take another nap
• play

• 3- 8 oz bottle
• play
• 2.5-3 hours after he wakes up from previous nap, take another nap

• 6/6:30- eat veggies, then do bedtime routine: fresh diaper, pjs, read a book (or two or three) if we have time, smiles, laughs, snuggles
• 6:45ish- 8 oz bottle
• 7ish- after bottle, lay him down in crib. I go in every 10 minutes to give him his paci if he doesn't fall asleep on his own (he doesn't cry, just plays). I've never gone in more than twice.

Repeat. :-) He typically sleeps 11-12 hours. He never needs us in the night anymore. I don't think I've gotten up in the night for at least the past month or month and a half. He hasn't eaten in the night since he was 3.5 months old. A month and a half ago I decided to see what would happen if I didn't go give him his paci if/when he woke up in the middle of the night. My rule was 10 minutes. If he's still crying or awake at 10 minutes, I'll go in there. Well, I never had to go in there. Two nights in a row he cried/played/rolled around for 7 minutes and went right back to sleep. The next two nights he did that for 2 minutes or so. I haven't heard from him since. He goes to sleep like a champ, seriously. I want to rock him, but he usually tries to touch my face, put his hands in my mouth, and grin so much that he just won't fall asleep that way.  I lay him in his crib and he either plays or goes to sleep. He doesn't cry, but if for some reason something is wrong and he does, I give him his paci (he's cried at bed time maybe once in the past month). If that doesn't work, I'll rock him. I don't do "cry it out" at this time (or ever, besides those two nights of 7 minutes) because, quite frankly, he's never given us a reason to do that. Bed time is a breeze for us these days, but I do remember when it wasn't. :) I have not forgotten those days, and I don't see my memory letting go of them any time soon.

He isn't a marathon napper most days, but he is consistent with what he does. He usually takes a few 30 minutes naps. Every now and then he'll sleep for an hour or two, but usually it's 30 minutes. It actually works really for us. He's even gotten to where he'll sleep practically anywhere. The past few weeks he's taken naps in his swing, carseat, stroller, the couch, our bed, his playmat, our arms, and a few other places away from home. Wherever he gets tired, he usually sleeps. Again, it used to be the extreme opposite. Oh, how badly I wish I'd known how quickly it would all change!

Schedules aren't for everyone, but it is definitely for us. I mentioned in Owen's 6 month post that I've only had him out past his bed time a few times. (As in, literally 2 or 3.) We aren't suffering one bit because of it; in fact, it's been glorious for all of us. Highly recommend it. We've gone out of town multiple times, been to weddings, stayed in hotels, etc. but we still stick with it. Is it always easy? Nope. Worth it? Every bit. I'm Owen's momma. Part of my responsibility is to protect him, and to make sure he gets what he needs (decent bed time, etc.) is one way I can protect him. Not one other thing I could possibly be doing is more important than him, so he wins.

One more thing: as with anything you decide to do with babies, consistency is key. There's no point in making a schedule/routine if you aren't going to stick with it. Whether you're choosing an anything-goes approach or a more structured approach, embrace whatever works for you and your family! Babies (and mommas) are all different. :)

6 Months

Six months. Six. I can't even talk about how it's been half a year. My thoughts are not coherent at all, which means this probably won't be a very concise writing. If this were paper, I'd stain it with my tears and leave it at that. In fact, I might do that in the journal I have for Owen. Here, though, I'll try to make my feelings palpable.

Actually, I won't. (See, told ya--not coherent.) I think I'll keep it light. I've had anxiety and general uneasiness lately, and finally just had an all-out meltdown one night last week about Owen growing up. I don't want to have another one any time soon. ha. He's worth it. The pain and heartache I feel from loving him so deeply is something I wasn't prepared for, and I don't think I would have understood it if anyone had tried to prepare me.

For the first time in possibly my entire life, my reality has far, far exceeded my expectations. If I could freeze time and stay 27 and Owen stay 6 months, I would probably do it. I now tear up almost every time he and I drive down the road. I see him back there, just staring out the window with eyes full of wonder. I've been able to see many things through fresh eyes because of the way he looks around and takes it all in. It's fun to watch him check out his environment before settling in any time we are at a new place. It's one of my favorite things!

I absolutely cannot believe how much fun I have with Owen. This past month has been the absolute best! He smiles and laughs all the time. He's so joyful all the time; it's no fluke that we have so many smiley pictures of him! People in public are always commenting on his happiness, smile, and beautiful eyes. I'm just so proud to be his mom. I really am. He is sweet. So sweet. He's rolling over like a pro, trying to crawl, successfully crawling on his back, starting to sit up on his own, and jumping like crazy when he stands up with our help or the help of his Baby Einstein activity jumper. He also has two teeth! One day I said "I really think he's teething," for the first time, and later that week a bottom front tooth broke through. Two days later, there were two teeth! It's the cutest thing. I thought he was teething because he was suddenly spitting up a ton for a couple of days in a row, and he was extremely congested. I don't know why, but it just seemed like that meant he was teething. It was all out of the blue and happening at once. They are so sharp, and so cute.

We also started "solids" (pureed foods) right after he turned 5 months old because he was consistently showing signs of being ready: watching us eat, reaching for our food and drinks, opening his mouth for a spoon. He loves his veggies! He's had green beans, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, and squash. I originally thought carrots were his favorite because it was the first container he finished completely, but now he does that with all of them. haha. We've also tried peaches multiple times and he doesn't like them. I tried a banana with him last week and he was super dramatic about disliking it. He's hilarious. :-) Since last month, we have dropped his 10:30pm feeding, so he's down to four feedings a day.

He is 19 lbs 13 oz, and a little over 29 inches long. He's in size 3 diapers and size 3-6 clothing for the most part. He is wearing a few 6-9 month pieces. He's sleeping 11-12 uninterrupted hours a night, putting himself to sleep (without crying or rocking) every night. I wish I could still rock him, and I still try sometimes, but he usually just plays with my hair or face and smiles constantly. You know how difficult it is to put a smiling baby down in his crib at night? I want to hold him and snuggle forever. When I put him down, though, he goes to sleep, so I better keep doing what's best for him instead of what's best for me. Speaking of which--his bedtime is around 7 p.m. He's usually in his crib from 7p.m.-7a.m., and sometimes even 7:30 a.m. I can count on one hand (without using all of my fingers) the number of times we've had him out past his bed time since he was born. I'm a major stickler for it because it affects him in huge ways. And you know what? I love being home in the evenings and nights. It's such a special time. When he's old enough to be involved in organized activities, we won't exactly have evenings at home like we do now (even though Ryan works til about 8:30). Plus, he's the best sleeper, and we both completely thrive with our schedule. We've never been off of it. I'll just write another post about our schedule because I could talk about it all day. Such a life saver! Dr. Allison was asking about what all he's been up to lately (milestones, etc.) and his sleep. She seemed a little surprised and said something along the lines of, "I wouldn't count on that with any of his future siblings." haha.  He's more than I could have ever imagined. I'm thankful.

Owen Beckett, you are such a gift, my little love. Your joy is infectious!

5 Months

My little love is 5 months old. I've called him "little love" ever since we brought him home from the hospital. It's a funny name to call him because although he is little, my love for him is quite the opposite. There is a song that I began singing to him when I was about 8 weeks pregnant with him, and I still sing it to him; part of it says how does someone so small hold my heart so tightly? My sentiments exactly. There really isn't much I can say here that hasn't already been said. I'm basically in love with him and I don't see that changing any time soon. :)

Between four months and five months, Owen became quite a busy boy. He is rolling over both directions like a champ, playing like a big boy, and constantly talking and squealing. He smiles and laughs all the time, and it's always adorable. He is fairly consistently sleeping from 7pm-7am without needing us at all. Ryan is still feeding him a bottle around 10:30, although we are working on weaning him from that feed. He doesn't even wake up for it half of the time, but that is the only disruption from the time we put him down to the time he gets up in the morning. We still lay him on his back every night, but he quickly rolls over to his side or belly and seems to love sleeping that way.

He sometimes crawls on his back, and he looks like a little worm when he does it. It's so funny! We've caught him trying to crawl in his crib, but he has only attempted it once or twice out in the open. He also tries to imitate us. He's on a 4 hour routine now, and he eats around 8 oz. every 4 hours. He's in size 2 diapers, but size 3 for over night. He's in 3-6 month clothing, but can definitely wear a few 6-9 month clothes. He's still the cutest thing I've seen in my entire life, obviously.

Our days keep getting brighter and brighter, little one. Love you to pieces.

4 Months

I've written out a 4-month post three different times now and have deleted it each time. I've been unable to find the words I want to say, which ironically enough perfectly captures how I have felt since Owen's birth. There aren't enough words. There aren't right words. Ineffable.

I understand deeply why babies are often referred to as bundles of joy. He is quite literally a bundle of joy. His smile lights up my life, as well as the lives of our family members, friends, strangers. I love watching elderly people do what they can to catch a glimpse of him. In their faces I see the connection they are making between the beautiful baby in my arms and their own beautiful babies who grew entirely too fast. I can't help but notice the juxtaposition of the hopeful glimmer and painful wince in their eyes as they instantly begin reflecting on the blink-of-an-eye that was their children's lives, and I allow it to remind me to slow down, relax, enjoy, and hold closely. Especially to hold closely.

Owen is growing and learning so quickly that it makes my head spin. He found his voice and talks constantly. We hope his voice drops multiple octaves by adulthood. ;) Sometimes we have a difficult time distinguishing between his crying and his talking, but he is learning to make them sound different. He has mastered rolling from his back to his stomach, and although he has rolled from his stomach to back several times, he often gets stuck and frustrated. He offers smiles all the time, and there is not one sight on this earth that I would rather see. I know he feels joy deep in his soul when he smiles with his mouth wide open and his eyes shut tightly, sometimes even turning his head away in the process. Shut-eye smiles, the kind even an adult can't fake. Contagious. If we try really hard, he lets out laughs that sound like growls. It is impossible to witness it and not laugh in return. He is still enjoying kicking, and loves when we sing to him. He smiles so big every time Ryan talks to him and smiles. It doesn't matter if he is close by or across the room, it never fails. He is a pro at playing with toys now. I remember when I got so excited the first time he even looked at one of his toys, then again when he touched one (I think by accident). It's unbelievable how quickly he is changing. He is able to do whatever he wants with his toys now, which often includes ripping them down from his play mat! We did take him back to the pool a few weeks ago and he liked it much better than the first time. He was completely expressionless, but that's a win. He sat in his stroller and watched intently the entire time I ate an ice cream cone on Wednesday, and ever since then he has been sticking out his tongue. It's hilarious and scary how he is able to watch and learn! We are quite amused at the way Owen always has his leg or legs up in the air. It is so funny and weird, and I have dozens of photos and videos of it!

My sweet baby appears to be analytical and cautious (very strong qualities of mine). Time will tell, but my early assessment is based on the way he seems to favor taking in his surroundings before choosing to be comfortable or not, looking at a toy for a while before attempting to touch it, and preferring the safety of his carseat or stroller when we are in a strange place. Owen still doesn't like loud, high-energy people or places. He has always slept with white noise in the background, and I think it is comforting to him, so I downloaded an app so we can have white noise on the go. It has helped with car rides and public places. Last week (4 months 1 week) I had to start supplementing with some formula and I hate it. I'll write more on that later. We moved to a 4-hour schedule at that point, also, which is the first time our routine has changed since he was 6 weeks old.

Through 4 months he was still in mostly 0-3 month clothes, although now he is in some 3-6 month clothes. He is in size 2 diapers. At his appointment last week he weighed 15 lbs 9 oz (62%), and was 28 inches long (100%). He's finally able to sleep unswaddled in his crib, thanks to some prodding from his dad! He's been sleeping through the night again, although sometimes he needs his paci in the middle of the night. Our last middle of the night feeding was exactly one month ago today.

I love Owen's hands and feet. And everything else. His hands and feet have been my favorite since day one. His fingers are fattening up, and just make me stop and smile and think about how sweet he is. We hold hands a lot at home, in the car, wherever. He holds on to my shirt when I hold him, feed him, or rock him. We often talk about how hands can be used to hurt or to do good, and how he will use them to do good. We talk about how his feet will take him great places, wherever he chooses to go. Every night when I feed him and rock him, I affirm him. I know he doesn't understand yet, but I usually say something along the lines of you are precious. you are loved. you are wanted. you are important. you are smart. you are capable. you are unique. Owen, you are all of those things and more that I cannot express. Ineffable.

Friday Confessions on Saturday

Yesterday was Friday, and I didn't even really realize it. :) Here are some confessions:

1. I confess that I'm addicted to General Hospital. This isn't anything new. I had to give it up during my pregnancy because it gave me crazy dreams and I couldn't get GH off my mind. Now that my life is crazy and I have so much running through my mind, it's unable to take over. The show annoys me to no end, but I can't. stop. watching.

2. I confess that 3.5 months is my favorite baby age so far. I am not an "every stage is my favorite" person. Maybe I am now, but I never would have said that before 2 months. Ever. So maybe we've turned a new page and every stage from here on out will be my favorite. Who knows?

3. I confess that I am so ready to move back to Fayetteville that I might just start packing. I need two more years to finish my Master's here since one whole year is internship. I'm currently looking into how a transfer might work. I would love to move back to Little Rock because it's my favorite, but Ryan disagrees. Besides, it doesn't get any better than our friends and our church back in Fayetteville. Get me there now, please! No really. Now. (P.S. Two of my best friends in the world do not live there, but in a perfect world, they would. Hi Megan! Hi Lydia!)

4. I confess that I cannot overstate how ready I am for fall. It's by far my favorite season! I don't give a hoot about summer. Give me cute clothes, boots, crisp air, pumpkins and hay bales, cinnamon scents, and SEC football. Yes. Heaven. 

5. I confess that Ryan and I are going to Mexico in December. Last year we decided to try going on a vacation for Christmas instead of doing presents or a vacation some other time of the year. We went to Chicago (yes, in December), it was the best trip ever. I still bring it up more than once a week (seriously). I would go to Chicago in December again in a heartbeat, but Ryan wants to be able to go to a Cubs game next time we go. So, we're going to Cabo, and we're so excited! No, Owen isn't going. :(

On that note, I have a crying baby who just woke up early from nap time. C ya! (Remember signing notes that way in junior high? haha)

3 Months

This picture makes me smile. :) String bean, long-legged boy. 

I have a three month old! Holy cow. He gets more and more fun every single day, really. He has the best smile in the entire world. I can do everything in the world to try to get him to smile, and he might or he might not. But when I smile at him, he always smiles back. There is nothing better. Nothing!

He has grown so much. We don't go back to the doctor until next month, but I think he weighs around 14 pounds. I could be completely wrong. The day he turned 3 months, April 1, he suddenly couldn't fit into size 1 diapers anymore. He's still in 0-3 month clothing. He eats every 3 hours during the day, and when it's a bottle, it's 4 ounces of breastmilk. That's still all he's ever had! He can now ride in his stroller facing outward instead of being in his carseat, and he seems to love it! He's showing a true interest in his toys now, and it's been so fun for me to get them out for him because they've been sitting in his room for months and months, waiting to be held and licked. He is loving his playmat more than ever before. It's fun to watch him grab at the dangling toys, kick them, smile at them. He is enjoying staring at his fists that he always has right in front of his face. It's funny and cute! When we do tummy time, he comes really close to rolling over. Poor Owen... he has dad cheering "come on, buddy!" and me wailing "nooo, don't!!" :-)

His sleep has taken a turn for the worse, but it is slowly getting better. I'm pretty sure he went through a growth spurt last week because his sleeping patterns (or lack thereof) and middle-of-the-night eating changed drastically without warning. It's ok though. I'm his momma and it's my highest responsibility to take care of him, meet his needs, and make sure he feels loved, safe, and secure. Our overall "schedule" hasn't changed any from last month, except I'm gone for school three days a week now (5 hours each day). We have different family members watching him while I'm gone, and as far as I know, Owen has done well with them. On days I'm not going to school, we tend to stay home more instead of get out as much as we used to. I need my Owen snuggles, and I don't get them when we're on-the-go!

We took Owen to the pool for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and he hated it! I posted the video in my last blog entry. I love it. I'm hoping he'll like it once the water isn't so cold, although I feel cruel taking him out in the heat. I get mom guilt bad when it comes to getting Owen out of the house. I'm ready for him to be able to speak for himself. ha. Not really.

I love him more than my heart can handle. Aside from him being my precious son, there is something so captivating about this little innocent baby. I've had a few stressful moments with school and everything else, and to see him just smile in oblivion really does my heart good. I think there is a lot to be learned from babies. He is the very best tiny person I know!

Confessional Friday

Good morning!! I'm linking up with Leslie at A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday! Her blog is one of my favorites, and I've been meaning to start this for like six Fridays now. So:

I confess that I kiss Owen's cheeks one thousand times a day, and I would do even more if there were more hours in a day. I mean seriously. Cutest ever or cutest ever? 

I confess that when it was time for me to wash my face this morning, I squeezed a big 'ol dollop of moisturizer into my hand instead of cleanser. Whoopsies. Can't say it's the first time I've done that! I blame the cutie above for my sleep deprivation.

I confess that it has been really, really nice to be back in class since I took last semester off to have Owen. I'm working on my Master's in Counseling, and even quit teaching in order to do it. I have to leave him three days a week through the end of July, then my schedule will be a little more relaxed in the fall. Is it ok to say that going to class feels like a break? I love being with Owen, but those days at home can drag and drag... especially with Ryan working 12 hour days!

I confess that I'm counting down the days til August 22. That's when my next hair appointment is at The Crown! I missed my last appointment in order to give birth :), and once you get out of the rotation, it's challenging to get an appointment! I haven't gotten my hair done since February 7th. Dying.

I confess that I'm not sad about Owen turning 3 months old in 4 days. I have really enjoyed him so much since he's started smiling and showing interest in some toys. He's so much fun! I would never go back. I am a little mad at myself because I've been enjoying him so much that I haven't been taking as many pictures. Today's to-do: take cute pictures.

I confess that I've watched this video about a million times. We took Owen to the pool for the first time last Friday, and he hated it. I think it's hysterical!

And with that, have a great weekend!! We'll be laying low this weekend. In the mean time, if you want to pray that Owen starts liking the pool, that'd be grreeaaat. ;)

2 Months

 

As of Sunday, I have a two month old. Tuesday, a 9 week old. Since I'm posting this a week after I wrote it (um, life with Owen is cuh-razy), this Tuesday he will be 10 weeks old. There is a certain ache that runs through my body every time I think about how quickly he has grown and changed already. I look at pictures from the earliest weeks and can't comprehend that it's the same baby in those pictures as the one in my arms. During these past two months, I have learned patience and selflessness like never before. Ok, maybe just with Owen. Someday it will carry out into other relationships :) Truly though, I've never had to give of myself in such a way, and I never imagined I could find such joy in doing so.

At two months, Owen is growing like a weed! He is 25 inches long ("100th" percentile), and 12 lb 10 oz (75th). Right now he's looking tall and skinny, although he's finally getting a little meat on those yummy thighs! He has been loving his playmat and his swing, and I enjoy being able to put him down every now and then. He's becoming increasingly aware of his tongue and is frequently sticking it out! It's so cute. He loves looking at lights, even natural light through the window, and he loves watching ceiling fans! Although it's gotten a lot better, he still fights sleep during the day and is almost impossible to console at times. Sometimes he insists on being held, but lots of times he'll cry and cry until you lay him down alone somewhere. I think he is starting to enjoy being alone some (a shining glimpse of my personality)! There aren't many things he seems to dislike these days. Although he will do tummy time for a few minutes and is impressively strong, he screams any time I lay him on his belly. Other than that, he is fairly agreeable for the time being! This week he started showing interest in some toys and started trying to grab them for the first time. He can also move himself 90 degrees when we lay him down on his playmat. Little guy has been busy growing and learning! He's been to the church nursery twice now, for three hours each time... we go to service and then to our fellowship class. I think he does ok in there, but I purposely don't ask for details just in case. Last week he was deep asleep in someone's arms when I went to pick him up, and I was truly so happy that he felt safe and loved enough to do that.

The best part about Owen being two months old is that he's smiling now! He started smiling quite a bit these past two weeks. It's hit or miss, and he doesn't always do it, but I become a puddle every time he does. It's the best smile I've ever seen in my whole entire life!

Our schedule:
7:00- eat
Lay on my bed or playmat while I get ready... usually I take a million pictures of him at this time! :)
9 or so- nap (usually in swing)

10- eat
11- leave the house and nap in carseat from 11 or 11:30-1

1-eat
2 or 2:30-4 or 4:30- nap in crib

4 or 4:30- eat
play on playmat, swing, snuggle, etc.
6 or so- nap

6:45- bath (if it's a bath night), change diaper, swaddle
7- eat, then snuggle and rock... I lay him down in his crib after he's asleep, and sometimes while he's still awake.

He usually falls asleep between 8 and 9, but most consistently around 8:15.

Repeat the next day! :)

I start back at school this week and will be gone from 11-4 on Mondays, and 4-9pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He will already be in bed by time I get home those days. Break. My. Heart. I love him so!

Edit 6/09/14: Things I forgot to include in this post but want to remember: Owen is in size 1 diapers, 0-3 month clothing, and is sleeping through the night from around 8 (sometimes as early as 7:45 or as late as 9) to around 6 (sometimes 5, sometimes 7, but almost always 6 or 6:15)! :)

Must-Haves Months 1 & 2

Every baby is different. Heck, my baby is different on a daily basis. We do have some favorite items--some "must-haves," if you will--that helped us get through these first two months. Some of these we were lucky enough to have gotten right the first time. Others we discovered through trial and error. Also important to note is that just because your baby might seem to dislike something the first or second time doesn't mean he/she won't like it later! Owen seemed to hate his swing up until this last week! :-) Here are the things that I can't imagine doing without:

1. Sound Machine
We use this HoMedics Sound Spa Portable Sound Machine ($20 at Wal Mart; $35 at Target for the exact same thing). I love the "white noise" sound, turned up all the way, without the timer. I turn this on at the beginning of our bedtime routine and I do not turn it off until it's time for his morning feed. If Owen is upset during a diaper change, I'll turn it on for that and it usually calms him right down! He loves it. I also turn it on when he naps in his crib. Not only does this sound machine help create a great sleeping environment, but it also helps drown out any noises coming from the kitchen, which is right outside of his room.

2. Miracle Blanket
We have every type of swaddle and swaddle blanket on the market, I swear. They are all great, except Owen is a houdini baby who always managed to escape every single type of swaddle we would try. Those little hands would somehow always end up right up against his face. It was cute, but not helpful. This Miracle Blanket is the only swaddle that keeps his arms where they need to be for a proper swaddle. It's a little tricky to master, but worth it. He somehow manages to get his legs out, so...

3. Summer Infant SwaddleMe
We actually have to put this on top of the Miracle Blanket or else he will keep himself awake by kicking constantly. Between these two swaddles, we have his arms and legs covered. :)


4. Wubbanub
We also own every type of pacifier on the market. Truly. Owen needs his pacifier to relax throughout the day, but he doesn't (or didn't) know how to keep it in very well. Ryan and I grew to loathe the pacifier because we were having to put it back in his mouth every few seconds. It was terrible. This is a Soothie pacifier. That type of pacifier actually did cause us some problems with breastfeeding both times I let him have that kind. We gave him a different kind of paci (Gumdrop) for the first few weeks, then I switched him to this. He loves it, and it stays in so much better. He has recently started holding the puppy with his hands, and it's really sweet to see. I sometimes give him a regular Soothie pacifier without the animal attached, and they fall right out of his mouth. Another win for the wubbanub is that when I'm driving, I'm able to reach back and find it easily so I can pop it right back into his mouth.

5. Rock n Play
We borrowed this Rock n Play from a friend, and it has been wonderful! Owen slept in it when he was in our room the first four weeks, and we took it with us when we had to stay in a hotel one night a couple of weeks ago. He sleeps really well in it! It's really cozy, and it's inclined. If he desperately needs a nap and refuses to settle down in his crib, I will sometimes put him in this.


6. Boppy
I breastfed Owen without the Boppy for the first two weeks of his life because I'm an idiot. Sometimes I use this and sometimes I use a regular pillow, but I do highly recommend using something! This pillow allows me to have a hand (and sometimes even two!) free during those nursing sessions, which helps the time go by much faster (hello, Facebook)!

7.  Blooming Bath
We didn't use this until Owen was a month old because our doctor advised us not to really bathe him until then. It works well for us, and Owen seems to like it just fine! It's easy to use and provides a soft surface for him to bathe on. I love that we can just throw it in the washer when it needs cleaned rather than having to clean a baby tub.

8. Travel System
We have the Britax B-Safe and B-Agile system, and we l-o-v-e it. The carseat just snaps into the stroller and we're ready to go! Owen often falls asleep in his carseat, and I absolutely loathe waking him up for any reason other than to eat. With this, I'm able to leave him in his carseat without bothering him at all. The stroller is great and easy to use, collapse, and open. It can be used without the carseat for a child who weighs less than fifty pounds, I believe. Another reason to have a stroller that works with your carseat is that with the weight of the carrier and my eight week old baby, I'd be lugging around 33 pounds in one hand. It's so nice to be able to just push him instead of carry him with that added weight.

9. Pampers Swaddlers
We have only used these diapers and Huggies Snugglers. I'm not sure if there is a huge difference. Our hospital put him in Huggies and sent them home with us, but all of our other diapers are Pampers Swaddlers. They work well for us! You know all those blogs and people who tell you that buying newborn diapers is a waste of money because size 1s will work just fine? That the hospital will put your baby in size 1s anyway? That's a bunch of bull. We didn't have any newborn diapers because I listened to that advice, and we had to go buy some once we ran out of the newborn diapers we brought home from the hospital. Owen's hips and legs were so skinny that size 1 diapers fit him loose like a pair of shorts around his legs. I don't know about you, but I didn't want to deal with poop and pee coming out of his diaper every single time he went. We had our fair share of accidents anyway, but a properly fitting diaper is important. :-) He wore newborns until he was about a month old.

10. Pampers Sensitive Wipes
I've tried out a lot of wipes, but these are by far my favorite because they seem to be so much thicker than all the others. Highly recommend!




11. Mirror
Owen and I go out and about, just the two of us, quite a bit. I love being able to glance into my rear view mirror and see if he is awake or asleep, or why he might be crying. It's my favorite thing to look up and see that he's sitting there content, looking around. It's so adorable! I really do believe this is a must if you will be driving your baby around without someone else.

12. Video Baby Monitor
We chose this Motorola one because it was about half off on Black Friday. I absolutely love being able to check on him without having to go into his room. If he starts fussing in the middle of the night, I can watch him on the monitor for a few minutes to see if he will settle himself before I barge in there and intervene. I believe it has prevented me from intervening too early many, many times! The first night he slept in his crib, I watched the monitor to see his chest moving since he was no longer next to my bed for me to physically check his breathing. 


13. Moby Wrap
I have an Ergo carrier and an infant insert, but I quickly realized it wasn't actually very infant-friendly. Owen needed to be held and carried for a large portion of his first month of life, and although there is nothing more precious than baby snuggles, it just wasn't realistic or ideal for me. I decided to try to the Moby wrap, and we both really like it! It's a little tricky at first, and I'm looking forward to him getting big enough to safely use the Ergo, but the Moby has been a life-saver on many occasions.

14. Eyefi Memory Card
A good camera is a must, but I'm not going to tell you what to get. I will tell you to get this memory card, though! I'm able to take good pictures with my camera and send them to my wireless devices through this memory card's built-in wifi. It's pretty awesome, and I love being able to share photos soon after I take them instead of weeks later when I decide to pop my memory card into my computer.


And there you have it! There are many other things we use, of course, but I'd say there isn't really much else we've needed during these first two months! Gas drops, gripe water, swing, playmat, nosefrieda, etc. are all fantastic, but they'll play a bigger role later, I'm sure!