Thoughts to Wrap It All Up

• I'm so glad to bid February adieu! Y'all don't even know...

• I was looking through old entries, and it seems like the first 2-1/2 months of the year are just rough for me. Now, it's not all bad, but I never seem to have a smooth start to the year. By St. Patrick's Day, or even right before my birthday, things finally start looking up. Here's hoping history will repeat itself :)

• We had a really stressful situation regarding Phil's job last week. We were not sure what the end result would be, but it did resolve. We're still a little on edge, but we are praying about it and keeping a good thought. Any extra prayers and good thoughts are always appreciated :)

• I'm also waiting for some family changes to get resolved. I'm not sure when everything will be decided, but it will hopefully be within the year. Overall, the changes are good, and positive, so no worries there. Of course, I am known for my patience for things to be resolved *coughcough*

• We've all had a cold at some point all month long. I'm so ready to be done with this winter. It is incredibly cold one week, then balmy the next. To top it off, any time I've taken the kids with me to a store, (any store), one of them has caught a cold. Even if I wipe down the whole cart, someone gets sick. Ugh!

• Also, between the sickies and the awful weather, people around here have just been rude! When I'm driving, at the store... it's almost an epidemic in and of itself! I've been nearly rear-ended on the highway a dozen times, gotten rude stares just for being in the general area of a person's existence, and forced to wait 20 minutes while everyone pushes their way through to whatever item they need at the store because they couldn't possibly wait in the formed line like you're supposed to. {Am I being too nice by not behaving this way? I'm pretty sick of feeling like the only patient and decent human being in public!} I know we're all grouchy, but could we be a little nicer? No?

• We enrolled Jillian in a two-day preschool program at our church this month. We had to let go of some things to be able to afford it, but I know she'll really enjoy the change. She will still go to the class she is currently attending with me on Wednesdays, Listening for Littles (or L4L), but she will also go to class at our church on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm not sure how much of my reservation is actually sound in terms of her adjusting to a class not geared towards children with hearing loss, or if it's just me being a mom who's first baby is going off to school without her. My prayer is that she thrives in the school environment, and will adjust relatively easy :)

• We finally quit the gym, and we got rid of our cable/phone bundle. We are currently using Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video through our Xbox as a way to keep up with our favorite shows. So far, the transition has been relatively smooth! However, a few of my trashy shows can only be watched by purchasing them on Amazon. I get that cable providers are trying to team up with certain networks so people won't cancel subscriptions, but I am still a little ticked about the situation. Basically, you have to sign-in through your cable provider to be able to watch new episodes online. Smart for them, but a hassle for us. At least it's saving us exactly the amount we need for Jillian's preschool class!

• With that being said, I have officially decided to give up on Dance Moms. It was interesting in the beginning, but it's gotten more and more hostile and ridiculous. I think Abby Lee is so obsessed with being famous that she'd rather smear her integrity and good name than be a decent human being. It's sad really, but someday she'll learn that she's not untouchable. Even if it's all staged, I have a headache by the end from all the yelling.

• I keep trying to get a video of David laughing, but I haven't gotten it yet. Plus, both of my kids seem to know when I'm recording them. Time to be extra-stealthy!

• Can you believe David will be 3 months tomorrow?! He's an infant now, and I miss my squishy newborn. Luckily, I can still remember how fun infancy can be as he learns new things. If we could just skip the toddler phase, that'd be nice...

• As of this week, Jillian's attitude is changing. She's doing more "Mine!", throwing mini-tantrums, and just not listening to us at all. Hello there terrible twos! I was hoping to have a little more warning, but I guess I was expecting too much :-/

• Despite this change, her ability to say "I love you", or "You make me happy!" at random moments really makes up for all those other moments. And those hugs around my neck where I feel her squeezing? Those are the best :)

• Phil and I went on a date in January, but my phone died as we were leaving :( So, I just got the photos onto my computer, and should be doing a recap of it soon!

• I get to see my folks in just a little over a month! I can't wait :D

• I started a new way of losing the baby weight as I hinted at here. It was going ok, and I was feeling good! Then, I was having some system issues about 2 weeks ago. After things started to settle down, I must have gained water weight because I had gone back to my weight before David's arrival! That was NOT ok, and I had barely eaten so I couldn't have possibly gained 8 pounds in 3 days. That really upset, and embarrassed me. It's slowly going back down, but I'm going back to a more traditional way of losing weight. Hopefully that'll help for the beginning of the journey.

• The last month of so, I have been really hitting home runs with some new recipes I've tried! I didn't take pictures just in case they didn't go well. Now that I know they're yummy, I'll be making them again and doing posts to share. A few of them have been paleo/gluten-free recipes FYI.

• I love all the babies being born both in the bloggy world, and my IRL world! It just melts me to see those sweet faces :)

Now that I've updated almost an entire month in one post... How was February for you? Anything you're looking forward to in March?

Heat and Sweat

Some days, I have moments in my life where I look around and think "Gosh, this just is not what I imagined it would be like."

Then days like today, I think "Gosh, this is exactly what I imagined. Thank you God for these moments!"

Let me explain.

Today, Jillian, David, and I had a lunch date with a good friend of mine. She brought along her daughter who is about 3-1/2 years older than Jillian. Our lunch was fun, and we decided to move the party to their house. We spent the next 3 hours watching the baby, letting the kids get incredibly dirty outside, and having a good time talking. By the time we needed to leave, Jillian was way past the point of needing to nap. {I'll admit that I was being a little selfish in trying to stay a little longer every time I thought she might be tired.} As I made the attempt to get our stuff together, Jillian was in mega-meltdown mode. Nothing made her happy. She was doing a little tantrum dance by stomping on the floor repeatedly. She cried and cried and cried until we were pulling out of the driveway. On the way home, she kept asking if she could have a snack, or this, or that. As I pulled into the driveway, I realized I hadn't heard her voice in a little while. I parked the car, and jumped out. I peered inside to see that both of my babies were fast asleep. I went inside to turn off our house alarm, and went to take the kids inside one at a time. As I opened the door to Jillian side of the car, I felt the heat from the afternoon hit my face along with a familiar smell.

That smell, the one of heat and sweat? That is exactly what I imagined motherhood would be like. I can still remember that smell from the point of view of the child in the backseat who is completely exhausted yet happy from playing hard. It was in that moment that I smiled from ear to ear, and then again in my heart.

The days that we want to quit, or we think we're doing a horrible job as a mother, can feel like they outnumber the good days. Trust me, the things your kids will remember is how they felt. If they're lucky, they'll remember the smell of heat and sweat, and it will make them smile :)

My Pregnancy Essentials: {The Good, The Bad, and The Want}

This is not going to be a picture post, but I will have links when available.

Also, as a fun side note, I just want it known that I'm doing the final editing of this on the floor of my living room. The lights are out, I have to stop typing every 15 seconds so that David doesn't wake up in the pack n play next to me, and Jillian is in her big girl bed napping. Oh the things we mothers do for a little me time ;)

Having been pregnant twice now, I definitely have my fair share of opinions on pregnancy products. Now, I'm just giving me personal opinion, and I figured if we ever do have more babies, this would be a good place to remember things.


The Good
Good Maternity Pants - I bought 2 pairs from Kohl's when I was pregnant with Jillian. They were cargo styled pants, which were great for being pregnant in the summer. They were very comfortable, and I'd buy more in a heartbeat! I also purchased maternity leggings from Old Navy for my pregnancy with David. My old issue was having to make sure my shirts were long enough to cover my belly when I wore them. However, they are super comfy, and I'm still wearing them now ;)

Maternity Underwear - The thought of needing these was just outrageous to me the first time I was pregnant. However, something with my second pregnancy made me interested in trying them out. My mom found some for my second pregnancy at Babies R Us actually. They were amazingly comfortable, and will definitely be buying more if I have another pregnancy.

Compression Socks/Stockings - I bought these at Walgreens after delivering Jillian because I had some major swelling. However, I didn't use it as much post-delivery with David. I did use them on a long road trip during my 2nd pregnancy, and they definitely helped.

Comfy Sleepwear (for if you're hot or cold) - I was hot natured the first time I was pregnant, then cold natured the second, so my preferred pjs are varied. My pjs are from several different places, so I just recommend finding whatever makes you comfiest. Even if you just want some new pajama pants? I say go find you some! You're going to be uncomfortable for 9 months. Find something that makes you comfy!

Body Pillow - For my first pregnancy, I had what I deemed the "kidney pillow" because that's what it looked like to me. I used that, a basic body pillow from Target, and about 4 other regular pillows when I was pregnant with Jillian. I bought a new pillow for my pregnancy with David because I felt like I wanted a single pillow instead of several. {Plus, my original body pillow met its demise during our move to the house in 2012.} Trust me when I say, a good pillow can make all the difference.

Nivea Cream - I grew up with my mom using this brand, and I bought it because my hands were getting super dry at night. Not only does it really help, but it doesn't have a strong/girly scent so Phil can use it too! It is a heavier cream than normal lotion, which makes it a little greasier once it's on your hands. It really is a life-saver if your hands get extremely dry.

Gummy Fiber Chews - I was having some *ahem* issues in the first half of my pregnancy. I tried all kinds of things, including some prune juice. While the juice was a little helpful, it just tasted awful. My nurse told me about gummies I could take, and I was sold! They did help me, so I took them up until the day I delivered! They were yummy flavors, and easy for me to swallow despite my nausea. The best part about buying the Walgreens brand? They usually had a buy one, get one half off sale a few times :)

Walgreens Brand Prenatal Vitamins - I don't know about you, but I'm extra sensitive to fishy taste. I tried a few different prenatal vitamins before I settled on the Walgreens brand. I keep the bottles refrigerated, and I can count on one hand how many times between my two pregnancies that I experienced the dreaded fishy burps.

Tums - I was lucky to not have heartburn constantly with either pregnancy. However, when I did get it, it was awful! I refuse to eat the cherry flavored ones, but other than that, Tums was my go-to relief!

Zofran - My morning sickness was always pretty severe with both pregnancies. I was lucky that my dose was cut in half, and I didn't have to take it every single day with my pregnancy with David. However, since history does repeat itself, I know I will be in need of this if I am every pregnant again.

A Water Cup - It is important to stay hydrated, especially if you're having a hard time eating. It was easier for me to have a particular water cup, that I knew if I drank from it 3 times a day, I would meet the requirements for water consumption. This way, I would get the bare minimum, and everything else was extra. Usually, I would have a goal of 1 before noon, 1 before 5 pm, then 1 before I went to bed.

Diluted Grape Juice - I lived on half water half white grape juice from April to July of 2013. I don't remember where I read it, but it said it would be easier on my stomach, and boy were they right! It tasted better than just water, and was much gentler to my system.

Herbal Tea - I'll admit that I mostly did this for my pregnancy with David. I drank peppermint tea if I was feel nauseated before bedtime, and it usually helped. I also had Sleepy Time tea for the nights I was having trouble sleeping. {Sleepy Time Tea + a warm bubble bath = drowsy pregnant lady} I know for a fact these teas were safe to consume, so I had no worries about that.

Pregnancy Books - Some of my favorites are: What to Expect When You're Expecting, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month, and A Child is Born (which is actually my mother's copy!). All of them have good information, and it was fun to read everything to Phil when I turned a new month ;) Even with my second pregnancy, you forget some of the things that happen in between the big stuff.

Pregnancy Apps - I had What to Expect, The Bump, and Sprout. They were all very informative, and I liked certain things about each. If they could be combined into one app, that would be perfect!

A Project To Do - I always felt better if I had something to work on while I was pregnant. It's hard for me to just sit around and wait, so these projects kept my mind busy. I usually do a cross-stitch project, and usually something around the house that requires organization. Whatever you can physically do, or a project you want done before baby arrives with you husband's/partner's help, can be a welcome distraction when you still have several weeks to go.

A Journal - I blog, but some people like to use physical journals. Either way, I promise you won't regret writing things down. It's fun for me to go back and remember how I felt, how baby was doing, things I craved, etc. Hopefully my kids will enjoy these too someday :)

A Camera - I took weekly bump pictures on top of other things I felt were important things during my pregnancies. Whether it's a cell phone or a nice camera, it's worth the effort!


The Bad
Maternity Jeans - I'll admit that most of my maternity jean shopping was done online. {This is partially due to the fact that only high-end stores have maternity sections where I can try them on in person. Don't ask me why this is because I have no clue} They would always fit just well enough that I couldn't justify returning them. Plus, I know that I wear two different sized because of how my body is shaped. I'd like to find and possibly tailor a pair if I get pregnant again, but we'll just see.

Ginger Chews - These were disgusting!! In an effort to help ease my sickness, Phil and I tried all sorts of things. These were by far the worst thing we tried. I barely sunk my teeth in when I gagged and immediately spit it back out. I like ginger-y things to a point, but this was just awful. If it works for you, more power to ya.

Sea-Bands - I know these work for some people, but they just honestly didn't work for me whatsoever.

Preggie Pops - Yet another attempt at easing all-day morning sickness. These were basically just hard candies for me. It didn't ease any of my nausea.

Prune Juice - As I mentioned above, I was trying to ease some uncomfortable feelings. I tried this particular one, and it took a lot of effort for me to get the full cup down my throat. It did help a bit, but it wasn't worth it for me.

The Forums on Pregnancy Apps - Honestly, just ignore the forum part of the app. People are super mean, rude, and sometimes a little... well, stupid to be blunt. And really, if you have a question, asking your mother, mother-in-law, friends, people at church, or even a random pregnant woman in the middle of the store will get you better advice and answers than these people will provide. Plus, there is always an issue with trolls. Just say no.


The Want
New Pillow - The pillow I have currently is pretty worn out. It might last another pregnancy, but I would be interested in a new one.

New Pregnancy Tops - I got several from Old Navy that have been really great. I love the length, and the material is super comfy. However, since I practically lived in them for two pregnancies, I could stand to get a few news ones. I would definitely buy similar ones to what I already own.

New Pregnancy Bras - Even though I can't nurse for very long, pregnancy bras are just more comfortable during and after pregnancy. The two I currently have are from Target. I would love at least two, if not more.

A Nanny for my other kids ;) - I kid, I kid. I just know that having morning sickness with two kids running around is going to be tough. Thankfully, I have a super awesome husband who is practically Superman, and loves me enough to help out :)

An At-Home Doppler - I mostly likely won't purchase/rent this, but it would be nice to have. I just get so worked up in-between appointments, and I know it would be great for peace of mind.


What about you? Did you have anything you loved? Disliked? Want/Would have liked?

Our Valentine's Day 2014

I will most likely end up doing a big picture post at the end of the month. I've had such a hard time keeping up with photos!

Valentine's Day didn't start off super great. Phil and I had some miscommunication before he left for work, so we were both in a not-so-great mood.

Originally, I was going to order something for dinner, pick up the playroom, and we would eat picnic style in the playroom.

Well...

First and foremost, Phil and I had to resolve our miscommunication. Once we did, he informed me that he was having an awful day. He works with blood, and some of it had leaked all over his lab. He was spending most of the day cleaning it. In the middle of cleaning, he nearly fell on the floor! Phil caught himself, but he did pop his knee out of place in the process :( He got it back in place, but it's been sore ever since.

Between his bad knee, and having a baby who needed some extra snuggling, we decided to just go to dinner as a family. We packed up the kids and went to Fazoli's! We were going to take a slice of cheesecake home, but it got left at our table :-/ Luckily, we had some chocolate covered pretzels at home that we all shared while watching "The Little Mermaid" :)

I did receive some beautiful tulips, and we had some cute handmade cards from my folks that we enjoyed.

It may not have been a perfect day, but I went to bed feeling loved. That's all that matters!

I also did a little mini photo session with the kids too.

{Ah the joys of taking a 2 year-old's picture ;)}

{This is her saying "Cheese"} 

{Her laugh is contagious though!} 

{David says "Ladies, there is room for one more in this chair!"} 

{Those eyes} 

{Already a couple of goofballs!} 

{My babies <3} 

{Beautiful flowers} 

{Jillian is more than happy to help us eat these pretzels ;)} 

{Jillian decided to wear my sunglasses during the movie} 

{Three of my favorite people on the couch next to me!}

A Bit Different

Today we took a day trip to Tulsa to see Phil's folks. We went for two reasons: 1) grandchild time that didn't require me to clean my own house ;) and 2) to drop Petey off at Phil's aunt's house.

You see, Jillian's cough from over the summer? It comes and goes. Most of the time we figured it was allergies. Then we figured it was a cold. However, we were noticing that she was coughing all night about 20 days out of the month. This has caused lots of issues, and sleepiness for everyone in the family.

After doing some reading and research, I am doubtful that Jillian has asthma. This is mostly because she just coughs instead of wheezing. {I actually had a wheezing problem that I grew out of by the time I was 6. I do still have some issues when it's really cold and damp outside, but it really got bad during march band stuff. I haven't had any major issues since college.} Phil continues to suffer from seasonal allergy-induced asthma that requires an inhaler a few days out of the year. With these things in mind, I started to wonder.

We don't know for a fact that Jillian is allergic to cats, but everything I read made it sound like dust, and pet dander are really bad for children with breathing issues. We are going to discuss our concerns with Dr. V at Jillian's 2-1/2 year well check up. Until then, I'm going to take some measures to keep allergens at bay to see if it helps in the mean time. Unfortunately, this meant we had to find Petey a new home.

We are very blessed that Phil's aunt and uncle foster cats waiting for adoption. In fact, we met Petey at their house in December of 2006. It was a little hard to come to the decision, but we have to choose our child over our pet. We did tell them to let us know if there are issues with placing him in a home. However, being that he's such a sweet, fun-loving, and beautiful cat, we'll be surprised if he doesn't find a family quickly.

Not only have I had some type of pet since 1996, Phil and I have always owned a cat since we were married. We even had more cats than people at one point!

We will miss him, but we know that he'll get the love and attention we can't give him. Plus, we are very hopeful that Jillian will start having less overnight coughing fits.

It'll be different not having any pets for awhile. Plus, we'll most likely be getting a dog for our next pet. Trust me though, it's going to be a few years :)

{January 2007}

{January 2007} 

{January 2009} 

{March 2011}

Valentine's Day Grinch

This is not going to be a post about how I hate the commercialization of Valentine's Day. It's just an honest post about our personal situation.

I used to think Valentine's Day was so much fun! I would get my own little box of chocolates, (or some other kind of candy), and a card from my family. When I started dating, it was fun to get little gifts from the person I was dating.

For whatever reason, Valentine's Day is not a good day for Phil and I. It never really has been, and at this point I doubt it ever will.

Let me explain...

When we were dating, we never did much for the holiday. We were able to exchange gifts, but we were both usually so busy with other things that we didn't do much else. Plus, we had a Valentine's Day when we were broken up back in 2006.

Plus, we are both horr.i.ble. when it comes to exchanging gifts. We get so excited that we ruin the surprise, or give it early, or something like that. We usually enjoy the gifts though!

Now, I'm the type that loves to plan special things. This works out because Phil is horrible at it tries his hardest {bless his heart}, but usually doesn't do a great job. For our first married Valentine's Day in 2009, I offered to plan it all, and he was happy to agree! Let me just tell you that not a single thing went right. Nothing. We can laugh about it now, but at the time I was pretty sad and frustrating :-/

2010 was the start of what would be more successful Valentine's Day celebrations. We went to lunch after church, then had a couples massage. I had a lot on my mind because of some medical news I had received. It was only a few months after being diagnosed with PCOS, and I was told a particular test would tell me if I could ever have children at all. Being almost 24, I really didn't want to know I could never have children, so most of our conversation revolved around if we should proceed with the test or not. This was probably our 2nd most successful Valentine's Day.

2011 I really set out to have a good Valentine's Day. We celebrated early and over the course of the weekend, and had a great time! We saw my favorite Shakespearean play, (though it was a modern adaptation I wasn't expecting), made French Toast just for Phil, then cooked dinner together because we both enjoy cooking. This is our most successful Valentine's Day to date.

2012 was good because I got to celebrate with my parents, brother, husband, and newborn baby girl! The downside being it was Jillian's first round of vaccinations :( We all exchanged cards and small gifts, then we went separate ways for the night. My dad and brother went to a Thunder game, Phil and I went to sushi and a movie, and my mom stayed home with Jillian. Even though I had a nice night, it was my first time to be away from Jillian for more than 2 hours, and I worried she would be super fussy for my mom.

2013 started off ok, but ended up being a little off. I made cinnamon rolls and bacon hearts for breakfast! Then I had purchased some steaks for dinner, but they were bad by the time I opened them :( We ended up ordering Chinese food. While I like Chinese, it was a bummer that we had to come up with a different plan at the last minute.

This year, it didn't go as planned, but I am glad I got to celebrate with my hubby, daughter, and new son :) I'll post a Valentine's Day recap with pictures soon.

While none of these years have been a complete disaster like the one I planned in 2009, I've just gotten to the point where I just want to survive Valentine's Day. Call me a Grinch if you want, but I would be totally fine if Valentine's Day was not celebrated in the house ever again.

Who knows, maybe next year will be so awesome that I change my tune! Until then, I'm very thankful for February 15th, and chocolate my family :)

Just Keep Swimming

I think this is the season of my life where I am constantly being humbled. I thought I had this two-kids-under-3 thing down, but the last 3 weeks have been harder than I ever imagined. {I'm channelling my inner-Marlin in order to feel like I can do this no matter how scary it gets}

As I type this, Jillian has circled the couch twice, gotten into my water cup, climbed on the couch, found a spoon within her reach, poked her brother with a Q-tip, and handed me my library card... and she just knocked the tray off of her booster seat, which narrowly missed falling on top of her brother. That is why it took me 5 minutes to type the top paragraph.

Now keep in mind, I know she is not doing any of this on purpose. She is a new 2 year-old who needs to explore everything. It's just been really hard on me because I feel like I'm constantly correcting/discipling her. And honestly, time-outs really don't phase her after the initial shock that mom sent her to the time-out corner.

Physically I'm exhausted too. I'm actually getting decent sleep at night which I am very thankful for. However, with the arctic air we're enduring right now on top of snow, I have to carry Jillian, David in his car seat, and the large diaper bag into every building we have to enter. I do it while lightly jogging so that we don't have to be outside in the nasty wind for very long. By the end of the day, my body just aches.

Sprinkle a little mom-guilt on top of all of that because I feel like I don't interact with David much. He's still just young enough that I can't engage him for long, even if he's interested. I do whatever I can until he's over-stimulated, but that adds up to maybe 40 minutes of interaction a day. I just want to make sure he's getting the attention he needs too.

With all this stuff just in the house, I won't even get into the diet changes, computer problems, family changes, fear of getting the kids and/or myself sick the moment we leave the hosue, and knowing I've been a crappy friend but not knowing how to fix it. I just need winter, (and the sickies!), to be over fast. I'm too exhausted to continue like this for several more weeks. Something has got to give, and it will most likely be my sanity first.

I know this is a season in life I may miss someday. I know I'll miss David being this size, and watching Jillian as she learns new things. However, I am giving myself permission to be overwhelmed, tired, sad, and even a little angry. I'm going to cuddle, cry, scream (in my head),  and let it all go at the end of the day. Every day is a fresh start as long as I choose to see it that way.

I need a lot of Jesus, and a little coffee. {And it's ok if that statements is reversed some days}

David: {Two Months}

David –

You are two months old today! It seems like time is just flying by little one. Even though it doesn't feel like it has been that long since you entered the world, you also seem so much older to me. How can that be?

According to our guesstimates, you are 11 lbs, 2 oz and 22 inches long. The last time you were officially measured at 1 month & 2 days and you were 9 lbs, 13 oz, and 21 ½ inches long. {That measurement happened when you were diagnosed with your first sickness.} You have a doctor's appointment in 3 days, so I will update your official numbers then. Update: You are 11lbs, 4 oz and 23 inches long!

You are still in newborn clothing, but they are almost too small. Newborn sized pants and footed pjs have been too short for about 2 weeks now, but the shirts are just now starting to get too tight. 0-3 and 3 Month outfits are still a little too big for you. You have been in size 1 diapers for the last 4 weeks.

You eat an average of 28 oz a day, and will take anywhere from 4 to 6 ounces at a time. You have some low feeding days, but there is no real pattern to why this is. We tried switching formulas because we were worried that you either had acid reflux like your sister, or an allergy to the protein found in milk. However, after you got over your first sickness, you seemed to be better. {You do cough a little now and then, so we're going to ask your doctor about reflux at your appointment in 3 days.} We switched you back, and now you are exclusively on the formula we started you with, Target brand for Similac.

If you are swaddled, you sleep for 2-3 hour stretches during the day, and usually sleep for about 6-1/2 - 8 hour stretches at night. Sometimes you wake up at night before that, but giving you a pacifier, and turning on your giraffe noise maker can usually get you back to sleep. We may invest in a white noise machine soon to see if that helps any. You have a love-hate relationship with pacifiers. You seem to like two brands better than others, so we're sticking with those for now. Even if we use one of the two brands, you still spit them out most of the time.

We give you baths in the baby tub without the sling. Most nights you love it, but there are occasional nights when you cry the entire time we bathe you. We haven't quite figured out why this is, but we hope to figure it out soon. You seem to like being in the water though! Once we take you out of the water, it is all cries and screams. You have no patience for mama putting on your lotion, and want to be done rightthissecond! 

You really do not cry much unless you're hungry, lonely, or feeling uncomfortable in one way or another. Even when you do cry, it is such a cute little cry! However, you can cry heartily, so we know you've got a good pair of lungs bub. We joke that you're going to be a good trumpet player in the future!

Your first real smile was almost 2 weeks ago! You don't smile often, but it certainly melts our hearts when you do :) You are also cooing quite a bit. We love it when you talk to us!

You didn't really lose much of your baby hair, and you are slowly getting more and more. It's looking pretty blonde, but it is darker with indoor light, and lighter with natural light. Your eyes are still dark blue with some silver near your pupils. It'll be interesting to see how both of these traits change over the next few months and years :)

Things you like are:
trying to hold up your head, being held and rocked, having your head or back rubbed {up and down, not in a circular motion}, hearing mama sing, eating, being swaddled, the birds moving on your swing, riding in the car {as long as it is in motion}, and holding hands while you're eating.

Things you do not like are:

being cold, the Moby Wrap, tummy time that lasts longer than 10 minutes, having gas, being burped too early {hey, you're still hungry!}, being hungry, getting your diaper changed, being in one place for too long, getting overstimulated, getting smothered with love by your big sister, super loud sounds, the hiccups if they last too long, and mama trying too hard to be funny. {You are a very serious baby. You smile only if something is really funny to you.}

Unfortunately, you did get your first sickness just 2 days after your 1 month birthday. We thought it was just a cold, but it turned out to be a RSV! Luckily, it was a mild case, and you were able to recover at home. Your cough lingered for about 2-1/2 weeks after you started to get better. We are so thankful that it wasn't more serious, and that you are ok now! It's a pretty rough season around here in terms of the flu, RSV, and strep throat. I am doing everything I can to keep you and your sister as healthy as possible.

We took you to Jillian's hearing clinic for a more in-depth hearing screening. We actually scheduled it before you were born just in case you didn't pass the newborn hearing screening at the hospital. You did pass at the hospital, but we still wanted to keep the appointment. You had some fluid in your ears, so we have to go back in a few days to retest. You were responding to sounds, just not like you should because of the fluid. We're no at all worried though. Even if you have some type of loss, we know you're going to be an amazing boy that can accomplish anything :)

I just love learning about you as you grow and learn every day! It is exciting to see your personality emerging, and I'm looking forward to what our future holds. Love you little tomato :)

Now some outtakes:

{Closest thing to a smile I got all morning} 

{Such a serious, (but cute!), baby} 

{Jillian wanted to help rock him in the chair} 

 {Daddy tried to help get a smile out of Mr. D, but to no avail}

{Suddenly, Jillian sat in my lap} 

{Then she decided he needed a pancake!}

{Silly Jilly...}

And a few comparisons :)

{Months 1 and 2}

{Left: Jillian 2/2012 Right: David 2/2014}

{Read Jillian's 2 Month Update Here}