Two {2} Months!

** PS- For those of you wondering, we decided to call our sweet girl "Ella Paityn", though we won't get too bent out of our frame if you call her Ella! ;)

Weight & Height: 12 lbs., 9 oz. and 23" long! 75th percentile in height and weight. 

Clothes & Diapers:  Bye bye newborn cloth diapers!  While we only used them for about 5 weeks, they were TOTALLY worth it.  When we started putting Ella Paityn in the OS (one size) cloth diapers, they seemed huge and bulky on her in comparison to the little newborns.  She has outgrown most of her newborn clothes. Size 0-3 month fits her best, but she can fit in some Carter's 3 months.  3 month shorts do not fit very well over her cloth booty!  I have tried a few 3-6 month outfits on her and they're a little big, but still super cute! 

Eating & Sleeping: During the day Miss Piggy still eats every 3 hours, sometimes every 3.5 hrs. I'm very flexible on which side she eats from....just whatever feels right ;)  If she is having a bottle, she eats between 4 to 5 oz.  She's sleeping pretty well.  On an average night, she will go about 5 hours before waking up to eat.  Sometimes it's hard to get her back down after that...actually, she goes back to sleep just fine but starts grunting in her sleep.  Napping during the day is inconsistent.

Mood:  Around 5 weeks, we discovered that Ella Paityn has a dairy intolerance which was causing her to be very fussy and very congested. After going dairy-free we have seen major improvements in her mood. She does get very fussy at night between 6:30 and 8:00.

Likes: Her Dad!  Jacob gets up during the night and in the morning and changes her diaper before handing her off to me to feed.  She smiles and coos at him non-stop!  She also loves to be snuggled and lay on your chest.  If you take her outside in the evenings she instantly calms down.  Bath time is another favorite around here!  We may or may not have incorporated a squirt gun into our bathtime routine! 

Dislikes: Unfortunately, dairy.  And that is one of Mommy's favorite things in the whole wide world (think pizza, ice cream, butter, chocolate).

Milestones:  First real smiles, cooing, batting at toys, tracking objects, pushing up on her forearms during tummy time, raising her head for longer periods of time. First bottle (June 12), First time in the crib- for a nap (June 12), First time meeting her Granmom (June 21), First birthday party- her cousin Ava Kate's (June 28)

Sentimental Things Mommy Wants to Remember: The sweet smiles and "talking"!  Her teeny, tiny little feet and hands.  The way she stretches her back and puckers her little lips after eating.  The way she wraps her arms around me when she lays on my chest.  How she smiles and giggles in her sleep.  The way her Daddy holds and plays with her. 

Practical Things Mommy Wants to Remember: Pick up as you go- the house gets cluttered quick!! And, take 20 minutes after putting baby down to do a quick pick up of the house. Rolling the windows down in the car helps with fussiness (don't ask me why?!). Pump after she eats in the morning and after she eats before bed.  I am currently freezing at least 10 oz. a day. 

One {1} Month!

Weight & Height: 10 lbs., 3 oz. and 21.75" long!

Clothes & Diapers:  We had to use newborn disposable diapers until her umbilical cord stump fell off so that we could fold them down.  We loved our newborn cloth diapers, but found that they did not always contain her pee at night.  Newborn clothes fit the best, but there are some 0-3 month outfits that work great too.  3 month clothes still swallow her whole. 

Eating & Sleeping: After Ella Paityn was born we went to the doctor for our follow up appointment.  Although her weight gain was fine (7 lbs., 3 oz.) and she had almost made her birth weight (7 lbs., 5 oz.), my milk had not come in yet so the doctor wanted to see us again. At the next appointment, my milk had come in and she was past her birth weight. At the one month appointment, we were given the go-ahead to let her sleep through the night! During the day, she eats every 3 hours typically on the same side for the entire time, but sometimes I'll switch sides about mid-way through.  She typically nurses for about 30-35 minutes from start to finish.  Sleeping?  What's that?!  Ella Paityn wakes up about every 3-4 hours like clockwork. 

Mood:  Pretty fussy, but loves to cuddle and be held!  Ella Paityn spent her first two-three weeks of life being sick with a cold.  She had elevated platelet counts which signals a virus (like the common cold). She was congested and snotty, and ran a temperature of 99.9-100.7 consistently. 

Likes: Sleep!  She sleeps almost all day long it seems.  She also enjoys going on little trips to New Bern, out to eat, or to meet Mommy and Daddy's friends!  

Dislikes: Having her arms "cooped up".  Girlfriend does not want her arms swaddled.  She will break them out every time. 

Milestones:  First trip to her new home (April 30), First trip "to town"- Panera Bread, Belk, and Target (May 2), Newborn picture (May 3), Due date (May 4), First time meeting her Mammaw, Pappaw, and Aunt Tina (May 9), First time at church on Mother's Day (May 10), First play date with Mrs. Kim, Brooke, and Taylor (May 12), First trip to Daddy's work in Jones County (May 14), First trip to the Farmers Market in Oriental (May 16), Umbilical stump fell off (May 18), First time getting a pacifier (May 19), First trip to the river (May 24), First trip to Mommy's school- Comfort (May 27), First trip to Daddy's work in Lenoir County (May 27)

Sentimental Things Mommy Wants to Remember: How tiny my baby girl is!  I have cried multiple times over how quickly she is growing, though always reminding myself that I got her a few pounds earlier than some people get their babies. :-)  Daddy took off almost two weeks from work to stay home with his girls and we loved every minute!  He was a HUGE help.

Practical Things Mommy Wants to Remember: Start pumping from the very beginning to build up a supply. I didn't want to be "attached to the pump" and therefore I didn't pump much at all for the first month.  Get newborn disposable diapers for the first few weeks. Put the clean diaper under her dirty diaper when changing.....we learned very quickly in the hospital (meconium all over the bed).  100.4 is considered a fever in an infant. Babywearing is good for the soul.