2 Months and Counting

This is one of the many monthly posts I will write on Bruin with all of his oh so important updates.  It will be incredibly long winded...a post that only a mother could love most likely. hehe.

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At two months old, Bruin is wearing size 2 diapers and size 3-6 month clothes.  I have a feeling he is going to be wearing all 6 months very soon because he just keeps growing at such a rapid rate!

We just had his two month appointment this past Friday and he weighed 13 pounds 12 ounces and was 24 inches long!  Yup, big boy but, in an average weight gain percentile still.  He has grown quite a bit in 10 weeks.

 He also had to get 3 shots and take one oral vaccination and that was awful for both of us.  I loathe shot days:(.  Yes, I am a super sensitive and in fact I can't even watch shots being administered to myself or anyone else or I get incredibly dizzy and queasy.  It's annoying but, I've been that way since I was little.

I nursed him as soon as it was all over and then he conked out from all the "excitement." Other than the shots, he did great and seemed to enjoy checking out the doctor's office while we were waiting to be seen.  Unfortunately, he seemed to become extremely fussy for a handful of days after the appointment so I think that all of the shots messed him up a bit which would be understandable.

(love this cute little wink face:)

Bruin has finally started smiling a whole lot more over the past few weeks or so.  I've been waiting with great anticipation for this day.  It's like I'm falling in love with him all over again:).  Every smile, coo and gurgle turns my Mommy heart to mush. I can't emphasize enough how much I LOVE seeing this little guy smile.  LOVE. LOVE.  Isn't it amazing that someone so tiny and a gesture so simple, can warm any heart and brighten any day.  God is so good to bless us with these little people.  They light up life lemme tell yah.

I will say that he seems to be a bit more on the serious side at this point.  His happy times are very short lived so I definitely have to soak them up quickly. lol.  I may get about 20 minutes of peace and happy chatter out of him before he goes downhill and wants to be held and soothed for the next hour or two.  He's been a bit fussier than I remember Daisy being but, I also know that a lot of babies are fussy in the first few months of adjustment.  I'm hoping that he grows to be a bit more content and happy in Jesus name. lol  I will say that because we have to wait a while and work a bit harder to get the smiles out of this guy, they are that much more priceless when we do get them!  I completely turn to mush every. single. time. 

Bedtime is still a work in progress but, the good news is that we have made progress and that is enough to make me happy.  Bruin starts getting tired for the night around 7 or 8 each night.  I usually nurse him around that time and let him chill on the couch for another 30 minutes to an hour if he needs it to unwind and by then he is very ready to sleep.  I swaddle him loosely in a light blanket realizing that he will get out of it eventually but, it works better that way.  It helps him to fall into his first deep sleep of the night and then when he is ready to wake up he can fight his way out of it for a while and he is so happy when he gets his arm out that he will often fall back to sleep.  I have a noise machine set to rain in his room and I keep it really dark and he does great with it.  I put him down around 8 or 9 (hoping to get this time earlier eventually) and after that I have to wait for his unpredictable wake up time.  He sometimes wakes up for the first time at 11 and on very special occasions he has made it to 2:30 AM!! He has literally slept in that late only a few times so far and boy it's a huge treat lemme tell yah.  By then I feel so rested I generally want to start my day! lol  Last night he woke up at 11:30 and I nursed him and then laid him back down around 12ish but, he was not ready to go to sleep which is usually the case.  The good news is that I usually only need to go in his room one more time to pat his bum and say, "shhhh," a few dozen times and then I walk out and he kicks and squirms for 30 more minutes and falls asleep by himself.  It's been okay overall.  Then he wakes up again anytime between 3-5 depending on when his previous wake up was.  I usually try not to feed him at this wake up.  Instead I stick him in the swing which is near where I sleep and he konks out for another 2 hours or so. Then he wakes up again between 5-7 depending on the previous wake up and I generally do nurse him then and if it is really early still, I let him fall asleep on me until Daisy wakes up around 7.  Around 7 or 8, I nurse him again and he sometimes wants to go back to sleep but, other times he is wide awake until 9 or so.  We don't have a perfect system yet but, I am totally okay with that.  I know all of the tricks that are supposed to help a baby to sleep better in case you are eager to give me advice hehe...they do not work with my kiddo, sorry folks.  Some babies just don't sleep great.  Can I get an amen from all of you mommas who have struggled through many a late night with your precious babies in spite of trying everything!  Yes, I am exhausted and I look forward to a time when I get a full 8-10 hours of sleep at night but, it is going to be a while.  So, for now, I pray much more frequently for extra strength, drink more coffee and do my very best to make the most of this super short season with my son.  This too shall pass.

(he does not like wearing hats but, I think they look SO SO cute on him!:)

I feel like he is actually off to a better start with his sleeping than Daisy was at this age believe it or not.  He really likes to sleep for the most part and he seems much more content to put himself to sleep during the day.  I had to rock Daisy to sleep and it took SO long as she was always SO wound up and never wanted to sleep...I would say that she is still that way.  Just like her Daddy. lol.
  

I also tend to let Bruin use his pacifier during the day when he really needs it but, at night I kind of sneak it out after he falls asleep.  This has totally taken care of the night time issue of having to give it back to him.  He gets used to sleeping without it and then when he wakes up he isn't looking for it.  If we can keep going like this I will be SO happy.  We were going into Daisy's room 10+ times a night to give her the pacifier every time it fell out just to get her back to sleep.  Bruin may not need it at all and I would be okay with that if it means that we will get a little more sleep...someday.

(It looks like we are going to have another brown eyed kiddo in the fam.  I sure love those dark brown eyes so it's fine by me..though I do wonder if I will ever birth a child that looks even a little bit like me?  It's as if my genes are not making it through the physical trait processing center! haha.)
  

Bruin likes to take a shorter morning nap around 9 or so and it can be 20 minutes or an hour depending on the day.  Then he takes a few other short naps throughout the day that are generally about 20 minutes long.  He seems to really like taking an extra long nap between 12 and 4 or so if it works out.  I let him sleep in the little rocker wherever I am and I try to keep some sort of white noise going at all times to help him stay asleep through the rest of whatever noise might be going on.  He definitely sleeps better through noise but, this is because I have made a point to keep the TV and the microwave fan on almost all day just to keep the house from being too quiet which it often was when Daisy was a baby. I have to pick Daisy up from school Monday through Friday so Bruin seems to be learning to take a longer nap between 12ish and 2 in his carseat.  I'm thankful that he is quiet when we are driving but, I'm bummed that this is the only long nap he takes because I am unable to get a nap when he naps as a result.  Another reason why I am so tired and joyfully-scatterbrained.

(so very loved by his sister and so very surrounded by pink, flowers and all things Frozen.  hehe)

Bruin likes to stare at the ceiling fan uh-lot and the couch is still his favorite spot to chill.  I mean he will literally light up and smile each and every time that I turn the fan on.  As soon as he sees it starting to spin he gets the widest grin on his face...it's as if his lover just walked in to the room or something.  So not fair.  Why won't he look at me like that?  I grew him after all!  hehe

He sure is a sweet Valentine!

He also likes to be moved from spot to spot around the house either on a blanket on the floor or in his rocker so he can get a better view of things.  I do give him about 5 minutes of tummy time 2-3 times a day and he tolerates it a little better than Daisy ever did but, he still doesn't like it and he lasts less than 5 minutes usually.  I would do more tummy time but, I am so often in a hurry, or he has just eaten, or I don't want him to puke....or I just plain don't remember...Finding a good time is tough!  

He doesn't like a lot of things in his face and he definitely gets overstimulated very easily which, I do not remember with Daisy.  Bruin would much rather look at things around the room at this point than to be put under his play mat and in fact he often cries after just a few minutes on the mat.  Daisy could chill under that thing for ever!  I'm sure he will like it more eventually but, at this point, he looks up at the play mat and starts crying when he sees where he is.  He does much better in his crib when I lay him under the mobile.  I can wind it up 2 or 3 times and Bruin will smile and watch it spin around for about 10 minutes or so which is a nice break for me:).

He nurses every 2.5 to 3 hours now and at night I usually only nurse him 1 or 2 times depending on how rough the night is.  He still loves eating and is still a terrible burper (no,  not a word but, I'm just too tired to care lol).  He does have gas issues and I am sure the lack of burps isn't helping his tummy.  I have given him natural gas relief drops.  The drops help a little but, not a ton.  He does spit up but, not nearly as much as Daisy did so that's good.  He still LOVES to eat and I think he would want to eat every hour if I let him! lol  Must be a boy thing.  Days like today and yesterday have been a bit off and he seems to want to eat every 2 hours.  It might be due to the teething or his cold.  Either way, I usually let him nurse on demand and it's going well so I'm thankful for that.  I'm not sure how long I will nurse him at this point as it hasn't been quite as easy to be on the go all the time and nurse but, for now I will go as long as I can!
   

Another thing that I have noticed is that it appears that he may be cutting his bottom two teeth already.  Crazy!! Now, I am not positive about this but, it sure looks like it and he pops his tongue in and out all day to soothe his gums or at least that is what it looks like to me.  He is bubbling and drooling a ton and rubbing his face and ears like crazy.  He is SUPER fussy lately too.  Sigh.  So, that being said, I would totally understand if that is why he is struggling to stay asleep for long stretches.  Teeth already?? We shall see.  I will keep you all posted.  Daisy was cutting several teeth at 3 months so it is very possible.  It was a long, fussy year with Daisy as she cut almost all of her teeth before she was one!

(look at that poor, miserable teething face! :(

Bruin does alright in the car seat overall.  He seems to just be a little more chill than Daisy was.  Don't get me wrong, he doesn't like the car seat and if he is in it he is usually asleep but, when he wakes up he has yet to scream or freak out.  He tends to look around for a few minutes and then go back to sleep.  Thank you sweet boy for the pleasant drives thus far.  Love you to bits!

(I especially love his chubby cheeks! To die for. Yum.)

I have gotten to the point that getting out with Bruin and Daisy is not quite as scary as it seemed in the beginning.  It's taken me two months to get to this point mind you but, this is just another reminder that all things take time and there is also no need to rush things.  Everything falls in to place when it is meant to.  I'm getting the hang of things and I'm getting there one day at a time.
  

I was feeling a bit of pressure to rush back into things and I was stressing out because of it initially.   I heard a lot of, "You should be getting out more.  You should go on more dates.  You should do this with your baby or that with your baby.  You should be at church.  You need to do this and you need to do that. It would be good for you."  On top of what I was hearing from others,  I was also feeling the pressure of my own expectations of myself.  Not fun.

I'm sure that all of these kind folks meant well, truly.  The thing is, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another and what one person needs to do might be completely exhausting and  detrimental to another person's progress.

These are the types of words of encouragement that have been life giving for me in this season.  These are the types of statements that have lifted pressure and not added it.  These are the words that have actually empowered me to overcome and have boosted my confidence.  Thank you encouraging friends!

Just be.  Just breathe.  Just take your time and shake off the constant pressure to go go go all the time.  Refuse to receive the guilt or the burden that world places on your already weary Mom heart and mind.  It's okay if you are like me and you want to relax more at home.  If you take 2 months or 6 to get out of your house with your new baby, I won't be judging you for it.  I get it.  It's all good.  The only thing I hope you receive is grace.  You are doing a great job Momma.  It will all fall in to place when it is meant to.  Hang in there!  You got this! 

The Lord reminded me and needs to constantly remind me, that I will get there (wherever there may be) when I get there and it is not my job to make other people happy or to live up to their expectations.  Everyone has their own way of doing things and their own pace.  I tend to do things a little slower (okay, a lot slower) than some perhaps and I am learning that this is just who I am.  I still have yet to attend a church service since having Bruin and I am honestly not ready for it yet.  I nurse right at the start time for church and even if I bumped the feeding time up or down to attempt to make it to church it would throw off the entire rest of the day.  He also doesn't nap at that time and when he is awake he certainly wouldn't want to chill in the church...he likes to fuss so that would require me to take him out anyways.  I'm not ready to put him in the nursery because he is just too little to leave for my liking.  Anyways, all that to say that I have been watching services online on Sunday mornings and it is a very peaceful time of worship.  Fuel for my introvert spirit! lol.
 
Of course I look forward to getting back in the game in all areas of my life.
But...
 "I will get there when I get there." 

For now, I strive to cherish the ordinary moments like these, when I am simply sitting and staring at my baby boy's darling feet and admiring his chubby face.  I long to soak up every precious gurgle, smile, coo and frown. He will only be this small for a tiny moment in time.  Why is there always a rush to do this and that or go here and there all the time?  So many folks are so stressed out all the time as a result.  I'm not a fan of the rush or the rat race.

If I knew that today was my last day on Earth, I wouldn't regret a moment spent with my kiddos even though the hours can sometimes(or often) be long and tiring.  Everything else can wait.

If you need me, I will be right here.  This is my happy place.:).

So, that my friends, is my son's two month update in a humongous nutshell!  Stay tuned for next month's equally exciting post! hehe

He's Here!

We are so very happy to announce that our darling son has arrived!!  Hooray, Hooray! 

So, without further ado, we would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family.

World, say hello to:

Bruin Henley 

Birth Date: 12-6-2014

Birth Time: 5:38 AM via C-section

Weight: 7 pounds 12 ounces

Length: 20 3/4 inches

Labor duration: Began laboring at 7 AM on December 5th via Petosin induction.
 Ended December 6th at 5:38 via C-section

Stay tuned for another blog post (hopefully in the near future) with lots of pictures as well as the delivery story for this little guy. 

Most folks know by now that my husband and I prefer names that are less common for our kiddos.  Bruin is a name that I have kept in my secret stash of names for nearly ten years. A friend that I worked with many years ago mentioned that he liked the name and that he hoped to use it someday if he ever had a son.  I immediately liked the name as well.  My fondness of the name is not related to sports in any way in case you are wondering.  Yes, I did grow up in California and I am a "fan" of the UCLA Bruins but, I haven't kept up with them at all over the years. We simply like the name.  It's masculine, strong, unique, represents our home state and our family does enjoy sports so it is fitting.  Perhaps someday our son will play a sport:). That would be fun!

Henley immediately jumped out at my husband and I after we read that one of it's meanings is, "son of a boat lover."   If you know my husband even a little you know that this is perfect.  I liked how Bruin and Henley flowed together and that sealed the deal for me.

Plus Don Henley is the lead singer, drummer for the Eagles and you all know this Momma loves her some classic rock.  Lastly, Henley is a cool shirt so yah.  It's a cool name:).

  One thing is certain, my husband and I put a lot of thought into our son's name and it wasn't easy to keep it a secret for nearly 10 months let me tell you!

 I didn't get to call him by name as often as I would have liked while he was in my tummy because I was afraid that I might give the name away if I got too comfortable.

Soooooo, I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it felt to call him by name, in person, the moment he was placed in my arms.

 "Hello my sweet Bruin.  Welcome to the world my little prince."

We know that God has great things in store for our son!  We pray that our son will grow to be a man full of faith, honor, integrity, joy and love.  We pray that He will seek the Lord with all of his heart all of the days of His life.  We pray for health, strength and protection over our little one.  We are so thankful for every day that God allows us to shepherd our son's heart.

We love you sweet boy! 
Welcome to our family. 
Love, 
Daddy, Mommy and big sister Daisy 

Thank you all for being so supportive and encouraging throughout our pregnancy and now as we welcome our second child.  We are so blessed to have so many generous, kind and wonderful people in our lives!

Stay tuned for the birth story, many more pictures and all of the juicy details of our future family adventures.  

Silly Things 3 Year Olds Say

{This is Daisy dressed up as Tinkerbell.  Hardly a day goes by that she doesn't dress up at some point.  My little girl sure loves princesses!}

This morning on the drive to take Daisy to preschool she randomly declared, "Mom, I want a magic carpet for Christmas.  A really, really big magic carpet."

I started cracking up and immediately began speculating as to where the idea of a magic carpet had come from as we haven't watched Aladdin or any other magic carpet variety flick yet.  We do however watch Disney and my curiosity was satisfied when she said, "I want a magic carpet like Sophia mom.   She rides around in the sky with Jasmine."  Ah, mystery solved great! 

That is going to be a tall order to fulfill this Christmas.  Wish us luck. 

On Monday's drive home from school I said to Daisy, "I love you boo boo."  Boo Boo is a nick name that I have called Daisy from time to time since she was a baby.  

Daisy got a puzzled look on her face and tapped her chin with her pointer finger.  "Mom, isn't a boo boo for a bandaid?"  Again I am cracking up.  "Why yes, sweetie a boo boo is for a bandaid but, mommy likes to say it because it's cute.  Do you not want me to call you boo boo?"  Daisy replied, "No, it's for a bandaid."  I'm still giggling.  "Okay then Daze, what would you like me to call you?"  To which she replied, "Peanut!" 

Peanut is the other nick name I have for Daisy and apparently she is comfortable with being nick named after a food but, not a boo boo.  Too funny.

A few weeks ago at the dinner table my hubby and I were giving Daisy clues in order to guess what animal we were describing.  I'd say, "Daisy, what kind of animal hops around on lily pads, has a green body, a long sticky tongue to catch flies and croaks.  "FROG!" She would excitedly exclaim.  

"Great job Daisy!  The next animal is very big and also hops around but, this animal has a pouch on it's belly to hold it's baby....." She quickly interrupted me and screamed, "AUNTIE JESSIE!!!"  

My hubby and I were pretty much keeled over in fits of laughter at that point.  Auntie Jessie is my husband's sister who is pregnant with Daisy's first cousin.  She is very excited to say the least and apparently likened Auntie Jessie to a kangaroo:).  Sorry Jess! TOO FUNNY.

I just love the silly things that 3 year olds say.  

 

Cuteness

I was taking a few portraits of my husband's grandma in our backyard a few weeks back and every now and then Daisy will decide that she wants her picture taken also.  This is a rare treat because for well over a year she has not liked having her picture taken at all and usually I have to take them when she isn't paying attention or while she is enjoying ice cream or something:).  It is in little moments like these that I notice just how much my daughter has grown up.  She will do her best 3 year old poses and cheesy smiles (but, the kind that just melt my heart into a puddle with their cuteness) and I snap away with glee.  I only got four pictures but, I adore them all, in focus or not.  Just some sweet captures of my little girl enjoying the moment. 

Oh and have I mentioned that this little peanut will be attending preschool this Fall?  This will be her first year attending school!!  Three half days a week.  I know it will be great for both of us but, you better believe that I get a little teary eyed just thinking about how fast time flies and how quickly our little ones become more independent and free.  

Daisy you are growing up so fast and I am barely able to keep up!  I love you to pieces sweet girl of mine.  So blessed that I get to be your Mommy.