Seth had his two-month checkup today. He weighs 12 lbs. 2 oz. which is up 6 ounces from last week's weight of 11 lbs. 12 oz. His head circumference is 16 cm, and his length is 24 inches. His weight and head measurements put him in the 65th percentile for those. BUT his length is in the 90th percentile! No wonder he's already wearing size 3-month clothes! Although the doc said things like their growth usually peaks at 2 months and 2 years, he may have just had a growth spurt, it doesn't mean he'll be tall or anything, yada yada... I'm calling him as our tall, dark, and handsome man!
He also got four shots and an oral vaccine today. Man, it makes me sad to hear his pain cry. (But thankfully we don't hear it that often!) He's down for the count now after a dose of tylenol and mama's milk. We might see some swelling or fever from the shots, but otherwise, our baby checks out A-OK!
Tuesday, June 29
Monday, June 28
For Comparison's Sake
This is Ian at age 2 months. And then check out pics of Seth from the previous post. Tomorrow he goes for his two-month doctor's visit, and we all know what that means... SHOTS! So sad.
Friday, June 25
Monday, June 21
Sunday, June 20
Tuesday, June 15
Regression Part II
The other day, Ian asked to be swaddled. One of our blankets was almost big enough, in fact.
Monday, June 14
What Child is This?
I've always heard that second babies tend to be different from the first. Some friends of ours once told us that we'd need a whole new set of parenting skills, in fact. Well, I don't feel like I've acquired or utilized a bunch of new "skills," but we've definitely had to be more resourceful. I can pretty much figure if it didn't work for Ian, then it will work for Seth. They're not opposites in every way, but seemingly very different as far as I can tell into seven weeks of Seth's life.
Similarities include they both love to be swaddled. They both have cute chunky thighs. And they both have amazingly long eyelashes. I distinctly remember that Ian was not born with his lashes, however Seth had his, and they've gotten longer since. Can you tell from this picture? Oh, and they both have ear issues... Ian has the ear pit (a small indention on his ear that looks almost like a piercing.) And Seth has an ear that bends over slightly...which you can also see in this picture.
A couple of things that may change in the upcoming months for Seth include: his outtie belly button and eye color. The belly button goes without explanation... Ian's was/is an innie, and Seth has an outtie so far. Seth's eyes appear to be dark blue right now. (Ian's were dark gray, and I could tell from the beginning that they would turn brown.) So, I don't know if Seth's will turn blue or stay dark and therefore be brown. It would be kinda fun to have a blue-eyed kid around here, though.
Although he is getting better, Seth is not crazy about his carseat or riding in the car. He used to scream through any car ride. We've tried a couple of things that have helped... we adjusted his straps and added those padded strap covers to them. I've also rigged up a swaddle of sorts that helps him feel secure. He still loves for mama to "wear him" in the wrap or Bjorn which is another difference from Mister Ian.
Ian as a baby would probably rather you just put him down... preferably in the bouncy chair. Seth tolerates the bouncy, but LOVES his swing... although his favorite place really is in your arms. Ian was kinda talkative at this age (7 weeks) as I've noticed from watching videos of him. Seth is pretty quiet during his "awake" times. He will let you know if he needs a diaper change (Ian didn't care), and also if something just isn't right with his environment (hot, cold, bright, loud, etc.). I might call him a "touchy baby," but I can't find my Baby Whisperer book to confirm. Ian, by that book's definition, was a "spirited baby."
Since Ian was such a horrible sleeper, I have been hoping all through this pregnancy that Seth would be better at it. Well, I think he probably is! He's already got a consistent 5-6 hour stretch at night which usually occurs 8:30/9 p.m. until 2-3 a.m. I don't really mind the middle-of-the-night wake-up because it gives me another good chunk of sleep before both Ian and Seth get up around 6 a.m. Seth is also a SPEED eater. Every feed lasts about 10-15 minutes, so that nighttime feed is really not so bad.
On eating, he usually goes about every 2 hours in the morning (when he's awake more), then has a long nap stretch in the afternoon (usually 4 hours between those feeds) and then "cluster feeds" at night (every 2 hours) which helps him sleep for the 6 hours stretch at night. I tried cluster feeding with Ian to no avail. He would take that to mean he could still get up every 2 hours throughout the night! (BTW, I read about the concept of cluster feeding in that Baby Whisperer book, too.)
With Ian, I followed a BabyWise sort of schedule: sleep, eat, wake, sleep, repeat. I haven't really set a "schedule" for Seth. I just kinda let him do what he wants when he wants. Every now and then I nurse him to sleep... especially during the afternoon while Ian is napping so that I can get a nap, too. I also haven't pumped at all in about two weeks, and I am enjoying how things have regulated... no leaking, no pain, etc. I have no stock of milk, though, and I also hope this doesn't mean he'll become anti-bottle later. It's hard to find a time to just sit down to pump uninterrupted with both boys around. Maybe I'll pump more once Mother's Day Out starts back up.
During Ian's sixth week of life, he awoke from his newborn slumber and decided that he hated the world. (He cried for two weeks solid. We were diagnosed with "colic," but he really wasn't... it all panned out after two weeks instead of the textbook two months.) At Seth's sixth week of life, he awoke and decided to take the world in... he seems alert and calm for the most part. Up until this point, he had been a little fussy. So, we have two different boys on our hands. It will be so fun to see how Seth continues to develop especially since we love watching Ian learn and grow, too.
If you've made it through this really long post of information that is probably only interesting to a handful of people, then you deserve a really cute picture of my boy.
Similarities include they both love to be swaddled. They both have cute chunky thighs. And they both have amazingly long eyelashes. I distinctly remember that Ian was not born with his lashes, however Seth had his, and they've gotten longer since. Can you tell from this picture? Oh, and they both have ear issues... Ian has the ear pit (a small indention on his ear that looks almost like a piercing.) And Seth has an ear that bends over slightly...which you can also see in this picture.
A couple of things that may change in the upcoming months for Seth include: his outtie belly button and eye color. The belly button goes without explanation... Ian's was/is an innie, and Seth has an outtie so far. Seth's eyes appear to be dark blue right now. (Ian's were dark gray, and I could tell from the beginning that they would turn brown.) So, I don't know if Seth's will turn blue or stay dark and therefore be brown. It would be kinda fun to have a blue-eyed kid around here, though.
Although he is getting better, Seth is not crazy about his carseat or riding in the car. He used to scream through any car ride. We've tried a couple of things that have helped... we adjusted his straps and added those padded strap covers to them. I've also rigged up a swaddle of sorts that helps him feel secure. He still loves for mama to "wear him" in the wrap or Bjorn which is another difference from Mister Ian.
Ian as a baby would probably rather you just put him down... preferably in the bouncy chair. Seth tolerates the bouncy, but LOVES his swing... although his favorite place really is in your arms. Ian was kinda talkative at this age (7 weeks) as I've noticed from watching videos of him. Seth is pretty quiet during his "awake" times. He will let you know if he needs a diaper change (Ian didn't care), and also if something just isn't right with his environment (hot, cold, bright, loud, etc.). I might call him a "touchy baby," but I can't find my Baby Whisperer book to confirm. Ian, by that book's definition, was a "spirited baby."
Since Ian was such a horrible sleeper, I have been hoping all through this pregnancy that Seth would be better at it. Well, I think he probably is! He's already got a consistent 5-6 hour stretch at night which usually occurs 8:30/9 p.m. until 2-3 a.m. I don't really mind the middle-of-the-night wake-up because it gives me another good chunk of sleep before both Ian and Seth get up around 6 a.m. Seth is also a SPEED eater. Every feed lasts about 10-15 minutes, so that nighttime feed is really not so bad.
On eating, he usually goes about every 2 hours in the morning (when he's awake more), then has a long nap stretch in the afternoon (usually 4 hours between those feeds) and then "cluster feeds" at night (every 2 hours) which helps him sleep for the 6 hours stretch at night. I tried cluster feeding with Ian to no avail. He would take that to mean he could still get up every 2 hours throughout the night! (BTW, I read about the concept of cluster feeding in that Baby Whisperer book, too.)
With Ian, I followed a BabyWise sort of schedule: sleep, eat, wake, sleep, repeat. I haven't really set a "schedule" for Seth. I just kinda let him do what he wants when he wants. Every now and then I nurse him to sleep... especially during the afternoon while Ian is napping so that I can get a nap, too. I also haven't pumped at all in about two weeks, and I am enjoying how things have regulated... no leaking, no pain, etc. I have no stock of milk, though, and I also hope this doesn't mean he'll become anti-bottle later. It's hard to find a time to just sit down to pump uninterrupted with both boys around. Maybe I'll pump more once Mother's Day Out starts back up.
During Ian's sixth week of life, he awoke from his newborn slumber and decided that he hated the world. (He cried for two weeks solid. We were diagnosed with "colic," but he really wasn't... it all panned out after two weeks instead of the textbook two months.) At Seth's sixth week of life, he awoke and decided to take the world in... he seems alert and calm for the most part. Up until this point, he had been a little fussy. So, we have two different boys on our hands. It will be so fun to see how Seth continues to develop especially since we love watching Ian learn and grow, too.
If you've made it through this really long post of information that is probably only interesting to a handful of people, then you deserve a really cute picture of my boy.
Sunday, June 13
A Toddler's Prayer
Since we haven't had much success at the neighborhood pool, we took a suggestion from Aunt Lydia to bust out with the water hose and sprinkler in the backyard. Needless to say, Ian had good fun with this... we know this for sure based on his prayer at dinnertime tonight:
"Thank you for this food. Thank you for family. Thank you for water hose. Amen!"
"Thank you for this food. Thank you for family. Thank you for water hose. Amen!"
Saturday, June 12
More Fun with PhotoBooth
Well, I had another post or two in mind complete with pictures, but my iPhoto has been acting up every time I import, requiring to "rebuild the thumbnail cache" which takes stinkin' forever. So, to whet your appetite for the cuteness around here, here are some pics from recent PhotoBooth sessions. (I realize you may have to be a mac user to understand that paragraph.)
Thursday, June 10
About Ian Again
Haven't mentioned Ian in a while, have I? Well, he's still blowin' and goin'. He's every bit of two... exercising his independence, excessively energetic, and throwing a few more fits than usual these days. It may have something to do with a certain little someone arriving on the scene. While Ian is still very sweet to Seth for the most part (offering kisses on his forehead and saying, "It's okay, baby Sef, don't cry."), I think the novelty of being a big brother/having a little brother has worn off. Seth gets an occasional whack... and there's a pacifier thief around here, too. Hmmm. And whenever Seth is getting an ounce of attention, Ian takes the opportunity to do something he knows he shouldn't. It's keeping a mama on her toes these days... and counting the days until MDO starts again, ha!
But of course, I love my little bundle of energy and lately I just really enjoy talking to him. He has lots of funny things to say, and I love how he now expresses thoughts that are original to Ian, not just something he's repeating. A couple of his phrases that I love (that I know he's repeating, actually) are "I have an idea!" and "That's perfect!" I also like his word for Cookie Monster... "Cookie Sumter." He can say "monster" just fine, but somehow not when it's connected with the word "cookie." It's pretty cute.
I also love Ian's prayer at mealtime: "Thank you for this day. Thank you for fam-ah-wee (family). Thank you for this food. (dramatic pause) AMEN!"
This week, we've had swimming lessons for Mr. Ian, and they haven't gone too well. On the first day, the instructor just grabbed him and took him into the water which he did NOT appreciate, so now he doesn't trust her at all. I also ended up grabbing him toward the end of the lesson, and so he doesn't much trust me either. Ha! So on the second day, we just sat on the edge of the pool, kicked our feet in the water, and watched the other kids. My goal with the lessons is to have something fun to do during these two weeks of no MDO. In retrospect, I should've saved the money and just spent some free time at the pool with Ian. Oh well.
Last night, we took a walk around the neighborhood and stopped by the fire station. We were just hoping for a closer look at the fire engine, but a fireman came out and offered to show us around. It was cool! Ian was a little timid at first... those trucks are BIG, but he warmed up to the idea, especially with daddy around. We saw the big ladder, the big hoses, the big lights, all the switches and knobs... but you know what Ian liked the best? Playing basketball with one of the firefighters. Such a fun kiddo.
But of course, I love my little bundle of energy and lately I just really enjoy talking to him. He has lots of funny things to say, and I love how he now expresses thoughts that are original to Ian, not just something he's repeating. A couple of his phrases that I love (that I know he's repeating, actually) are "I have an idea!" and "That's perfect!" I also like his word for Cookie Monster... "Cookie Sumter." He can say "monster" just fine, but somehow not when it's connected with the word "cookie." It's pretty cute.
I also love Ian's prayer at mealtime: "Thank you for this day. Thank you for fam-ah-wee (family). Thank you for this food. (dramatic pause) AMEN!"
This week, we've had swimming lessons for Mr. Ian, and they haven't gone too well. On the first day, the instructor just grabbed him and took him into the water which he did NOT appreciate, so now he doesn't trust her at all. I also ended up grabbing him toward the end of the lesson, and so he doesn't much trust me either. Ha! So on the second day, we just sat on the edge of the pool, kicked our feet in the water, and watched the other kids. My goal with the lessons is to have something fun to do during these two weeks of no MDO. In retrospect, I should've saved the money and just spent some free time at the pool with Ian. Oh well.
Last night, we took a walk around the neighborhood and stopped by the fire station. We were just hoping for a closer look at the fire engine, but a fireman came out and offered to show us around. It was cool! Ian was a little timid at first... those trucks are BIG, but he warmed up to the idea, especially with daddy around. We saw the big ladder, the big hoses, the big lights, all the switches and knobs... but you know what Ian liked the best? Playing basketball with one of the firefighters. Such a fun kiddo.
Wednesday, June 9
Sunday, June 6
Where Have We Been?
Why, on the great house hunt, of course! So, sorry for the lack of blog posting. We've been a little preoccupied with looking for our first house to buy, but our search is over! We've got a contract on a house in a great area that is much closer to John's work. Inspection done, loan app submitted, and we continue to move through the necessary steps toward our projected close date of June 25.
I'll post a few outside pics here... one where my CRV is even making itself at home in the driveway... ha, not to mention the hubby and kiddo wandering around outside. The inside is gorgeous with lots of fun upgrades and paint colors, but since those pictures have someone else's stuff in them, I'd better not post them publicly. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get to see plenty of pictures after we move in and get settled.
Hooray!
I'll post a few outside pics here... one where my CRV is even making itself at home in the driveway... ha, not to mention the hubby and kiddo wandering around outside. The inside is gorgeous with lots of fun upgrades and paint colors, but since those pictures have someone else's stuff in them, I'd better not post them publicly. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get to see plenty of pictures after we move in and get settled.
Hooray!
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