2 whole months!

Warning: LONG blog about baby!!!

The difference in a 2 month old and a newborn are just tremendous. Happy 2 months in our world, Sienna! As I type this, little one is cuddled into daddy's chest in the baby bjorn. She has figured out that it is way more cuddly to nap on daddy than in bed. We let that slide at least once a day because she's too cute and when she sleeps (no matter where it is) she wakes up all smiley and happy.

So many growing experiences in the past four weeks little one! In the last month, you've traveled to Boston, Milton, Lewes for daddy's half marathon, made your first trip to Home Depot, started to smile, started to coo more, love toys now (especially ones that light up), giggle as you fall asleep and sometimes when you are really happy if we are lucky. You like to hang out with mommy and daddy after breakfast in the morning on their bed before your first nap and are completely content talking to us and looking at the fan.  You are literally cuter every day. Uncle Matt says you should be a model. GAP is having a baby casting call, maybe we should apply! You love soft stuff just like mama and dada do. I have a feeling you'll never let us put any scratchy wool on you. You love your stuffed pink giraffe that sings lullabies from grandma, a light up toy that our friend Laurie gave you, and a toy that's technically for the car seat but it lights up too so we use that in the house, too. You pretty much love anything that lights up. You now look all around and are starting to control your head better too! Oh and you can roll to your side, but not over yet. You also decide when you're finished eating now by smiling up at me. I love it. The little things in life to a mama.... You're really growing! Just about 11 pounds and 22 1/2 inches. Your chubby legs and cheeks are adorable!

2 month pediatrician visit looking at the doctor!

You loved seeing daddy run his half marathon and were such a good little cheerer! You didn't cry or fuss at all that morning! What a champion baby! Daddy is sort of in love with your smiles and will do anything to get them. He also scoops you up and asks what's wrong when you cry, as if you may just answer (and one day you will). I love watching you two play. (PS Jamie and Emily did awesome and finished with a great time- we were so proud!) Go Walls siblings!

happy baby with daddy!

Sienna is starting to hold things. Not always on purpose and I crack up when she surprises herself that something is in her hand! But she defiitely knows those hands are hers. She takes one and massages my back when we nurse, also making me laugh every time. She grabs my shoulder when I am carrying her and grabs onto toys if we put them in her reach-- though again not purposefully.

Holding bunny blanky watching the fan!

Sienna also sort of loves laying against the boppy now that she has some control of her body. It helps keep her upright after she eats too (stupid reflux) so that makes everyone happy. I can walk around the room and put away laundry and talk to her, as long as she can see me she's pretty content there.

I mean, those lips and those eyes- the cutest baby there is! And oh hi kitty!

One day, grandpa came to be the grandpa-nanny. Sienna loves grandpa because he plays with her past her nap times and bed time (already a pattern starting, just wait until she's two and can really play with him!) He also sings her James Taylor and irish lullabies. Lucky kid to be loved so much.



Her shirt says I love hugs from grandpa :)

Okay, now, I just have to admit, I am obsessed with sleep. Maybe it's because pre-Sienna I literally slept 10 hours per night some nights. The very least I ever got was 8 but that was pushing it. Along comes baby and at month one, I literally prayed to God for a 3 hour stretch at night. I'm happy to say we are falling into a better pattern and getting 4-5 hour stretches every night, sometimes 6 if we are extra lucky. Bed time has naturally moved itself up from 10 or 11pm to about 8:30-9:00 pm (this means mama is in bed as soon as you are!) Before Sienna was born, Laurie told us to get the Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child book. I read it and read it again the first 6 weeks- during which it keeps saying, "this is your baby's most fussy period". Yes, thank you book, I knew that. Now that we have reached (almost) 9 weeks! it is telling us to start gentle sleep training. You know, putting you down awake and seeing if you can fall asleep yourself yourself, etc. I maybe went overboard with my reading and then I found this chart, someone brilliant whipped this up according to HSHHC.

Okay fine you can't see this. It basically tells you how long to keep baby up between naps, what to expect of overnight sleep, and how may hours "night time" should be.

The best thing about this? It tells me what to expect developmentally. And in three more weeks when you hit 12 weeks, you should start to be awake and happy longer periods! Woohoo! For now, it says put baby down one hour after waking from the previous nap- that's FAST. We have time to feed her, cuddle, play a little, and rock her back to sleep. I have to say, as much as it is sometimes hard to work this around life, in the past two weeks she is so much happier during awake time! I don't expect miracles, but the importance of consistency and sleep times/awake times is making a difference already.

You're a happy baby, little one. And that makes a happy mommy and daddy. Here's to another fantastic month! It's getting more fun every day!