Running from the Law: Baby Mim - 2 Months

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Baby Mim - 2 Months

Dear Mim,

Two months have flown by in the blink of an eye.  Just a few short weeks ago I was big and round and not so patiently awaiting your arrival.  And now you're here, warm and snuggly, sweet and loving, and I can no longer imagine life without you.  You are such a wonderful addition to our family and we are all just madly in love with you.   
This month you have really turned on the charm, making it impossible to get too frustrated with you, even when you're at your worst.  In the last two weeks we've been dealing with a nightly fussy period from about 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.  Fussy doesn't exactly adequately describe your frustration and you let us know how miserable you were with violent protests and screaming.  It broke our hearts.  It's so hard to see your baby in any kind of pain or not happy.  
We thought it was gas and tried everything from gas drops, infant massage, leg bicycling, bouncing, swaddling, sucking, swinging, white noise, music, gripe water, warm washcloths, etc.  Nothing seemed to work.  Then, just when we were about at our wits end, at the suggestion of a friend, we put you to bed hours earlier than normal, you slept right through your fussy period and basically through the night.  I guess you were just overly tired and pissed off at us for keeping you up during all the chaos of dinner, bath and bedtime.  Who knew you just wanted to sleep more and have some quiet time to yourself?!  That's my girl! 
So (knock on wood), you've done much better in the sleep department over the last few days.  Right now we're putting you down sometime around 6:30 p.m., after a bath and a bottle of breastmilk.  You sleep until about 11:00 p.m., when your dad gives you another bottle (while I'm in bed) and then you both go to bed.  You wake up one more time, usually around 4:00 a.m. for your second feeding of the night and (most of the time), you go back to sleep quickly and sleep until around 7:00 a.m.  All in all, that's not bad.  I'll take that every day over what we went through with your brother.  I'd love it if we could eventually drop that 4:00 a.m. wake up, but as long as you go right back to sleep, it's not too awful.  Especially when there are episodes of Friday Night Lights to watch in the middle of the night.  We're both big Tim Riggins fans.  Swoon.
When you're not freaking out, you're such a great eater.  I'm not exactly sure how much you're getting when you breastfeed, but you can put down a 4 ounce bottle like champ and are probably ready to graduate to the big bottles.  You are packing on the pounds these days and have developed some pretty outstanding thigh rolls.  At your six week appointment you were just over 11 pounds and 22.5 inches long, which put you in the 75th percentile for weight and height.  Keep it up, peanut.  You feel very solid to me and I love that you're growing so big and strong.
Also at your six week appointment you got three shots, which sent you into an absolute fit of fury and rage.  My lands, you were pissed off.  I've never seen you so hysterical and inconsolable.  Even the nurses came in multiple times to check on you to make sure everything was ok.  I could not get you calmed down for anything and ended up in tears myself.  Eventually you just cried yourself out and fell asleep in the car on the way home.  I wasn't sure either one of us was going to make it.  This makes me terrified of the next time you have to get a shot.  I think your dad should take you. 
You've been a rockstar breastfeeder up until this past week and I'm not sure what happened or what changed.  Right around the height of your nightly tantrums you completely stopped breastfeeding.  Again, I thought it was gas, since every time I'd lay you down to eat you would cry hysterically like you were in pain.  The only way you'd eat was sitting up and out of a bottle.  I was so sad about what was going on and very disappointed (in myself) that perhaps our breastfeeding journey was ending so soon.  I continued to pump and was determined to at least keep you on breastmilk for a while and kept trying to reintroduce the breast to you at each feeding.  Every time you'd reject it I'd take it so personally.  I guess it's easy to get your feelings hurt when it's such an emotional bonding experience.  But we pushed though and the last few days you've gone back to breastfeeding like nothing ever happened.  I didn't realize how much I wanted it to work out until it was looking like it might not.  I'm so glad we're on the other side of that struggle and I hope we can continue this for a while longer.  Nursing strikes are no fun.
Right around six weeks you started smiling at us and it's just about the greatest thing I've ever experienced.  You are so generous with your smiles and just love it when people talk to you and interact with you.  You make such adorable faces and I love all your expressions.  You're also talking and cooing a bit more these days, usually at the fan or a dog.  You're still pretty quiet (at least compared to your brother), but when you do talk, it's absolutely adorable.
You are still a wonderful snuggler and love being held.  You're hardly ever put down during the day, which none of us mind.  You're so sweet and pretty easy going.  You love music and your dad plays songs for you and sings to you every night.  You're really strong for a baby and can easy hold your head up and yourself upright when in our arms.  No floppy baby here.  You also have one of the strongest grips I've ever experienced and I've lost quite a bit of hair and a necklace to your vice-like grip.  
You absolutely love watching your brother and you just smile like crazy when he's around.  I think you're going to be his biggest fan.  He's really coming around to you lately and tells us all the time that he likes you (he's in a stage where he tells us everything he likes nonstop).  That's definitely a big improvement!  He still cries occasionally when one of us holds you when he wants our attention, but he's doing so much better and is usually ok with it after his initial frustration.  He likes it when you go on walks with us and doesn't seem to mind that you're around, so long as you're not crying.  That still freaks him out and he makes a scrunchy face and says, "Mim's sad.  Mommy feed her."
I'm still not sure who you look like these days.  I have a hard time seeing myself in you, but I do see some family resemblance.  I think you look like your dad quite a bit, but mainly I guess you look mostly like Mac.  You still have blue/grey eyes, which show no inclination of turning brown yet.  Your hair (what little you have) is still dark, but has a hint of red in it when we're outside.  You have a darker complexion than either me or your father, so we have no idea where that came from.  But no matter who you look like, you're absolutely gorgeous.  Everyone that meets you comments about what a beauty you are and we couldn't agree more.  I swear you get prettier by the day.  
I feel like you're already such a big kid and no longer my tiny little baby. Maybe it's because I'm pretty sure (your dad is 100% sure) you're our last baby, but I'm just not ready for you to grow up yet.  A big part of me was always looking forward to the next stage with your brother, but this time, I'm not ready to move on.  I could stay right here (and on maternity leave) forever.  It's been so nice having so much time with you and your brother these last few weeks.  And having the nanny here with us all to help out has been absolutely wonderful (otherwise I'd never get these posts up).  If there was a way I could stay home (or work from home) and keep her here with us, I'd do it in a heartbeat.  Going back to work is going to be such a rude awakening.  I'm going to miss our snuggle sessions like crazy.  
So for now I'm just trying to soak up every second I can with you.  I take a million photos of you a day with the hope that someday I'll be able to get through them all.  I spend hours just holding you, kissing your head and cheeks.  I can't get enough of your baby smell and wish I could bottle it up and save it forever.  I try to memorize your face - that tiny little upturned nose, your beautiful full lips, those chubby cheeks and your gorgeous round blue eyes.  I love that you'd rather be in my arms than anywhere else in the world - that makes me feel like a million bucks.  
I guess what I'm trying to say is I love you.  More than you'll ever know.  Thank you for being mine.

Your mama

- being held
- moving
- snuggling
- sleeping
- Mac
- eating
- baths
- music/singing
- being outside
- dirty diapers
- being cold
- being tired
- being put down
- being still
- first major holiday (Labor Day)
- first trip to PetSmart and Hobby Lobby
- first birthday party
- first time sleeping in your own crib/room
- first time running with daddy
- first smile
- first trip to my hometown
- first time meeting your great-grandmother
- first picnic in the park

For comparison:


  1. She does just look like Mac doesn't she. So very beautiful, Kind of makes me want one... maybe!

  2. Precious girl! She is so so adorable! I totally see a resemblance to her Mommy in her :) And I love the comparison photos. She has a rounder face, but you can definitely see that they are siblings! Isn't it funny when babies are giving us a tough time and someone recommends something so simple and sort of obvious and it works like a charm? The same EXACT thing happened with us and I was totally shocked…I mean, what a great solution….an earlier bedtime! And sleeping 10 to 4 at 2 months sounds pretty great to me. Keep it up, Mim!

  3. I can not handle the cuteness. She is adorable. Nicklas went through a stage where he cried for hours straight every single night. We discovered he was allergic to my breast milk and had to switch to soy formula... I felt like such a failure! But he ended up okay! Good luck mommy!

  4. Oh my gosh, what a sweetie!!!! I love that she loves Mac - they will be the best of friends one day (well, I guess they are already)! I am so glad she's sleeping better and not in so much pain...hearing those cries is the worst for a mom! We tried everything with Cam, and I think he finally just grew out of it. It was awful, but you don't remember those times in the end. Keep taking pictures - I love seeing her on IG!!

  5. You are right- she is gorgeous! Such a cutie!

  6. She definitely looks a lot like Mac! Babies are the BEST and I completely miss those snuggles. So happy to hear that breastfeeding is going well, despite the bump you had. Hope sleep continues to get better for her- she really is gorgeous!

  7. Sara, she is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! And looks so much like Mac! XO

  8. Love this update!! We had a similar night time issue with our little one and now I've realized at 7 she wants to go to bed - and it can't be just anywhere! I'm so glad you survived the nursing strike - nursing has to be one of my favorite things about having a baby and I know I'd feel just like you if it was a struggle. Baby snuggles are just the best! She is such a beauty!! I love watching her grow!

  9. oh man, I LOVE her! She is so stinking cute :) And yay for breastfeeding going better this time around!

  10. 2 months NO WAY! how did that happen?! but that little girl has so much personality. i LOVE HER!

  11. Little Mac junior for sure!!! You guys make some CUTE kiddos! And a Riggins fan at 2 months?! A girl after my own heart :)

  12. They look so much alike! And my goodness, is she gorgeous!

  13. Oh, my! They DO look a lot alike! I wouldn't have thought it until the side by side pictures. And I'm glad you figured out the fussy time and found a way to "fix" it. So glad you are still home with her and Mac and how lucky that you get your nanny too! :) Hopefully the transition back to the real world will go super smooth for you.

  14. Oh my gosh I love her!!! Maybe a little Tylenol before the shots will do the trick! And daddy can take her too. :) She's beautiful! Good job on the breastfeeding! I understand how desperately we want it to work and I'm so glad it went back to where it was with you and Mim!

  15. Oh my goodness, she is just scrumptious. I see so many resemblances between her and Mac.
    So luck you are to have such a great sleeper (I'm saying this as I know and feel your pain with having a not-so-great-sleeper myself). And, kudos for pushing through that little breastfeeding glitch. Mim and Mac are so lucky to have such a wonderful momma!

  16. she's growing so fast! She is such a cutie! Callie was the same way at night - her bed time was 6-7 for so long! in fact it's only been the last 6mo that it's been later than 7. and an early bedrime is totally not a bad thing! So happy BF is coming OMG. I remember reading your story with Mac in Julie's series (hey maybe that's where I very first found your blog!) Anyway I had been thinking about that and hoping it was going better and glad it is!

  17. She is getting so big so fast! I agree, I don't want my little one to grow any more either! I'm so glad you were able to overcome those feeding/newborn baby issues. I swear the gassy fussy period is just something they go through and nothing but time gets them through it. Going back to work is good and bad, you can do it! I just want to hold Colette from the moment I walk in until she goes to bed and I usually do.

  18. So adorable! It's hard to believe she's already 2 months old!

    Oh and I love Riggin's too!

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  20. You have some seriously gorgeous children!

  21. ok, so this post makes me just a little bit ready for Nora to arrive. The other part is still freaking out at the possibility of going back to newborn phase...but oh how I am looking forward to the infant cuddles!

  22. I've been meaning to email you to see how you are, but will just comment here instead now that you've filled me in. ;)

    Going through a rough patch of breastfeeding here, too---basically my first real 'scare' like this on my third baby and it's seriously NOT fun. At all. Good for you guys for pushing through!! And fussy baby evenings are also no joke. Cannot believe how amazingly she is sleeping. Keep it up, Mim!

    Ah yes, maternity leave ending. I go back on Monday and have about 1000 emotions at any given time. Just keep on snuggling her and know that you can do it, even as a working mom!! She is adorable. You've done well, mama.

  23. Why do little ones grow up so fast?!?! I still constantly kiss Mason and stare at his little legs and hands and feet in awe that he is mine... and he's already 2! It's so unfair. I want him to stay little and perfect forever. Why do they have to grow?? She is so, so cute and already has so much personality! I love it. This is such a sweet letter to her, Sara! You have such a beautiful way of writing.

  24. She is absolutely beautiful!! So many sweet expressions :)

  25. She is so beautiful! Looks just like her big bro :) So glad you made it through this breastfeeding hurdle - good for you! I'm hanging on by a thread over here :-/ Keep up the good work, mama!

  26. Precious precious precious! I just want to squeeze her!!!! I'm so glad to hear she's a much better sleeper than Mac! Enjoy the last weeks of snuggles before work. This is my first full week fun! :(