Two month update

Dear Will,

We are already halfway to you being 3 months, and I still haven't cranked out your 2 month update.  We could blame that on being a second child, which is partially true (sleep/rest/do something halfway productive while the baby sleeps?  With tiny crazy person #1 running around at 100 mph?  Riiight).  However, I'd like to officially explain my lack of writing (and my lack of getting out of the house, and my lack of general togetherness) as due to your unilateral decision three weeks ago to start taking 45 minute naps.  No, you didn't consult mama on that one, and if you're asking - I say cut it out. (I should qualify this by saying you would probably sleep all day every day if someone would simply drop everything and hold and rock you in a dark room. I've consulted your grandfather on taking this full-time position, but so far, he has declined).  Your sister pulled these shenanigans on me too around this age, so I suppose I should've been prepared, but prior to this new trend, you were KING of naps!  Nowadays, you still really really LIKE to sleep - you fall asleep easily and quickly all on your own, and sleeping such short bursts leaves you ready for another nap pretty much as soon as you get up.  You can take up to six or seven naps a day on this jack-in-the-box schedule.  That's a lot of going up and down stairs, a lot of in and out of swaddlers, in and out of crib.

can i take my 5th nap yet?

I promise not to only talk about sleep, but it's mandatory to discuss nights in these updates.  No, you're not sleeping through the night yet (what does that even mean?). I'd say you're doing pretty well though, as you typically go down between 7:30 and 8, wake once around 4am to eat for about 10 minutes, then back down til 7am.  Of course I still can't put a random 4-wakeup night past you, but since the majority of nights are good, those are quickly forgotten.  But son, the naps.....

OK, Okay, I'll stop!

You are the sweetest, smiliest, most social guy.  It's amazing how much of that has come out in the past few weeks.  You give huge smiles that take over your whole face, and love to babble.  You also do a gaspy little laugh.  It was actually tough to choose just a few of these two-month photos to share, because you grinned and laughed for pretty much the entire shoot.  You really love to lie on your back and kick your legs as hard as you can (sans diaper, preferably) and let out huge squeals.  The sound of the bath running (and then the bath) turns around even your worst mood.  You can sit and watch the people a room for a long time, just taking it all in.  You "play" alone well, whether on a playmat or in your bouncy chair.  You're just starting to find your hands and suck on them, and can hold a toy briefly.

Physically, you're getting a lot stronger.  You're holding your head up for longer periods, and can squirm around in your bed or on the ground.  You may prove me wrong, but I'm going to guess that you'll do something crazy and roll back to front before you roll front to back.  Just a hunch - we'll see!  Overall, you are such a happy, content boy - we are thankful!
 

Stuff you don't like and that turn that big smile upside down: the carseat (again... whyyyy?), car rides (wahhh!), being awake longer than 45 minutes (oh, the humanity!), that growth spurt you had last week (oh wait, that was me who didn't like that), and startling noises.

Oh!  I'm hoping to include your stats when I can.  At your two month checkup you were 12 pounds, 1 ounce (60% - down from 70th at your 1 month.  I asked the doctor why he thought, and he just laughed and pointed at you as you tore through all the medical paper on the examination table, just kicking as hard as you could.  "Um, he's clearly burning a lot of calories." Another wild child!), and 24 inches long (84%).

And just for good measure, yes, you still look exactly like your sister:

As mommy this month, I started to feel a little more overwhelmed, oddly.  Your choppy schedule kinda threw me off, and I think the reality of life with two kids hit me a bit more.  I know it's just a stage, one that will pass all too quickly, but you each have such different needs right now, and it is a challenge to make sure I'm giving enough to both of you.  A friend put it so well: the first two months we get through in survival mode.  By the time the baby turns two months or so, you realize - this is real life!  Of course, I wouldn't trade this new real life for the world, and I still reflect daily on how much we prayed for you, and what an enormous blessing your life is to our family.

Now, about those naps... ;-)

We love you sweet William!