5.27.2013

Sophia's beauty

Sophia's beauty grows each day, both inside and out. Her personality is very sweet, with a little sass. :) Her smile is full of joy; it is contagious!

PS  Look at these CURLS! love it

Sophia, you are breathtaking!

5.21.2013

Jacob - Two Months Old!

How has a whole month passed since my last post?! Jacob is already two months old (as of yesterday!)
He continues to delight us and fit perfectly into our family. In fact, I think how it was before he came along is becoming hazy already. :) Sophia has been such a great big sister...really embracing her role. Two favorite moments that really showed me how much she loves him! 1) We were at a friend's house and when it was time to go, I had my friend hold Jacob while I got Sophia situated in the car. She got very concerned that we were going to leave him at her house and said, "no!! Baby Jakey come WITH!" 2) Yesterday they were playing together (she was putting stickers all over his shirt while he sat in the swing.) He LOVES her attention and was smiling a storm up for her. after a while, he started fussing because he was tired and needed a nap. I picked him up to put him in the Ergo and Sophia protested, "no, Mama! Jacob back down in the swing!" She wasn't ready to stop their play time! I love it. It is fun to see them interacting more now that he is following eye contact so well and smiling.
 Adorned with his sister's flower stickers :)

Dr. check up this month:
Weight - 14 lbs 4 oz - He is a sturdy little guy! love love his "rubber band" wrists and chunky thighs. He is wearing 3-6 and 6 month clothing. Even a few 6-9 mo sleepers (gerber brand though so it hardly counts! those run so small!) would be in size 2 diapers, but we have him in our one size cloth diapers and it's going great!
Height - 25 inches

*Jacob is smiling a TON. He is so handsome and his whole face lights up. We love seeing his personality coming out!!


*Unfortunately, he has reflux. it is sad to see him in pain and struggling for relief as well as a bit annoying to have everything covered in spit up (making laundry hard to keep up with). He nurses well which is great, but spends most of his awake time being burped and spitting up. He soaks at least one burp rag each feeding and often he (and Mom) need a shirt change after. I am already dairy and gluten free because of thrush issues, so I don't think its my diet. Gripe water has helped a bit. the biggest thing is just keeping him upright after feedings and burping. LOTS of burping.

*He nurses every 2-3 hrs during the day and 2-3 times at night. Probably 8-9 ish times a day. He gets a diaper change each feeding and like his sister, doesn't poop but maybe once or twice a day. sometimes not even that. HE TAKES BOTTLES! PTL! After Sophia always refusing them, I think we are amazed still at how nice it is to have that option. Plus it is neat having Eric get to bond with him in a new way too.

*We are thrush free!! yaaaaaayyyyy

*He has started to coo and babble!!! It is adorable. He was chatting with Eric tonight - such a sweet little voice! I asked him tonight if he was ready for bed, and Eric and I both started laughing when it sounded like he said "noooooo"

*He loves to stare at ceiling fans, the mobile on the swing (although he really doesn't like the swing, he does like the mobile), lights, anything hanging above him. He also likes our colorful "Italian landscape" painting in the living room. I remember Sophia liking the vibrant colors too


Mr. Blue Eyes! There is just no way these are turning brown! I think I have finally accepted this surprise! They sure are a beautiful blue!

*Jacob likes his bath...doesn't get one every night mostly due to me being tired and it not being necessary. He likes the water pretty hot/warm and does NOT like being cold afterwards. I try to have some fleece pjs and a blanket to wrap up as soon as I take him out. The nights he does get one, it is after Sophia goes to bed and just before I put him down.

*He HATES the car. Almost always cries himself into a sweat wherever we go. It is sad to see him so sad! Sophia is pretty tolerant (fell asleep one day in the middle of his screaming! I was amazed), sometimes she acknowledges it by singing him "Jesus loves me" to make him feel better, saying "almost there, baby. two more minutes", or my least favorite, yelling "STOP!!!" She usually does her own thing though, reading books, looking out the window, singing songs, eating snack, etc. We look forward to the day Jacob is a little happier to ride. The WORST time for him to be put in the car is right after he nurses. I think the milk is still so heavy on his tummy and it is painful for him. The BEST time is either right before he eats (? he usually stays asleep? so strange, you'd think him being hungry would bother him) or right after he falls asleep for a nap (the only time I can transfer him and have him stay asleep).

*Very happy to be held by anyone and everyone during his awake time! He will charm anyone with a smile and be very content (although, better have a burp rag handy! He spits up multiple times while awake. always). When sleepy, he does best in mama's arms. :) Mama does not mind this one bit!!

*He is starting to find his hands! So fun to watch the discovery process unfold.



*He has recently started getting put down for the night around 8-8:30 pm and will sleep a 4-6 hr stretch, eat around 1:30 am, go back to sleep until 4-4:30 am then have a hard time going back to sleep after this feeding. He is usually back asleep by 5-5:30 and sleeps until 6:15 am. I have the hardest time during this 5 am waking knowing he isn't really fully up for the day, but the big chunks of sleep are done for the night. I never understand why he is so fussy or awake during that second am feeding. At 6:15 ish he is up for the day and has awake periods of about 45-55 min before he goes back to sleep. He is still taking most (if not all) naps in the Ergo during the day, but I am starting to try to put him down for at least one nap a day to start the transition to being on his own. He still co-sleeps with me most of the night, but has started taking that first and longest stretch in his bassinet (which is in our bathroom master closet.)

 happy Mama!
 Love my kids!! Look at how beautiful they both are!

 Going for a ride in our new double stroller! Eric and I both love it already! And the kids enjoyed it too! Our princess up front and little prince smiling away at his first stroller ride.


Sophia giving an affectionate hug! They are buds already and I am beyond THRILLED!!!!

Jacob, we love you! Sophia's prayer this week has been "Thank you God, for baby Jakey and Mama and Cici and Daddy. AAA-men." so sweet. We do thank God for our little family!