Annie :: 3 Months

I am so sad that amidst the chaos of our move I missed Annie's 2 month post.

Terrible Mama.

For my records I am going to try to recount as much as I can from this time.

Please, feel free to scroll through this post.

I honestly wish someone would have told me to just make it through the first six weeks. I was sure Annie was a fussy, colicy baby. I now know that this is not the case. I am quickly learning that there are several major breakthroughs with infants. Whether or not these breakthroughs are actually with the babe or with the Mom I am still not sure. But either way we are getting into a groove around here and things are lookin' up.

At Annie's 2 month appointment she weighed 9 pounds 6 ounces and was in the 20th percentile. We had an ultrasound done on her kidney {don't recommend ultrasounds with babes - it was worse than shots}. For now, its not much to worry about. Honestly, I wasn't really prepared for the consequences of shots. I was ultimately worried about how both of us would handle the immediate sting and pain. She handled it like a champ and went right to me - cried for about 10 seconds and was done. But later that night a fever set in. Oh it was so sad. Thank heavens my Mom was with me. {James had gone to Charlotte and I was still in California} She taught me how to give her Tylenol. The fever lasted about 2.5 days. Poor thing. 

In her second month of life Annie spent time in three different states. And moved from California to Charlotte, North Carolina. She went on her first flight. I pumped and gave her a bottle while we were changing in altitude and she slept the entire time. Thank goodness babies don't have to be in carseats on the plane. Speaking of the carseat, things are looking up in that department - but still not great. We will get there. She is the biggest fan of her carrier that goes on my chest. It is a real lifesaver.

 

Don't let those chubster cheeks and thighs fool you. In real life Annie is squishy... but tiny. I basically just love on those teeny rolls all day long. We recently had her weighed and she was still only 10 pounds 2 ounces. I think that must make her even lower on the charts. Everywhere we go people comment on how little she is. Don't ask me how this is possible. This girl eats like a champ. Rough life right? She grew out of newborn clothes around 7 weeks and is still in 0-3 month outfits. She is in size 1 diapers at this point. I think we may be moving up soon.

I have skimmed a few books on sleeping theories. Lets be honest - I should really sit down and read one and make a plan.  But for the most part I am just trying to do what works for us. So we've worked out a new routine. At around 7:30 we do bath time, read a book, swaddle her up, and sing a song. I'll be honest - this routine happens about 75 percent of the time. We do what we can. We definitely aren't perfect around here and we like to keep a social life - when we can. But it seems to be working. She is pretty much sleeping from about 8 or 8:30 to about 5 ish. She will eat and go right back to bed till about 7. Occasionally she will have a rough night and need to eat at 1 or 2 or 3. I am fine with it. As my doctor put it, we are on a 24-hour buffet system for now. She will eat and go right back down. Her sleeping isn't perfect - but its good. And it works for us. So I am rollin with it.

She still sleeps on her tummy and has actually rolled over twice during her sleep. Both times it has woken her up. She is like a little bug. Put her on her back and she will move those legs and flap her arms no matter how dead asleep she is or how tightly she is swaddled. I've tried everything. She is just a tummy sleeper.

The mornings are her happiest time - which is great cause that is when James is home. She is super super smily in the morning. And I swear she coos the most at James. Oh how I cherish those mornings in bed with my two favorite people. She is usually wide awake from about 7-8:30. And then it is kind of on and off sleeping until about 11. It keeps us inside but I have learned that if I let her sleep she is a happy camper. And what Annie says goes these days. Speaking of which, this little girly is totally into her binky and blankie - specifically the pink silky one Kelsey made. She doesn't want to be in a blanket or suck until she is tired and ready for a nap. As soon as she gets fussy I grab the binky and blanket and bounce her a little and she's a goner. It is the weirdest thing. I always thought people made this stuff up - but nope. The obsession with those to things is real and by golly I'll take it. 

We started the bumbo at about 2.5 months. She would get really tired fast at first, and its still quite a workout for her, but she seems to really like being up on the counter and a part of things. 

She would rather be sitting or standing holding your fingers than laying down on her back.

She discovered that her hands fit very nicely in her mouth around 7 weeks. Boy oh boy those things are a slobbery mess. She really does like her thumb when she finds it. Shh. Don't tell dentist Papa. 

Last week I was determined to get her to play with a toy. After two days she latched on with her fingers and is fascinated with touching one specific ball. She will lay there and coo at it for a good 15 minutes. I'll admit - its nice to have a good distraction so I can run and ya know, do the necessities in life.

She still loves her bath. She freaks out a little and makes a "what in the world is happening" face when we first put her in. But she quickly loves it. She is fascinated with putting her hand under the faucet and opens and closes it about a million times.

She is, as Daddy calls her, a "drool queen." Someone at church told me she is an early teether. Who knows.

That little girl's grin is contagious. At four weeks she started smiling but around 2 months it really started settling in. She smiles all.the.time. Her grin is big and gummy and people comment on it quite a bit. She has even started to stop nursing and look up at me and smile. Honestly, it makes my world stop. That is what having a baby is all about. The other day she was sitting in her bumbo and James and I were laying on the ground in front of her. I was teasing James and we were laughing about something. Suddenly we both looked at Annie. It was as if she was so happy to see that her parents adore each other. She was smiling this huge grin and then let out a loud chuckle. It was the first time she had really laughed for a long time. It was by far my favorite moment the three of us have had together. It was like we were really interacting. Goodness it was wonderful.

I will be the first to admit, motherhood is hard. I'll definitely be posting about the adjustment soon. I don't think adjusting is something we should be ashamed of. Its a big life change. If it weren't hard - it wouldn't be glorious. And boy is it glorious. I can already see Annie's personality shining through. She is genuinely happy to see me when she wakes up. She is social. She likes it when people smile and talk to her. She likes to be in on the action. She likes to play with her Daddy and be comforted by Mommy. She is perfect in every single way and worth all of the early mornings and hours of bouncing.
We love you little Annie Bell.