Avery: 2 Months

Dear Avery,

May 7th you turned 2 months! I’m pretty sure your second month went by even faster than your first. You need to slow down little boy! You had lots of changes this month and continue to overwhelm our hearts with love & joy!

You have made a change for the better in the nursing department and Mommy is very thankful for that! You rarely cry while nursing anymore. You are still nursing about every 2-3 hours during the day. And when its time to burp you get those gas bubbles out much quicker and don’t seem in as much pain as you were during your 1^st month. While you are burping easier, you are still a “spitting up champ”! Your burp rag is never far! And if it is your big sister will bring it to us!

You have also improved in the sleep department. 99% of the time you only get up once per night. We start bed time with a bath around 7:30pm. This month we started giving you a 5oz bottle at bedtime to make sure you’re getting enough and then swaddle & put you down for bed. Since starting the bottle, you have been sleeping 8pm-3:30/4am! You even had one night where you went 9 hours! Mommy is so proud that we’re making progress in the sleep department! Let’s keep moving in that direction sweet boy!

You had your first real smile this month. Officially I would say it was on April 9^th, just a few days after your 1 month mark. Grandma Cindy was watching you while Mommy got her haircut. When Mommy got home Grandma asked me if you were smiling and I said just full tummy or gas smiles, but Grandma wasn’t so sure! And Grandma was right! Ever since then you have been quite the smiley little boy. And that smile just melts Mommy’s heart! You even had 2 “full on” giggles this month! One was when we were just sitting in the recliner & was talking to you. Another time was when we were at a friend’s house. I was holding you telling our friend a story & mid way you just let out the sweetest giggle! You are really starting to coo as well! Just love all your noises!

You haven’t had any diaper rash since it cleared up during your 1^st month, thank goodness! You are still the tooting champ though! And boy those toots are not too fresh! You still aren’t very “regular” though. I would estimate you usually go #2 every 2-3 days, but doctor says that’s completely fine.

Your wake time is starting to increase. You are usually up for about 1 ½ hours in the morning and then take an 1-1 ½ hour nap in your crib. You will take another good nap after your mid-morning feeding and then your afternoon naps are touch & go. Sometimes we’re running errands and you sleep pretty well in your carseat. Sometimes you’ll nap on Mommy’s chest or in the swing or on your tummy on the couch {while Mommy is supervising, of course!} in the afternoon.

Like I said earlier you are napping in your swing. You didn’t like it much during your first month of life, but you have really grown to like it this month! You also really like your play mat. It’s so cute to watch you coo, kick, & play while you’re on it. You also really like the moby wrap! I will wear it while getting supper ready or try it if you’re fussy and won’t nap. You usually end up falling asleep in it!

You discovered your tongue this month! Its so funny to watch you play with it, stick it out, & wiggle it all around! And you still aren’t a fan of tummy time, but we try to do a little each day, hoping soon you won’t hate it so much!

You have LOVED bath time this month. We started doing bath every night and you love it! Sometimes big sister even joins in! You used to scream when we took you out of the tub. I started putting your towel in the bouncy seat & putting you in your seat all wrapped up in your towel while I clean up the tub and you are completely content!

We have continued to be on the go this month! Mainly running errands around town or picking big sister up from daycare. We even had a few baby showers for you this month, one at Auntie M’s & one at Mommy & Daddy’s work. You had your first trip to Des Moines this month. You went with Mommy & Daddy (and a lot of our other family members) to a Dave Ramsey event. You didn’t want to fall asleep, but once I got you to sleep you did great! You also had your first trip to Ames. We had a quick family trip to Sam’s Club one Saturday morning. On both the Des Moines & Ames trips we had a public restroom nursing session! You didn’t seem to mind though! Overall you do pretty well while we are out & about.

You are still wearing size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothes. I think we might have a few more weeks in 0-3 mo clothes, but I got out your 3-6 mo clothes this month, so we’re ready for the switch over!

My sweet baby Avery, I have loved watching you change & grow this month! Your Daddy, big sister, and Mommy all love you very much!

Love, Mommy

*TWO MONTH STATS*
weight 13lbs 1oz (at 2 month appt – 5.10.13)
length 24 in (at 2 month appt – 5.10.13)
eating 100% breastfeeding
clothes 0-3 months
diapers size 1

Look how you’ve changed this month!

Adelyn at 2 months & Avery at 2 months!

Avery’s Baby Shower

Avery had his first baby shower Friday April 19th. My sister, Mindi, hosted it at her house. My sister and some of our friends did the same thing when Adelyn was born!

Mindi did a great job of decorating! And it totally coordinate with the colors/theme I did in Avery’s nursery! Great job Auntie M!

She even gave us the banners and I hung them in Avery’s room last week. So cute!

The table looked SO good! You’ve got skills sister! We had lots of yummy appetizers and Allison made a wonderful chicken bundle for the main dish!

Mindi even put together a few fun games for the shower. The first was “Baby Jeopardy”

And I don’t want to share too much about the 2nd game…

…just know there was dice, tape, candy, and a prize involved!

And this picture shows how much everyone liked it! Just look at everyone’s expressions!

And lastly, my friends were too kind with generous gifts for our little guy! Big sister even got a gift, a giant coloring book & crayons!

 

Mindi made a yummy dessert!

After some baby snuggles we called it a night. Everyone headed out, but Mindi and I sat & talked well into the night…too late! But sister talks are always good!

Thanks everyone for the fun shower, all the nice gifts, and a good time!

Avery’s First Smiles

When Avery was just 4 weeks & 5 days old he gave us a first glimpse of that sweet smile! It was actually Grandma Cindy that got his first “real” smile! She watched Avery for me for a few hours when I got my haircut. When I got home she asked if I’d seen Avery smile yet and I said no, just “full tummy smiles” or smiles in his sleep, but no responsive ones yet. Well Grandma Cindy did it!

From that day forward he’s been a smiling little boy and it just melts my heart! I love that you can just chat with him and he grins from ear to ear!

Celebrating Easter: round 2

The week after Easter we celebrated with my family at my parents house. Stef, Lily, Wendi, Matt {wendi’s bf!}, and Hayden came from Omaha for the weekend. Pam, Jeff, Maya, & Ciana came over from Cedar Falls as well. We spent all day Saturday at Mom’s house and Sunday we went to church to hear about Mindi & Preston’s mission trip to Guatemala. It was a great weekend with family!

Adelyn & Lily were pretty excited to see each other! Sweet girls!

My Mom did an Easter egg hunt for the kids in the back yard. Adelyn was an “old pro” by now and really enjoyed it!

Lily was content with just one egg!

And Hayden had a basket full! Of course Maya didn’t have any problem finding eggs! Grandma Cindy hid some extra hard for her since she was so much older than the majority of the grandkids.

Getting a picture of these 5 busy kiddos is no easy feat…

…guess we just have to settle with what ya get! {avery was inside napping!}

After the Easter egg hunt the kids had fun playing in the yard and on the swing set. I think Adelyn went down the slide 37 times…and check out that landing!

Hayden had to get in on the fun too!

Lily is still working on her landing!

And sweet Ciana enjoyed the swing! She turned 1 just a few days after that weekend.

Mom and Duane made us a wonderful lunch! We had all the traditional food! {didn’t get any food pictures…it was good though!}

Since Ciana’s birthday was so close we celebrated a little early. Aunt Stef made carrot cake cupcakes, yum! Cute sisters!

Ciana wasn’t sure what to do with that cupcake…but eventually ate her share of it! {I don’t have an after picture for some reason}

Adelyn enjoyed her cupcake too! I’m not sure where she got the idea to eat it without her hands! Silly girl!

And Hayden had no hesitation with his cupcake…his famous words: ‘I need cake’!

After our delicious dinner & dessert we chilled out…Auntie M got some snuggles with Lily!

And Aunt Wendi got in some baby time with Avery!

I caught these 2 cousins having a sweet moment, Maya was reading to Adelyn!

can ya tell Adelyn loves to be read to? Later on she got Aunt Stef to read to her too!

After all the babes were up from their naps we got in some more outside time since it was pretty nice out! Adelyn was carrying this chair around and left it in the middle of the yard, Lily felt the need to go sit in it and started just ‘a tapping her feet!

Oh and these are the 2 love birds…Matt & Wendi! Such a cute couple!

Sure wish I would have gotten a sister picture and a picture of all the grandkids…with 2 kiddos now I feel like there is less time for picture taking!