Two Months with Grayson

At two months, Grayson is:

• Smiling!  The first one was on March 31st at 5 1/2 weeks old.
• Doing some 4-hour stretches at night but still generally eating every 3 hours around the clock.
• Often waking at night in between feedings to cry about some type of discomfort, be it to spit up, poop, have a stuffy nose or 'just because'.
• Definitely suffering from acid reflux, a truth we came to after trying to stop his Zantac.  He is still on the fussy side (some days more than others) but it is improving with time and meds.  He does now have more time awake that is happy than fussy I'd say (as opposed to all fussy a few weeks ago).
• Spending some days still fussing and barely sleeping, though he is now able to get himself to sleep after a short stint of crying in his crib (at least for the first couple of naps during the day).  Later in the day he is more likely to be found fussing in his swing while tightly swaddled with a pacifier in his mouth but.. progress is progress.
• Still waking after about an hour into each nap (if he falls asleep at all), sometimes able to get himself back to sleep but most of the time needing help.
• In love with his pacifier--a love that I try to keep absent unless necessary.  When he is relatively happy he's been found sucking on the top of his swaddling blanket in lieu of his paci which is a welcome trade (except for the laundry that ensues after the tops of his blankets feel like they've been heavily starched).
• Needing to be swaddled to sleep.
• Loving being around people when he is awake.  He gets lonely easily and will often fuss until someone comes to talk to him, then he'll smile and coo and then immediately fuss again when left alone.
• Showing off the cutest little bottom lip pout you've ever seen.
• Much more aware of his surroundings, the presence of people and familiar noises.
• Eating and gaining well and has been around the 45th percentile for weight.
• Getting a bottle from Daddy a couple times a week, the first of which was given around 3 weeks.
• Wearing 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers since around 6 weeks.
• Loved beyond measure!

I still feel like many days are about getting through the two-kid routine and little more, but slowly we are making it!  I am truly just in a holding pattern until he starts sleeping more at night so I can feel human again.  Ava is a little mommy, loves giving Grayson his paci and encouraging him in his first smile, first time holding a toy or turning his head.  We try to make it out of the house as often as we can and thankfully Grayson is still pretty laid back about the change of scenery mid-nap and loves the car.  With the warmer weather we are feeling slightly less cooped up at home and are looking forward to the summertime!

An Interview with 3-Year Old Ava

When are you (or have you been) most afraid?  When the doctor picked the plaque off my teeth at the dentist.  That wasn't good.

What is the one thing you could not live without?  Mommy and Daddy!

What is your favorite movie?  Cars (A movie she hasn't actually seen but wants to).

What cartoon character would you most like to be and why?  Bob the Builder because I want to have a construction hat on.

What is the best thing about being 3 years old?  Eating cake!

What job would you like to have when you grow up?  I want to do sound engineer like Daddy does.

Who are your best friends?  Ruthie, Brayden, Jon and Erin.
     Why?  Because they are the only friends I know!


Questions about Mommy:

What does Mommy always say to you?  "Come here" and "Break the rules" and stuff like that.

What makes Mommy happy?  Obeying.

What makes Mommy sad?  Breaking the rules.

How old is Mommy?  Three.

How tall is Mommy?  Taller than I!

What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?  Hug and sleep.

What does Mommy do when you're not around?  Cry.

What is Mommy really good at?  Exercising.

What is Mommy really bad at?  Nothing!

What is Mommy's favorite food?  Strawberries and shortcake.

How do you know your Mommy loves you?  Hugging and kissing!

Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?  Target and Walmart.


Questions about Daddy:

What does Daddy always say to you?  "I love you" and "Thank you" and "You're welcome".

What does Daddy do that makes you laugh?  Tickle me.

What makes Daddy happy?  Obeying the rules.

What makes Daddy sad?  When he falls and when he gets bloody noses.

What does Daddy do when you're not around?  Talks to us on the camera on the computer.

What is Daddy really good at?  Exercising.

What is Daddy's favorite food?  Frosted flakes.

How do you know your Daddy loves you?  By snuggling and hugging and tickling.

Where is Daddy's favorite place to go?  Work and studio and Penn State.

Compare and Contrast

I have been enjoying looking at Ava's past pictures and comparing our two babies.  I find they look more different than they do alike, Ava much more like the Drake side of the family and Grayson much more like a Darby, but every so often we catch a moment where they look like twins!  What fun with two...

Here is Grayson at 6 weeks and Ava at 9 weeks.

Time Out

We've been taking a lot of those around here.  Time outs, room time, rest time, charts of pluses and minuses, rewards and punishments.  It seems our house has become a horrible episode of Supernanny without much of the super (or the nanny which might make all of this much easier).

I write this post for two reasons.  One, I would like (hope) to in a year from now look back and chuckle at these tough days as I sip my iced tea on the porch and watch my daughter come inside when I ask her to the first time and not speak to me as if the age of thirteen came ten years early.  And two, I want to grow in the area of time outs myself--taking time out of this chaotic life of mine to gain some perspective, remember why I love my children and love(d) being a mom, and to simply breathe in a little quiet.

I naively thought that consistency in the area of discipline would be enough to raise a perfectly well behaved child.  And to be fair, Ava is very well behaved when we are outside the home.  But inside, she has figured out that I can't make her do much of anything anymore and in the name of independence and stubbornness she will forfeit rewards and welcome punishment (until it is actually upon her) in order to exercise her right to disobey and disrespect and demand.

Thankfully, I was once a horribly stubborn child myself and I know it gets better.  Ha!  Unfortunately I know it will also take some time and a whole lot more patience than I have within me naturally.  I may not have a supernanny in my home but I have a supernatural power within me that is Christ, thankfully feeding me more grace than I deserve and reminding me to offer it to my kids too.

I will admit my three-year-old has made me cry, I've made her cry, and I've sat next to the running dishwasher while both kids screamed in their rooms just to get a break.  This, I've decided, is what it's like to have young children.  It's a lot less blissful than I imagined and I've also realized it's okay not to like my job every day.  But, I can take a time out, and remember that God has called me to this super-work and has promised to give me the tools to grow my children faithfully.  I can remember the sweet moments during the day, the snuggling before bedtime, the pride I have when watching Ava play so well with other kids or when Grayson gets himself to sleep.  I can also choose to take a breath, remember that this won't last forever, and enjoy as much of it as possible.