The Richardsons: Two Months

Theo is now two months old! This sweet little guy has grown so much in the past month. He rolled over for the first and second time (obviously he's not into it) and started to really smile this month! He has definitely mastered the smile. He is happiest in the morning and so quick to show it. I love it. Here's a small collection of early morning smiles:

Speaking of the morning, I love watching him wake up. It feels very familiar. ;) He will start to squirm and then his arms get involved and he tries to cover his face with his little hands. Sometimes once his eyes do open, he merely grimaces a bit looks vaguely around and goes back to sleep. He sleeps from about 8:30 pm to 8:30 am, give or take an hour either way. I always think it's funny when people ask if he sleeps through the night yet. Uh, no, my three year old still doesn't! So I don't expect my two month old to. But when I'm asked if he's a good sleeper, I always say yes! He really is a great little sleeper. We've had two nights where I couldn't get him to sleep until 11. I'm not typically asleep until then anyways. And of course he wakes up to nurse, but since he's right next to me (yup, we co-sleep and it's wonderful) I sometimes check the time and almost always forget what it was because we fall back asleep so fast. He never wakes up crying and always goes back to sleep without a fuss. So yeah, I get some good sleep! He tends to sleep one 5-6 hour chunk, then wake up every 3, 2 and 1 hours after that. He's usually ready to nap 1-11/2 hours after he wakes up. During the day he's a bit inconsistent but he does like to take at least one long nap (3-4 hours) and then three or four shorter ones. His favorite place to nap is the swing (of course!). He will nap in the ergo, the car seat, in your arms or propped up on the couch. A lot of times he will fuss at me to put him down so he can sleep. This is a lot different from Paul, who wanted to be held constantly.

Speaking of the swing, we can tell his field of vision has improved in the past two weeks because suddenly he noticed a little toy on his activity gym! He would not stop staring at it in wonder. It was adorable. The next time I put him in his swing he saw the mobile and he just loves it. He will go from fussing in my arms to quiet and smiley in his swing looking up at the mobile. It's so cute.

Like I said earlier, he totally mastered smiling this month, and it's a smile that always warms my heart. He gives us the most smiles in the morning! I've managed to capture as many of these sweet smiles as I can.

Once he had that smile down, we started to hear just a hint of a chuckle. He would smile hugely and make a little noise in his throat and you could just tell he wanted to laugh. We were giving him a bath one night, and he was getting his big goofy grin, watching himself in the mirror when his laugh just popped out! It was so adorable! Michael and I were right there and we called Paul in to hear it. He was thrilled. We got a video of it (I love modern technology, I will replay this video forever!) and you can hear Paul laughing in between Theo's laughs. This was just a day shy of two months, and now a couple days later, we haven't heard that sweet laugh again! We can tell he wants to, he just can't quite remember how to do it. Good thing we have this to hold us over!

I admit he rarely gets baths -- babies don't get all that dirty and he has pretty sensitive skin -- but he loves it when he does. He also loves his changing table. Maybe he just really likes to be naked. Ha! On that note, he has only peed on us one time. ONCE. That seems like a miracle as a mother of boys. Paul peed on us and at least one cat multiple times. He even peed on the doctor during his circumcision. Back to Theo. The only time he peed on us was in the hospital -- we were changing his hundredth meconium diaper (seriously, the kid was full of it) and were fretting about how he hadn't peed in 8 hours (or some long time) and how he only had another hour or two to pee before they got worried about it. And all of a suddenly, he just peed all over the bed. We were so grateful! So that was it, the only time (so far) that he's peed on us.

On to the boring stuff-- he's now wearing size 2 diapers and some 3 month and 6 month clothes. Yep, 6 months already. I don't think he's got any big fat rolls but to me he just seems big all over. He's long, especially his torso. I remember in my late third trimester ultrasound they were getting an estimate of his weight, and the ultrasound tech said his stomach was off the charts big. That seems about right to me! :) At his 2-month check up he weighed 13 lb 11 oz, and measured 24 1/4 in. So between 75th-90th percentile for weight and right at 90th percentile for height.

He loves his big brother, of course, but he also likes his personal space! I have to tell Paul to get out of his face 10 times a day. Paul wants to hold him a lot but Theo, I think, is rightfully hesitant about Paul's ability to be calm. He doesn't last long in his arms, although Paul does a great job when he's holding him. It's just that Paul has to be moving all the time -- unless he is watching a movie or playing a game. Then he is great at sitting still. But he just constantly bounces around and I have to remind him all day long to tone it down around Theo so he doesn't accidentally trip and fall on him!

Paul asked me to take a picture of their feet to see if they matched. Yep, he said, we match!

Before Theo's arrival, Paul often talked about how he wanted to give Theo a bottle! We just introduced the bottle late this month, but Theo took to it right away.

When I took Theo's 2 month pictures, Paul was eager to join in! He even took a few solo pictures, which will be in a separate post.

Cutest video of Paul singing to Theo!

When Paul was an older baby, I remember going to restaurants and seeing moms with tiny newborn looking babies out. And I thought I probably missed an opportunity with Paul -- little babies sleep so much, making them pretty nice dinner companions. I think with Paul I was so happy being in that cozy little homebound newborn bubble. I got sick of it, but couldn't justify taking him out and was worried about all the what-ifs -- especially worried about nursing in public. Well not this time. In Theo's first month we did all those things -- eat out, attend soccer games and practices, went to a pumpkin patch, the park, Target and of course picked Paul up from school. Now in his second month, we can add church, Publix (thank you Ergo! car seats don't fit in those buggies), Joann's (discreet nursing included, thanks again Ergo!), Paul's "wee ball" practice and games, and a birthday party. Oh and let's not forget, trick or treating, Halloween party extravaganza included! He slept through the ENTIRE Halloween festivities though, so maybe that one doesn't count.

Out late one night for the Roger Scott Halloween party.

All dressed up and ready to trick-or-treat!

Theo slept through all of the excitement!

And kept sleeping when we got home. He was a seriously sleepy skeleton!

Finally, I just have to add this. Since Theo came into our family I have just felt more content and at peace as a mom. I feel more confident in the decisions I've made and feel more focused on my kids than ever, and I love it. In the months leading up to Theo's arrival I was so anxious about what life with two would be like. I think we have all stepped up to the plate, not just Michael and I as parents, but Paul as a more responsible and mature older brother. I could not be more proud of my first born! And we really are so lucky to have family here. I can't say that enough! I am so glad Theo will never have to say goodbye to his grandparents and cousins like Paul did. It broke my heart every time and I'm so glad we made the decision to move back to Pensacola.