Growing Up Healthy - 4 months

Elizabeth Grace - 4 months old

Elizabeth went for her 4 month check up 2 days ago and baby girl is catching up to her brother quickly!

Lizzy baby is 25 1/4 inches long (85%), 16 1/3 lbs (90%) and her head circumference is 16 3/4 (85%)!  The NP says she's looking great and if we want, we can start her on solids.  I'm not sure we're ready, but Elizabeth sure does smack her lips and lick her chops when anyone eats in front of her!  LOL.  I think once I decide what I want to start on, we might try that soon.

She's currently wearing 6-9 months in clothes but I think in the one pieces (like pjs) we'll have to move to 9 months soon.  She literally went through ONE jumbo box of size 2 diapers and now she is on size 3.  She's definitely going to be in need of new stuff soon.

She still tries super hard to turn over whenever she is on her back, but besides that one time, hasn't been able to do it on her own yet.  She gets just the top half around.  She sits up pretty well with help and she's getting a little bit better at tummy time.  

Elizabeth loves, loves, to laugh at her brother.  She just stares at him and watches him.  And whenever he laughs, so does she.  It's pretty adorable.  I only wish Aaron was more calm, gentle and aware around her.  (sigh)  She loves when anyone sings to her too.  

On March 1st, I moved her into her room finally.  She's been sleeping through the night for some time now, but since we're still missing things in her room (like a proper room/floor lamp & a changing pad cover) I held off on it.  Finally I just decided to make the move and she's been doing so well!  She wakes up happy.  I think that might have something to do with the colorful bedding, pink walls and owl mobile!  Once I feel like the room is complete, I'll have to take some pictures.

Until then........   Hope you all are just as happy and healthy as Elizabeth!  

  
   

Our 2 week update -- Elizabeth Grace & Aaron

What, you're just going to leave me here like this?

Elizabeth Grace had her 2 week follow up appointment and thankfully she's doing well.  Her jaundice has cleared and she has gained weight again!  She now weighs 7 lbs 0.9 oz and is 20 3/4 inches long.  She is still a bit underweight in terms of her growth so we have started giving her more at feedings now so hopefully she'll grow more!  

Just like with Aaron, I am not producing enough breast milk (it took me 3 sessions of pumping to get 1 oz) so I am supplementing with formula.  Right now I'm using an "SNS" (supplemental nursing system) to feed her the formula so that kind of keeps me glued to one spot for over an hour at a time.  And since you're only supposed to go 2-3 hours from the start of one feeding to another, I don't get much down time!  Plus, she's always falling asleep during feedings and I think that's because she's all warm and cozy on my breast so I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out on the bottle.  But we'll see -- I obviously want to do what is best for her while keeping my sanity.  

She's been a really great baby so far though!  She sleeps tons, has started to smile and when her eyes are open, she's alert and loves to look at light and her mommy & daddy.  And today, if I wasn't imagining it, she seemed to be soothed by Dave.  (Dave Matthews Band, obvs).  

The only sucky part has been that Aaron came home with another cold from school on Halloween Eve and of course, I caught it 2 days later.  So now I'm at home, taking care of a newborn, recovering from labor and a surgery and I catch a cold.  Trust me when I say it is NO FUN when you are coughing up a storm with stitches in your belly.  And then Elizabeth caught it.  The poor little angel has to suffer through a cold and she can't get any relief except for rest.  

We all tried very hard to keep Aaron away from Elizabeth, but how can you tell your little boy to stay away from his brand new baby sister?  He just wants to hug and kiss on her all the time!  And sometimes getting him to wash his hands lately is like starting World War III.  So besides Josh who always seems to get away unscathed, we are a house of sickies.  Luckily like I said before, I've had plenty of help from my family and just recently Josh's mom came down to help and stayed for a few days.  

Aaron is still in school and really starting to enjoy it I think.  He got his first birthday part invite the other day (though he couldn't go because it was too close to my due date) and then his first set of school pictures!  He comes home singing new songs all the time and likes to tell us stories about some of the other kids in his class.  He is adjusting to so many changes lately!  Though he definitely has times where he could act better, he's doing pretty well over all.  AND he's finally going to sleep earlier!!!  Thank goodness!

So everyone is doing fine.  I mean, we're all recovering from something but we all have each other and we're all happy about that.  

Before she left, my MIL brought to my attention that the poem titled "Monday's Child" said: 

Mondays child is fair of face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

Elizabeth Grace was born on a Tuesday. 

 
   

Have a seat, please.

Aaron sat up for the first time by himself Sunday night! We had him propped up on the couch and all the sudden he stretched his hands out and sat up! We couldn't believe it! Mom, Josh and I all gathered around him and watched him do it over and over again, clapping each time he did it and yelling "YEEEEAAAAH!". It was amazing!

Aaron weighs 19 pounds now and is mostly in 9 month clothing. He's also got his 2 bottom teeth coming in so he's a little cranky about that now and then. Good news is he's not cranky about the reflux or gas anymore and today we're moving him back to the regular Enfamil formula instead of the Gentlease.

He's doing wonderfully other than the teeth and he's growing fast. This is were I ask "Where's the pause button?"!

Aaron's First Easter!

Josh and I took Aaron to the mall for the first time on Saturday to get a picture with the Easter Bunny! I was worried he'd be scared of the bunny and scream his head off, but he just sat there with his usual look of discontent. (haha - that's kind of a joke for those in the know) Aaron did really well actually. I think all he cared about was that someone was holding him! :0)

We walked around the mall for a little bit since he was doing well and pretty much made it in the mall for about 1 hour before wanting his bottle and getting really cranky. I just feed him in the car but other than the last 5 minutes, the mall trip and Easter photo op was successful! Yeaaa!

I hope you all had a great Easter!

~~Josh, Adriane & Aaron