Every blog post I've written and many of the pictures I've taken since she's been born also includes her big sis.
{Word on the street is that's just the way the cookie crumbles.}
Your first gets everything: the attention, the royal treatment, obscene amounts of new clothes, and really worried parents who spend a large percentage of their days googling things like "does baby tylenol cause autism?".
The second time around, the kiddo is lucky to get a new outfit and at least one good solo picture...without big sibling highjacking.
Go ahead take a gander back at this ol' blog's archives for example: "Lyla firsts", "Lyla monthly updates", "Lyla weekly updates"{seriously?}.
It's just embarrassing.
When I got pregnant again, I wasn't naive. I knew I wouldn't have the time or energy for the upkeep of monthly, let alone weekly posts of my poor second babe. I couldn't even keep up before she got here! But before you go and feel too bad for my sweet Adaline, I am taking pictures of her {and just her} daily, tracking her firsts and stats using this photo journal app, and spending quite a bit more time cuddling with her than I did with Lyla. She's not lacking in the quality of life department.
Promise.
But I do feel bad she isn't getting posts just about her. After all, that's one of the main reasons I blog. So my kiddos have something special to go back and read one day. So, I'm going to start {or at least try my very best} to write posts that highlight the goings on with my little bug. I'm not going to commit to monthly updates - because that creates a lot of unnecessary pressure that I'm so over. But I am making an effort to track special memories with Adaline. {Many of which, include her big sis. Again. That's the way the cookie crumbles.}
Here are some notable things that have happened this month...
... As of December 5th, girlfriend was 11.7 pounds, 24 inches {in the 99% for height!}. And that was 3 weeks ago - I can only imagine how much she's grown since then. Because seriously, she grows like a weed. A really cute weed, but still. But all of this growing so quickly has caught me off guard. She's already outgrown 0-3 month clothes and wearing things that Lyla wore at 4 or 5 months old. My mother-in-law told me Gabe was her biggest {and tallest} baby. She advised me to really hold onto this baby phase because Gabe seemed to grow up much quicker than the rest of her kiddos. Adaline is already doing the same. {you can find me in a puddle of tears in the corner}
... The only redeeming thing about the fact that my last baby grows at some genetically modified sci-fi speed, is that she is a cuddler. Thank you Jesus that my last baby likes to snuggle. I really needed that.
... She started making those adorable baby gurgles and coos this month. Sometimes, she lets out a funny little high-pitched "aahh" squeal. Lyla thinks it's hilarious and does her best to imitate it.
... This kid is the most laid back, happy-go-lucky little creature I've ever known. I mean, I really didn't know babies like this existed. It could be the fact that Lyla was the exact opposite, but the juxtaposition of the two is complete black and white. Oh. And she's been a naturally good sleeper from the first night we brought her home.
I'm sorry, come again?
... Awake time is so much fun now. I seriously love when babies start staying awake longer. Especially when that baby isn't screaming for hours at a time. She just looks at things so wide-eyed, shows interest in toys and the dogs, and is obsessed with watching her big sister. It's the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. She immediately stops crying or gets intently quiet when Lyla walks into the room. Adaline just watches everything she does and smiles. {insert heart burst}
... Speaking of smiles, I can't get over how social this kid is. She's just so happy and smiles all the time. Except for when she suddenly realizes that everyone else in the family is in another room...without her. Then the saddest little cries and lip puckers come out. But all we have to do is move her to where we are, and poof. Insta-happy.
... I'm breaking all kinds of rules this time around, and it feels rebelliously wonderful. And it seriously makes me want to go back and shake my first-time-around-new-mom-self. I mean yes, I had a difficult baby then. But was it really necessary to set alarms for feedings and always put my child down "when sleepy but not asleep"? I mean yes, we are in a routine with Adaline, but we are by no means following a rigid schedule. And I hold her all the livelong day. And I nurse her to sleep at night. And what do you know? She's still a happy, healthy baby.
... Miss A does have a little bit of tummy issues just like big sis did. They're not nearly as severe. Either that, or she just doesn't complain like poor Lyla did. But this kid can spit up. And by spit up I mean spew chunks. We still go through about 10 burp cloths a day. And she gets pretty sad when she's gassy. Just like most babies. But with all of those darn tummy bubbles, she's still smiling through it all.
... Two month shots really sucked. I had forgotten how awful they are. First of all, we went in for a 6 week weight-check, and as I was getting her dressed to leave, I was told she was getting shots. I didn't even have time to process. She did fine at the appointment, just a few tears. But then, she woke up a few hours later crying really hard. In fact, this was the first time we'd really heard her cry. Girlfriend rarely cries, but when she does, she sticks out her bottom lip into a pout and streams real tears. She's had those since the day she was born. The nurses all said she'd break our hearts with those tears. They were right.
... I love watching and hearing her paci. It's so cute how it bounces up and down and sucks in and out. And then when she stops sucking so she can listen when I talk to her? I die.
... We decided to have Adaline in our room when we brought her home instead of sleeping in the crib right away like we did with Lyla. Mostly because I was sleep-deprived and it was easier. But, if I'm honest, it's also because I felt this desperate need to be close to her. But. We did put her in her crib at around 5 weeks. I just felt like trying it one night to see how she'd do. She slept beautifully. Although sometimes I miss having her really close while she sleeps. So, I just make up for it during the day. :)
... She's tracking things this month. Her eyes shift and follow things, and she can turn her head to watch. Especially faces.
... Oh how I love when she kicks those legs. It's sort of like a dog wagging its tail. It's her way of telling us she's so happy she can barely contain herself.
... She started taking a bottle this month. I try to pump every now and then just so we have some milk for bottles. But, oh my word, but it's so much easier to nurse. However, the last thing I want is to not be able to go anywhere for the next 6 months+ because my baby's gotta eat. So practice with the bottle will continue.
... My previous Lyla-mom self hates what I'm about to say. But this kid is sleeping through the night. And when she doesn't, she only wakes once. Which, really, she's been doing since she was a few weeks old. Again, I had no idea babies like this existed. But I like it.
... You know the infamous scene in the How the Grinch Stole Christmas? The one where his heart triples in size. I walk around feeling self conscious of my heart for fear it's going to start busting through my clothes. Just so in love.
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