Madelyn - two months

These past two months have been a lot of fun. It feels like Maddie has been here so much longer than just 8-9 weeks! This month I have loved getting back into feeling "normal" and getting to do the things I haven't been able to do (easily) yet this summer. Gardening, mowing, housework. It has been so nice to be healed from the c-section and not sick anymore like I was during pregnancy. I'm feeling better now than I've felt since last November! It's lovely.

Speaking of lovely, Madelyn is absolutely lovely! I think I mentioned last month that she tends to be fussy/gassy? Well, this month the gassiness has diminished and she is content most of the time! When I notice her getting a bit fussy, I start putting her to bed and that usually solves it. She's only really fussy when she's tired. But if you miss that small window between awake and tired, you will hear about it. There will be crying and sleep-fighting like nobody's business. While she used to go to sleep quite easily, around 7 weeks she started fighting sleep and putting her down for naps and bed became a process every time. There's always lots of shh-ing and bouncing and rocking and walking before she succumbs. One night I spent four hours actively trying to put her to bed for the night. Most nights it's better than that, but sometimes is does take some convincing! Maddie still sleeps quite well at night. She is usually only up 2-3 times during the night. When she's up, I feed her and 10 minutes later she's back in bed asleep. She usually goes to bed between 8-9 and wakes for the day about 12 hours later. Or at 5-6am. I don't love those mornings! Maddie naps 3-4 times in a day, depending on nap length. She is rarely awake longer than an hour before being ready for another nap.

Maddie goes by a few different names in our house. Kayden calls her Maddie, Baby Maddie. Levi has yet to say her name out loud. He calls her Baby or refers to her as "our baby." Nathan calls her Maddie or Beautiful. And I call her either Maddie, Madelyn Amia, or Madelyn. When I'm talking to her, it's often  Madelyn/Madelyn Amia. When I'm talking about her, it's Maddie.

Madelyn is such a smiley baby! It's not usually too hardo get a smile out of her, especially right after she wakes up and eats. Sometimes it almost sounds like she laughs, she sounds so happy! She smiles easily for Levi and Kayden too, which, as their mother, melts my heart! She just watches them and when they come to her, she smiles! I love to see their sibling connection grow. Levi and Kayden both love to hold her and often fight about who gets to hold her first. Kayden still needs help holding her but Levi is a pro and I don't worry about leaving him with her for a few minutes at a time. Before I know it, he will be babysitting!

Madelyn is growing like crazy. I did the unofficial weigh on the home scale today and she was 12 lbs already! That's 5lbs 6oz gained since birth. I managed to get rid of Maddie's cradle cap this month and her hair on top is coming in nicely. No bald spot on the back either so yay! Maybe she will have hair before she's two? Her eyes are quite dark but not completely brown yet. I'm fairly certain their headed in that direction but they're still holding onto a bit of their baby blue-ness for now.

This month's firsts have included visits to both grandparents' houses. She went for her first stroller ride...to the garden. She had her first riding mower ride (and her last until next summer). Don't worry, it wasn't long and I kept her very safe! Maddie can hold her head up like a champ by now. She rarely face-plants anymore. When he's on her tummy and gets tired, though, she does start to cry for someone to turn her over. She's not rolling yet but has turned onto her side a number of times (that happened already in the hospital though).

Getting a picture of one when you have three...

It's been a fun month with Madelyn. Yes, it's hard to get much done these days, in the garden, yard, and the house. But it's so worth it to have a little one to feed and change and lull to sleep. So so worth it.