Happy Two Months!

My, oh my. Two months ago today…

Month one flew by. We were so wrapped up in her actual birth, then figuring her out, then figuring ourselves out there was no time to think about anything. I had no idea what day was what. Her second month with us, however, has been much more normal. It hasn’t sped by and it hasn’t been a blur. I think we’ve got a handle on her now. We know what makes her tick (for the most part), and that has made things much easier. We don’t just stumble around all day. We have a routine, we have games to play, we get out of the house, and we go about our days like normal people. The fact that this month didn’t speed by, isn’t a bad thing. It just means that this is life now – and that is such a wonderful feeling.

And my goodness, this child is not an easy one. But what fun would that be if she were? I wouldn’t get the workout I do if she slept like she was “supposed” to. I wouldn’t get to bond with her in the backseat of the car every time we go somewhere to try to prolong her screaming for being strapped down. I would just get fat if I had time to eat all day (or at all). I wouldn’t get to use my lifeguarding skills from high school if she just sat in her bathtub and splashed. And I wouldn’t get to examine every room in my house as we walk around if she were content just sitting. The truth is, I didn’t want an “easy” baby. I wanted a fun one. I wanted to laugh, and play, and have lots to write about. Sure, some days I wish she would sleep, and some days I wish I could eat – but what on earth would I have to blog about??

Leah is skyrocketing to adulthood before our eyes. Lord help us when she can actually talk. I cannot wait to hear what comes out of her mouth. I feel like she gets so much across to us with just her eyes, it will be a trip to hear what she’s actually thinking. She’s really using her legs this days. I call her my kickin’ chicken at least 80 times a day. And if she’s not sitting in her bouncer kicking, she’s standing and jumping. She looooves her fists. I can hardly get a picture of her smiling anymore, because her darn fists are always in her mouth! But it’s cute, and hopefully she is one step closer to finding her fingers so I’m not complaining. She has rolled over several times now, and it appears that she is working on getting herself from back to stomach. She has some new cries. Yaaaay. They are starting to sound more like baby cries, too, and less like newborn cries. She hates her car seat/riding in the car still. Which makes me dread long trips...and short trips. We can’t get her two minutes down the road without her screaming. Surely she will eventually get used to it, right? She is getting really good at bedtime! We officially have a routine of bath, snack, prayers and bed. We took it down from 10, that seemed to be too much of a stretch. So now between 8 and 9, usually 8:30 she gets a bath. Then a bedtime snack. Then we swaddle her up, rock her for a few minutes and lay her down. Sometimes it takes a couple tries of rocking her and putting her down, but she is getting it, and she is sleeping great at night – so no one is complaining.

She had her two month check-up yesterday. Shots. I wasn’t as freaked as I thought I’d be. But our doctor worked out a schedule for us so she’s not getting a million at once, so that really put me at ease. Leah screamed bloody murder, but it was over in less than three seconds. I tried to explain to her that she got less than all the other babies, but she didn’t seem to care. I was more worried about afterwards. I’ve heard horror stories about babies being in pain, fevers, cranky, crying, legs hurt, etc. What did Leah do? Well, she wouldn’t sleep – but what’s new. But instead of being fussy she was extra happy, extra smiley, and extra talkative! She had more to tell us last night than she ever has. And she didn’t fuss at all! I spent the whole day waiting for this horror to come and it never did. So that led me to think that I need to stop reading emails, stop listening to other parents, stop asking what other babies do – Leah never has and never will do what all the other little babies do. The fact that she was the complete opposite of a mess on shot day should not have surprised me. But besides the shots, Leah is doing just great. She is 24.5inches long (she’s gonna make one heck of a swimmer), and 11.8lbs. The doctor was very impressed with her head holding abilities and told her she was not supposed to be doing that yet. He was also impressed with her eye contact, and she didn’t take her eyes off of him the whole time. Oh, and we learned this at our last appointment, but I didn’t write about it (I don’t think). Leah has a milk allergy. Go figure. Who doesn’t? You’ve read my rant about milk, so obviously it was no big deal to me. However, since Leah can’t have milk – I can’t have milk. The milk was not the hard part for me, the ice cream and cheese was. But oh well, we’re both healthier for not getting it. It also reassured me that we have a great doctor. Instead of taking her eczema (the sign of milk allergy), and giving us a medicine – he started with my diet. She has also been less fussy since I’ve cut it out,  and that’s reason enough to keep it up.

And because it’s fun for me – this time two months ago… my Stadol was wearing off. I don’t think I’ve written about my stadol experience, as it was the least important event of the day, but I’ve recently remembered some things about it. Allow me to share. So the stadol is what they can give you 1)if you don’t want a full epidural or 2)if you’re not ready for the epidural, but need something for pain. I was in category two. They had broken my water and things were starting to heat up. Now let me describe it. It’s a fun little drug. Have you ever had a little bit too much wine? And maybe things start spinning? Things might be funnier? And you might get a little nauseous? Well, the stadol is the spinning and the funnier – without the sickness! Apparently, it doesn’t so much take your pain away as it just makes you relax and handle it. Well, relax and handle it I did. It was the weirdest feeling in the world, and I remember it clearly. I still felt the contractions, but I could have cared less. The room was definitely spinning, and I couldn’t open my eyes – but I wasn’t sick. I was also hallucinating. I don’t think I’ve even told Kyle this, because like I mentioned – in the grand scheme of things, this one left my mind. I remember clearly thinking that I was in my kitchen. Not just in my kitchen, I was on the counter by my sink. Having the baby. Honestly. And it wasn’t until the stadol wore off that I realized I was not at all in my kitchen, but still in the hospital. So.Bizzare. But, here I sit today – and I finally had the baby. Something I didn’t think was ever going to happen two months ago. My c-section stuff has basically all healed. It’s still numb, but there’s really no more pain. Unless Leah jumps on it. I am officially eight pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight. And I’m not saying that to brag, because believe me, I’m not trying. I’m not even happy about it (I’m not mad, either), just indifferent. At this rate though, I will be 80lbs by the time Leah is one.

I also love that it’s fall!! Cooler temperatures mean the windows are open, the fall candles are out, and Leah gets to wear her footie jammies!! Something about them just makes her extra cute. Now I’m going to leave you with a conversation AND as a bonus something I overheard Kyle doing with Leah that made me crack up. 

The conversation is in regards to her bouncer:

Kyle: I need to get one of these.

Me: Why?

Kyle: So I can just sit and be vibrated.

And the other night I was sitting on the couch and Kyle was on the floor playing with Leah. He asked her if she wanted to dance, so he held her up and made her dance meanwhile singing, “I’m a mannniac, mannniac on the floor. And I’m dancin’ like I’ve never danced before!”

  

It just made me laugh. And she is a complete maniac. Well, they both are.