Panini 1-2 months

How Old?: 

2 months!

1 month

2 months

Weight/Height:

12.6 lbs and 23.5 inches long.  He has jumped to the 60th percentile in weight, where he started out in the 30th

  

Baby clothes:  

Panini grew out of newborn clothes faster than I was able to put him in all of his outfits.  He is now is 0-3 months and can also wear some 3 month clothing

Milestones:

During his first month, Panini started tracking objects and became pretty proficient at tummy time for a newborn.  Sometimes he would fall asleep. but he never really fusses while doing tummy time unless he is tired. 

Leading up to being 2 months old, he started doing sweet little coos, trying to laugh but it mostly sounds like gasping right now, and so many smiles.  He can grasp objects briefly.  His head control continues to be great for his age.  He is so alert when he is awake and enjoys looking around.  I think he is able to recognize my and hubskie's faces..and probably big brother's face too.

Special outings:

This section is so different from when Zilla was little since we were mostly confined to the house with him.  We have been everywhere with Panini.  He went to his first restaurant (Afrah) at about a week old. Other fun outings have included going to the tree farm to cut down a Christmas tree and going to Houston for the first time and meeting aunts and uncles while there.  My favorite outings have been the little ones with big brother.  Going to the park and grocery store are special moments for me since I will be returning to work soon and we won't be able to make long, fun trips out of these daily tasks.  We've done a lot of walking up to the store with Zilla in the stroller and Panini in the wrap.  I get my exercise and we get some shopping done.

Our first family walk

Highlights of the months: 

Thanksgiving and Christmas were big highlights!  We spent Thanksgiving in Houston and and Christmas in Dallas.  We will be heading to Houston soon to see family for Christmas there as well.

Other small highlights have been all the baby snuggles.  Panini is a big snuggler, which I tend to enjoy.

This was Panini's favorite nursing position for awhile.

Baby's routine:

I have been very lax with this one, this time around.  This is both a function of having two kids at home most of the week, as well as Panini being an easy going baby.  In general he will wake up in the morning and eat, he'll stay awake for about an hour to an hour and a half and then take a 1.5-2 hour nap. This nap might take place in the car seat if we're on the go with Zilla, in the wrap if we are going on a walk, in his crib, or a combination of all three.  

He follows this awake for an hour, sleep for two routine until about 5.  At this point his hunger cues go into overdrive and he clusterfeeds until about 10 or 11 at night.  Some nights he'll give mommy and break and feed regularly, but he is generally awake for 3-4 hours in the evening before he goes down for the night.

Nights are very inconsistent.  Some nights he can sleep as long as 5 hours between feeding and others he will wake up every 2-3.  The good thing is that he generally falls asleep quickly during night time feedings.  We have done some co-sleeping because he has had the worst congestion a couple of times and he is better able to sleep this way.  Thank goodness hubskie is a still sleeper and is able to sleep in just about any position because I am a terrible cosleeper with all of my moving around and needing to be in the perfect position in order to sleep.

Baby's favorite food: 

Mama milk.  And boy can he eat!  I have been very blessed with Panini being a good eater as this has also allowed us to go on more outings.  I am much more comfortable this time around with feeding in public and have made a general rule that unless I am feeling overwhelmed or if I sense Panini is overstimulated, I don't hide in back rooms for feedings. I am not missing out on things this time around.  It's part of my, anti-PPD, self care action plan.  The isolation was really hard on me last time around.

Baby's favorite activity: 

Tummy time on mommy or daddy and being held in a wrap.  He definitely prefers the wraps to the ring slings, but the slings are so much faster to get him in and out of, so we go back and forth.

Baby's favorite toy:

Not terribly interested in too many toys at this point.  So I guess mommy and daddy's faces.

Big changes:

The biggest change has been this experience versus our last newborn stage experience.  Panini is so different from Zilla and I am a different person this time around.  I was never positive if what I experienced with Zilla was PPD because it was never diagnosed, but after my experience thus far with Panini I am more confident that it was PPD.  I have actual emotions and feelings!

I did struggle the first few weeks with guilt over what I missed out on with Zilla.  I wanted my time back with him.  But I shifted to just being grateful for a more positive experience this time.  

Zilla and Panini: 
The other big change is having two kids.  Wow!  All the challenges and joys it creates.  Zilla has done pretty well transitioning.  He has been so kind to Panini and wants to love on his all the time.  Usually this is so sweet, but when he is sick, it's super hard to explain to Zilla that he can't touch Panini because he'll spread germs.  But other than that, Zilla and Panini pictures are my favorite!

Zilla loves learning about babies and is particularly intrigued by how the eat,  He often asks if he can eat from me too, so I tell him stories about how he used to eat from me.  He loves hearing stories about when he was little.

Zilla has had some serious behavior issues lately towards Hubskie and I.  Everything is no, every transition (ending an activity, bedtime, leaving somewhere, going somewhere) is a huge battle.  Transitions are the absolute worst.  I try giving him options, giving him positive feedback and rewards when he does them nicely, giving him 5 minute countdowns.  It doesn't matter. There always seems to be a meltdown and it is so frustrating.  I can't decide if these moments of acting out are a product of needing more attention, his age, or his personality.  Maybe a combo of both, but I am trying so hard to be patient with him because I know he is going through a lot of changes.

I've also started keeping both boys home most of the week.  Zilla is only going to school on Tuesday and Thursday right now.  And those mornings are so hard because he wants to stay home.  I am so worried about when I go back to work, because he tells me everyday that he doesn't want to go to school.  Also, I don't want him to go to school, so that doesn't help.  I am really enjoying staying home with both of my boys right now.  Even with the behavior problems and the stress and tiredness, I am overall so grateful for these kids and so sad about all I am missing out on during these first years of their lives.  I love going on outings with them and watching them play together.  I love the extra hugs and extra time I get to spend watching Zilla do or say something hilarious.  I love getting extra time to clean and cook.  I'm not a master at cleaning yet, but the dishes and laundry are actually getting done, which is a major change from before.  Pray for me y'all.  I start each day crying a little because I know I'm one day closer to maternity leave ending and it is breaking my heart.  I know there is a reason God has it in his  plan for me to not stay home yet (ever?) but I'm having a hard time trusting in it.

Things I want to remember:
1) When Panini was a newborn, his crying sounded like a kitten meowing
2) Panini gained the nickname of Snuffleupagus due to the constant congestion he has. Poor kiddo
3) When Panini cries, Zilla will pat him and say "I got you"
4) Zilla was more tramatized by the 2 month shots than Panini was. He does not like to see his brother in pain
5) Despite our efforts, Panini will not take a pacifier 

If you haven't noticed, I didn't do a 1 month post.  I figure with the pic a day posts (which come about once a month), and the business of life right now, it's impresive if I even sit down to write every two months.  But I want to be sure and do at least this because I love so much going back and reading Zilla's so I know I'll want the same with Panin.

That's all for now!
The Vrlyfries