LIFE AS A LANKFORD: 2 Months

Dear Sam,

It's hard to believe that you've been here two whole months! This month you seem to have lost more and more of your newborn look and are starting to look like an infant. Some of that is due to the fact that you've grown. At your appointment today, you weighed 10 pounds 3 ounces (17th percentile) and were 22 3/4 inches long (44th percentile). Your head is in the 47th percentile I believe. Your weight percentile increased while the others remained relatively stable. I packed up your newborn sleepers, and your legs no longer get tangled in 3 month ones. Newborn onesies are getting a little snug, especially in length, and 3 month ones are only slighly blousy. Pants are a bit of a problem, because newborn size are starting to look like capris, but most 3 month are too big in the waist. That's been Mommy's problem forever, so I do sympathize. You are still in newborn diapers, but I tried size 1 yesterday because newborns seem snug. Size one didn't seem too big but you managed to pee right out of it, covering you and me.

Your schedule seems to be becoming more regular. You eat 3 ounces with 3 tsp. oatmeal every 3 hours during the day, but if you do happen to be asleep, I let you continue. At night, you range between 5-8 hours after your bedtime bottle then another 3-4 hours until morning. You have your last bottle between 9-10:30 p.m., and you start the day between 6 and 7:30 a.m. I am thinking of starting the Moms on Call pattern of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. bottles to have a firm bedtime. We usually have to wake you for your bath and last bottle, so I think it's time to move bedtime up a bit. Naps have been all over the place this month. You have days where you take multiple 2+ hour naps and days were naps last 30 minutes on the dot. Even the Rock and Play is producing short naps now. Since naps are usually short anyway, we've put you down for some in your crib. You spent one night in your crib and did pretty well, but we put you back in the pack-n-play until we figure out your reflux and get you some more rest. If you've slept well previously you can stay awake comfortably for about an hour, but it varies by how you napped before. I'm looking forward to that being a little more consistant. You must be swaddled to sleep, and the Miracle Blanket is still the only thing that can contain your arms well. Swaddle Me sometimes work for naps and the swing.

You are becoming much more alert and are taking in the world around you. You like for people to talk to you, and you try your hardest to talk back with your sweet little coos. You started smiling at me around 6 weeks, and your smile becomes bigger every day. You like to smile at your sister too. I know she'll provide hours of entertainment for you in the near future. You just started noticing the ceiling fan in the family room and like to check it out whether or not its moving. Car rides are still hit and miss, but they have been a little better lately. Your car rides are usually at least 30 minutes so I know that's tough. You rarely sleep in the car these days and I'm wondering if it bothers your reflux.

Sam, you are a strong little boy already, and that concerns me a bit. You started rolling from front to back pretty consistently before you were 6 weeks old. You can lift your head completely up during tummy time and look all around. You can hold your head up for quite some time. If you are semi-sitting, you try to sit up further and can keep your head level while doing so. You seem to like tummy time much more than your sister did. You are liking the swing more and more and still like to watch things unfold from your bouncer. Since you're noticing the ceiling fan, I've gotten the play mat out and washed it to see if you'd like to watch those toys swing around. Strolling is fun for you too, and you are much happier out of the car seat and stretched out in the new stroller. You don't sleep in the stroller either!

You are such a sweet boy and try so hard to be good. We do have crying but that seems to relate to pain or tiredness, and we're working on that. Usually you start off with little fusses and wimpers and poke out your bottom lip. You often sound like a little baby goat or lamb. You use white noise to sleep, but lately I've noticed the white noise app will really calm you down, especially if you are swaddled. You like to snuggle, and sometimes only Mommy will do. You get squirmy when you're tired or uncomfortable and try to fight me a little bit. Diaper changes and dressing rarely involve tears anymore, but you still aren't so sure about the bath. You take a pacifier when you're fussy, but many times you have no interest in keeping it in. We usually give you one to help you fall asleep, but we either take it out or it falls out before we put you down. Sometimes you use one for nap, but never at night.