Evelina - Two Months

I can't believe it's time to write Evelina's second update already! Two months ago I learned a new kind of love. Every day is better, just because she's here. (I mean, look at that smile up there!) I don't want to give off the impression that motherhood is easy, because there are definitely moments when it's majorly challenging, but becoming hers has made life, and me, better. Because as much as she's changing, I'm changing as well. There's a patience I didn't have before, a peace I didn't know existed. I loved being pregnant so much that I feared I'd miss it and wondered if I'd be any good at handling life with a baby. I actually worried I'd have a fussy newborn since I'm usually such a stress head. But the worry warrior part of me has faded and it's been much easier just to trust in myself. (Aside from anything alarming, obviously.) When things don't go as planned the new me just makes the best of it. The greatest surprise, as terrible as this might sound, was that I never expected to actually enjoy motherhood so much. (It was so abstract and somewhat scary sounding!) But the things I was concerned about and fretted over were instantly a non-issue the moment she was born. I figured spending so much time with her would get old fast, but I can't get enough. I thought I'd freak out at every little thing, but nah, I'm a natural ;) It's like I birthed a new me as well.

But back to the real star, miss Evelina!

Here's what life looks like at two months old.

Stats:

• Weight: 10 pounds, 6 ounces
• Length: 22 1/2 inches
• Eyes: dark gray/blue
• Hair: Brown. She's lost a little more in the front but it's growing back in quickly. 
• Size: Still in newborn clothes and diapers but that'll change any minute! They're definitely snug now.
• Looks: Like Daddy! She's also getting the most edible chin, too. Adorbs.
• Personality: Mine! Still a constant wiggler, still kicking off one sock. 
• Nicknames: Currently E, Squishy, Juicy, Piglet (due to her newest sound, the snort!)
• Feeding/Sleeping: We're still breastfeeding and supplementing and she's an excited eater. Sleep is all over the place. We usually go to bed for good by midnight, though she may fall asleep a little sooner. She starts off in her crib but when she wakes to feed around 4:00am I bring her to bed and nurse her laying down. It's just easier and mama gets a little more sleep! She wakes to eat again around 8:00am but will nap again soon after. (And me, too!) We don't really have a set schedule or routine other than that, but the rhythm we've got going isn't too bad. 
• Highlights: Family vacation to Asheville, meeting so many friends and family, one projectile poop this month! 

Likes:

• Baths!
• Smiling. Heart = melted. She's so close to giggling, I can't wait!
• Mornings. She's such a snuggly sweetheart in the a.m.
• Her activity mat. There's a music playing sunshine that hangs above her head that she'll stare and smile at it for a good thirty minutes and kick her legs like she's dancing to the music. It's the cutest. 
• Speaking of music, I started it as a distraction technique but she seriously enjoys it. But none of that baby stuff, she perks up to classical and my Spotify lists. 
• Also, she loves her song. If she's ever fretful in the car we turn this tune up, sing along, and boom, out like a light. I must have played/sang it to her 1,000 times while pregnant and I truly believe she recognizes it. (If you listen to it, you have to get past the creepy baritone man, but it's sweet otherwise.) 
• She also likes for Alex to hold her in the bathroom while I sing to her from the shower.
• "Talking" to her daddy. They have full on convo's with just noises. Every time I try to film it she gets camera shy though. Hopefully I can capture it soon. 
• Head rubs with my fingertips. If she's already sleepy, this moves puts her over the edge. 

Dislikes: 

• She still gets the hiccups almost every day, multiple times. And she still strongly dislikes them. 
• Lying down if she's awake. She much rather prefers someone hold her in a standing position. (Tiring for me, but a great arm workout.)
• A certain something between 9pm and 11pm. Not the whole time, but you can pretty much guarantee she'll take a 15 minute fit somewhere in there. It's just her personal fussy time I guess. 

Other:

• She's always good to go. A social butterfly just like her papa. We've carted her around pretty much everywhere and she's just the best. So calm and content (most of the time). However, just like mama, when she's done, she's done.
• I have no idea what baby development timelines are but strangers and family alike keep telling us how advanced she is for her age. Her motor skills are pretty awesome, her head and neck have been impressive since day one (she's already thrusting herself forward) and her legs are insanely strong. I guess she was training in my belly! 
• If she's not asleep she wiggles constantly. Sometimes I even worry that's she's burning too much energy and valuable calories. I can't help but watch her and equate it to an adult doing hours worth of cardio. 
• She still loves to stretch and yaaaawn. 
• She's started drooling. They say that begins up to 2 months before teething. All I know is, like overnight, there was a serious bib shortage in this house. 
• Her voice is changing and she's discovering new sounds. Her coo's are a little high pitched and oh-so-sweet. She's also started to snore. Yes, snore! Majorly adorbs. 
• The best part about this month was watching her meet so many family and friends. We kind of kept her in hibernation during December due to her brand new immune system, or lack thereof. (We didn't even do Santa for fear of germs!) but January was officially a meet and greet of tons of awesome people that couldn't wait to get their hands on her. (Not that one more month makes that much of a difference immunity wise, but we were careful with the hand washing, sanitizing, blanket wearing rules.) She loves all the loving! (And so do I because mama's arms need a break once in a while.)
• Speaking of immunity, she got her 2 month shots this week. Of course she cried when they did it, but almost as soon as it was done she was over it. (Although it took me a lot longer to calm down. Plus I was upset the day before just thinking about it!) Later that night she was sore and fussier than usual and I just kept thinking about how that was her first pain and how up until now she's never felt anything so hurtful before and that just broke my heart. I guess it's the first of many hurt's from skinned knees to big boo-boo's and I'm finding that I'm not ever ready for these milestones! 
• But what I am ready and happy for is feeling more like my old self. My clothes and shoes might not all fit just yet, if they ever do, but looking back through pictures at even a month postpartum, I definitely wasn't back to pre-baby me yet. (That's one thing I didn't expect, to not only feel different because I'm a mom, but also to look different.) But by now my swelling is gone and looking in the mirror is familiar again (minus the temporarily larger chest - bonus!) so it's nice to be me again.
• At least once (or 15 times) a day I look at her and think about how awesome she is. This usually involves me squeezing my fists in the air and gritting my teeth to keep from devouring her. So then I just tell her how much I freaking love her and make Alex agree with me about her perfection. #obsessed. 

P.S. Not that you're holding your breath and you probably haven't even noticed, but I still haven't posted her birth story yet. I want to, and I will, but every time I write a little I get overwhelmed. There is so much I'm trying to remember from that day and so much emotion to convey. I know I'm recapping it more for myself than anyone else, but I still want it to be just right, and it's not quite there yet. Someday...