Two months old today and baby girl is showing us more of her easy-going, happy personality every day!
EAT.
Kaitlyn nurses about 6-7 times days a day. Right now a rough estimate is 4:30am, 7:30am, 10:30am, 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:15pm.. I’ve been doing a dream-feed around 9:30pm and thought it was working pretty well, but now I’m not convinced because it doesn’t seem to be holding her that much longer at night. After all, at 6 weeks old she slept 7:45-4:30 a few times without it. Starting tonight I’m skipping the dream-feed.
She typically nurses on both sides for a total of 15ish minutes. Sometimes she smiles while nursing and it’s pretty much my favorite thing in the whole wide world.
As for the bottles, I’ve really fallen off the wagon. My bottle warmer broke, so I just quit pumping and giving a bottle. I’m sending it off today to get a new one though, then totally plan to get back to it.
SLEEP.
Sleep is going OK I’d say. She’s going down around 7:30 for the night, with one wake up between 3:30 and 4:30 where she wakes up, eats while swaddled and goes right back down. Basically a dream-feed. However, I’m not able to go right back to sleep, so though I try to lay there a while, my days have generally been starting at 4:30 which has me pretty exhausted by day’s end.
PLAY.
This has really taken off and I love it! Though she had a grin here and there, she really started smiling at 5 and a half weeks. Now she’s pretty generous with doling them out and making my day.
She’s a really happy baby if I keep her on a routine. She doesn’t really have a schedule yet, but we’ve settled into a nice eat, sleep, play routine that keeps everyone happy. Her naps are 45 minutes and we are living life in 2.5-3 hour increments.
She still likes when we help her stand up so she can look around. She has strong legs already and knocks out a few baby planks a day.
She isn’t wild about being worn in the solly wrap yet. I put her facing out in the bjorn yesterday and she really liked it, so I might sport that one for a while until she gets more comfortable with the others.
Hew jerky newborn movements and starting to subside and she can easily get her fist in her mouth to suck on, but still wants nothing to do with a pacifier.
I’m guessing she is about 10 pounds now, but we will know more at her 2 months appointment coming up. We just moved up to size 1 diapers and she still wears newborn clothes, though I’ve put her in 0-3 once or twice. We’ll probably make the full transition this week, which has me excited for all the cute outifts!
MOM.
Emotionally, I’m great! No signs of baby blues and I’m feeling more confident in my new role as a mom to two everyday.
Physically, though, I’m TIRED. It’s really just been this week with my days starting around 4:30am. There’s no down time during the day as our mornings are filled with play dates, library story times, etc and our afternoons are often the same. Hailey seems to be going through a mommy phase right now where she is attached to my side and wanting me for everything. I’m not sure if it’s the age or wanting attention because I’m often holding Kaitlyn, but it’s tiring.
I looked up Hailey’s 3 month update this morning and noticed Kaitlyn and Hailey are generally following the same patterns. By 3 months Hailey was sleeping 7:30-6:30, so I’m hoping this awaits us soon! A mom can dream, right?
Overall I have no reason to be complaining. Sleep has just always been my Achilles heel! Beneath the exhaustion on my face there is a full heart that is grateful and happy.
However, this afternoon I just might say screw it, throw on a movie and have us all bum on the couch in our jammies.
Heather says
Such a beautiful family! I love all of the pics and the updates! Just like you I am still looking for that sleep through the night baby, we are a year on and we still get up at least once in the middle of the night and like you under the exhaustion is one happy grateful mom.
Tina Muir says
what an ADORABLE family! My gosh, so cute!!!!! she is beautiful, cherish every moment 🙂
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
I remember being DEVASTATED when my brother was born (I was 2.5 years.) He was a few weeks premature so my parents world seemed to revolve around him. I hated it! (We get along great now lol.) What do you do when you are up at 4:30 am?
Brittany Dixon says
Man you have a great memory! I don’t think I can remember anything before age 10 haha!
As for what do I do? Cry from exhaustion? Juuuust kidding. I nurse K then try to go back to sleep, then finally drag myself out of bed around 5:30ish.
Nicole says
I’d say you have an amazing sleeper on your hands. My 6 week old is still up every 2-3 hours. He weighs 12 pounds, so he definitely could afford to skip a few meals. 😉
Brittany Dixon says
I know- I don’t mean to sound ungrateful because she is sleeping well. It’s me that is having the issue- haha 😉
Sounds like you have a healthy boy on your hands! Isn’t the newborn stage amazingly cute (though tiring)?!
Tiff @ Love, Sweat, & Beers says
So adorable!! I’m glad you’re not suffering from the baby blues. I’m sure her adorable and bountiful smiles help with that. 🙂
Karen says
4 am is our regular wake up time also(not due to children though) and I have to agree, by 7pm I am ready for bed.
I am so happy you are feeling more confident in mothering two children. I followed your pregnancy and this was a concern of yours throughout and its seems that we all figure it out somehow.
You have a beautiful family.
Brittany Dixon says
Thank you Karen! Though I’m ready for bed by 2pm, so what does that say about me?? 😉
Jaclyn @ BumpSweat says
Aww, how sweet! My best friend’s little guy just turned 2 months yesterday, and he weighs 15 pounds (!!) He’s a big boy! At 35 weeks today, I feel you on napping this afternoon 🙂
Sarah@creatingbettertomorrow says
I think throwing in a movie and having a PJ party sounds like a SUPER fun tradition to start, maybe one day a month you get to do it 🙂 just make it a tradition and the kids will love it and it will give you an ‘off’ afternoon!!! Looking great!
char eats greens says
Totally do the bumming around – you deserve it!! Sounds like things are going great and gives me hope for the future if and when we decide to have another one. I kind of see Tyler being the dad to two girls too!
I was the worst for not being able to fall back asleep after Nia’s early morning feedings, so that would be my arch nemesis too!! Hopefully she stretches sleeping in the 6’s – she totally already wants to copy everything her big sister does, right? haha
Brittany Dixon says
Seeing David as a dad of two girls (and loving it) seriously melts my heart. He’s such a man’s man so it’s special to see him connect with his daughters, as I’m sure you see with Tyler and Nia!
Marnie @ SuperSmartMama says
I love the family photo keep sharing those! And I think you are a super mama, starting your day at 4:30am, watching two little ones, keeping house, AND maintaining this amazing blog. When I had my first one, it was all about nursing my little baby, sleeping when baby slept, and waiting for dad to get home to make us dinner. I hope I can do more when my second one gets here! You are an inspiration!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
What a sweet face! I can really see Hailey in her, too. It is totally exhausting to have your day start at 4:30! Although with my first, she was still getting up 2-3 times a night at that point so I’d love it if this one only wakes up once. 🙂 Hope you get some naps this week- you deserve them!
Stefanie says
Such a beautiful family! Enjoy that bum time on the couch. You deserve it! 🙂
Jen says
Aww Kaitlyn is too precious! I feel like we’re leading parallel lives – I cannot ever fall back to sleep after the 5am feed and it sucks! Also we fell off the bottle wagon too, and now she won’t take one! Aaah.
Brittany Dixon says
I’ve been following all your comments threads with bottle advice. I’m afraid I’m going to need it too- BOOOOOOO
Heather says
So sweet! We still have those days even now where we bum around on the couch and watch a movie if it’s been a particularly rough night and I’m tired. Not quite so often now since baby girl is older, but in the beginning? You bet I napped when I could on the weekends! :p
I imagine Hailey is feeling the need for some extra attention due to a teensy bit of “jealousy.” Our son was extra clingly and needy the first few months after his sister arrived. He loved her and was happy, but even the other day when he wasn’t feeling good he saw me warming up his sister’s bottle and decided he needed one too, even though it’s been ages since he had one or wanted one.
Laura @ FitMamaLove says
Look at your smiley girl! So cute!
The 4:30am wakeup is really hard. My 1.5-year-old was waking up for the day between 4:15 and 5:15 for months and it was rough. Finally, just as of the last few weeks, she wakes up around 6:30 now, which feels like sleeping in!
Brittany Dixon says
Isn’t it funny how perspective changes and 6:30 feels like a treat?? Haha. Oh parenthood…
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
Love that you all are doing so well despite the tiredness. I think you absolutely deserve a “down day”! We all need those every so often to recharge. You’re doing an amazing job!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
Oh my goodness she is such a cutie!
Marjorie says
She is growing so fast already. I love all the smiles! I especially love the family picture at the end!
I don’t think I have ever been as tired as those first weeks and months with a newborn. Exhausted does not seem like a big enough word. We turned a big corner with my son’s sleep around 3 months, and that sleep made me start to feel human again.
Lauren B. says
Where, oh where, did you get the adorable baby blocks with the “2 months” on them? I need them!
You have such beautiful daughters and a good looking family!!
Brittany Dixon says
My friend Cheryl gave them to me! I’m not sure where she got them, but I’d search etsy! Maybe try baby age blocks?
John J. says
Thanks for the update. Beautiful pics and noteworthy commentary. You are a wonderful Mom!
Danica @ It's Progression says
A restful day/afternoon sounds perfect! I’m glad everything is going well, despite the tiredness. You have an adorable family!
Brittany Dixon says
Thanks Danica 🙂
Amanda says
Super cute family photo! I hope she starts sleeping in soon! Those 4:30 wake ups are brutal, too early to be up, but not early enough to get some more restful sleep.
My four-month-old is a night owl, he’ll usually sleep from 9 p.m. until 9 a.m., waking up at 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., when I am (should be) up for work. Awesome for weekends, not so much for the work week. We’ve tried an earlier bed time, but then he’s up 11 p.m. too. My first was the same way, 10 pm to 10 am–funny how siblings follow the same patterns. And as exhausting as it is, I just remind myself that he wakes up at night because he wants extra mommy time.
Jen says
She’s adorable! Every time you write an update, though, I get a teensy but jealous because my ten week old has never slept more than four hours in a row and after 330 am wakes up every 45 minutes. She is thisclose to getting her thumb on her own consistently and I am hoping if I leave one arm unswaddled maybe she will start soothing herself and let me get up less than five times a night. Thank goodness I’m not also dealing with a toddler!
You’re doing awesome!
Julie says
Love the family pic! You look great, btw!