1 to 2 Months: Nothing Like a Good Snuggle

November 12, 2013

Dear Evan and Alice

The day you turned two months old was spent at home with Mommy and Daddy just hanging out. We spend most days this way because with the one hour time frame between feedings it's just so hard to get out. But that's ok because you can't focus more than a few feet anyway so there's not much out there for you to see yet.

THE SLEEP SITUATION: Now that you guys fit in your bouncy seats you love to come down early in the morning for fireplace snuggles after an early breakfast. Sometimes Mommy can even nap a bit on the couch, sometimes snuggling with one of you if you're in the mood. It's a cozy scene with the winter getting closer. Once you guys got use to the vibration in the chairs it was a life saver to put you to sleep when we were busy with 'the other one,' and the heat of the fireplace kept you so cozy that you were able to have lots of really good naps. Sometimes I worried that I was cooking you guys... But you didn't seem to mind and we never ended up with baby for dinner. At night you guys are still in the same crib and we have modified some pillows to hopefully help with your crooked heads. 

THE FOOD SITUATION: You guys are still eating every 3 hours. Sometimes I thought Alice could go longer but we are trying to feed you both on the same schedule. Evan, you demanding boy! You usually get priority due to your tiny size, loud voice, and smaller stomach. Alice is usually patient and good. As you got closer to turning 3 months old the night time feedings have started to spread out. Initially, Daddy was suppose to do the midnight feed and then Mommy to do the 3am feed (because at 3am the boobies were ready to explode with milk.) When you started sleeping past midnight Mommy had to fight Daddy and hide the monitor so he wouldn't get up and feed you too close to my turn when I REALLY needed to empty my breast. If not then they exploded in bed while I slept. Yuck! Breast feeding is messy! There is always milk everywhere, and that's not including the actual feeding time. Two months in and my body still doesn't seem to have it under control, but I feel like we may be getting there. Both you guys use a shield for most of the feedings just because you prefer it and we decided that if it meant you'd be less confused when we bottle fed you then it was worth it. Still, sometimes giving you bottles is not the easiest. You have a tendency to route frantically for the nipple and squirm a lot. Now we are phasing out the midnight bottles and starting to introduce an extra formula feeding once during the day just to give Mommy's boobies a little rest to reload. Another anxiety with breast feeding is just not knowing how much you guys are eating from it. The only indication is weight gain... So far so good, I guess. 

 

You are still looking like newborns, but growing by the second it seems. At the end of October we retired the borrowed preemie clothes for Evan. It was good that you were growing but sad to put away the tiny little outfits. Now you fit into the same clothes Alice is wearing, and she is outgrowing some of them. This was good for laundry as you guys can now share some of them. And no Evan, we never made you wear pink! You still have those newborn faces, but your eyelashes are starting to come out and the milia and acne are beginning to fade. Soon you will have beautiful baby skin, which I suggest you appreciate because we did not give you guys good skin genes. Evan decided to shed most of the blonde fuzz you had from birth and are sporting a sleek Captain Picard look. Alice, your hair has just thinned a bit. Mommy loves it best right after a bath when it is fuzzy and smells so good. We also took your hand prints and footprints in clay this month. You were much more cooperative than I thought. I wish I had done them just a little sooner as you already have grown so much. 

ALICE, you are still a cuddly little marshmallow that loves to sleep with your hands above your head or suspended in air like you are stuck in jell-o. Your repertoire of funny faces has grown and they are at their best when you are hungry and rooting for food with a funny scrunched up nose. So cute! You have started to coo a bit, sometimes squeaking like a little squirrel (sometimes we call you that), and even mimicked an ooh sound back at Daddy. You really like low pitched oohing sounds the best. You seem to enjoy puj tub baths in the sink and like watching the running faucet. You've noted your hands a bit but still are not sure what they are good for. However, you can hold things if we help you. Tummy time often disintegrates into floor eating time these days but you were finally able to prop yourself up on your own just shy of turning two months.

EVAN, you are still a super stiff little guy who loves arching your head backwards to check out ceilings and light fixtures. When you stretch your neck you look like a little turtle (sometimes we call you that) poking his head out of his shell. You are not in love with baths but tolerate them if Mommy sings "Hippo In The Bathtub" to you. We have discovered that you are an expert at planking when we hold you in the air by your chest; perfect for superman poses! However, you are learning to bend better at your waist which makes burping a little easier (It's hard burping a board). Although you can get your head up a bit you're still not a big fan of tummy time and we often have to prop your arms under you. You are getting to be quite the charmer and I think you like having your picture taken as long as you can pull out your Blue Steel look. Right before you turned two months you showed Mommy your first smile! I cant even remember what I did to make you smile, but its was very exciting and made me so happy. 

So, it has been busy and we had a few events this month as it was both Halloween and Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving was low key and Grams and Grampa came to make dinner at our house. If that hadn't happened we might have skipped it all together. You guys were... needing attention for most of it. So we all kind of ate in shifts and took care of you guys in turn. Nana and Grandpa came to help too. So that was your first Thanksgiving. It will be better next year when you guys can actually eat.

For Halloween Mommy did manage to decorate the house as usual but was only able to carve one of the usual five pumpkins. I don't know if I will ever let you guys carve boring jack-o-lanterns, but maybe I might give in... We will see. I also never found you any newborn Halloween costumes. Cool things in your sizes just weren't out there and I was just too busy to be crafty. Besides, as you know, I am not that crafty anyway. If you had been 3 months older we could have found something. But don't worry my darlings, there are plenty of fantastic Halloweens ahead of us! Also, we failed at the Halloween photo shoot and I never bought a pumpkin large enough to stuff you in. I guess if those are my only regrets we are doing ok. As for Halloween night... Answering the door before Daddy came home during your guys' dinner time was another matter. First time I tried interrupting the feeding to give out the candy and was dribbling milk into my house coat unbeknown to the children. Gross! So the next few times I just carried whoever was eating to the door, still attached. That worked better, I just hope I didn't freak out any children. When Daddy came home we were saved and the rest of the night went like clock work. I'm more excited for next Halloween, it's gonna be a blast!

Next up we had another big dinner for Grandpa's birthday. This time at Nana's house. First trip to another home. This one went slightly better except Daddy and Mommy had to take a big time out to super feed you guys before the dinner and we hid up in the library so Mommy could breastfeed. But we survived it thanks to towing along your bouncy chairs... Again, these have been awesome for you guys. Mommy and Daddy bounced you all through dinner. But we found out that even two babies at a family gathering is not enough for everyone to share!

Auntie Kendra came in from Toronto this month especially to meet you guys! She visited a lot and you guys loved being carried up and down the stairs and when she sang to you, especially 'Lets Go Fly A Kite.' She will be here until after Christmas acting in the Christmas Carol! And she's also been good company for Mommy! 

You have so many more people who want to see and meet you. There's so many more aunties and uncles and grandparents to meet! We love you both and can't wait to show you off to the next round of visitors over the holidays. And you will have your first Christmas! Very special times. 

Weights: Evan 8.2lbs Alice 8.8lbs