Eleanor's 2 1/2 year Update

Since my last update Eleanor has become a big sister.  She's rocked it and been so amazing.  I'm so proud.  The only time there has been any sort of jealousy or acting annoyed is when I've been feeding Mallory and she wants me to get her a snack right then.  Otherwise she is awesome and I often walk back into the living room to see her trying to hug Mallory or covering her up with a blanket.  She's got a really kind and generous heart.

With that being said, she has gotten a little bit of sassiness the last few weeks.  I don't think it's bad at all though and really it happens if I tell her no or not right now and comes out when she responds "I don't like it when you say that."  It's actually hard not to laugh at that.  Toddlers tell it like it is!

She has no interest in potty training yet.  She has training pants and underwear and a cute little potty seat, but just wants her diapers.  Once or twice a week I can bribe her to just sit on it but that's about it  Honestly it's frustrating because she will more often than not wake up in the morning dry and then when she does get changed immediately (within 5-10 minutes) pee so much she will soak through her diaper and pants.  And other times she will say she peed and she has.  But with a new baby I haven't wanted to push it.  Once it eventually warms up I think I will because she can just be in a diaper.

The diapers are a size 4 in disposable or one size in cloth.  She wears a 2t/24 month in clothes and shoes are somewhere in the 5-7 range.  I think 5-6 fits best.  Last time she got on the scale she was around 25lbs and I haven't checked her height since her 2 year appointment.  I should probably know these things but I don't.  Mom fail.

I'm not sure if we had transitioned into her big bed at my last update but we did that at the begining of the year (so almost 27 months).  She did well with that and has only gotten out of bed maybe two or three times.  She sleeps 9-10 hours a night, and if she does take a nap, which is hit of miss that's usually between 90-120 minutes.

She can identify most letters correctly, although I haven't really practiced the whole sounds thing.

She can count although I'm not sure how high.  I'm guessing between 10-20 since I've head some of those teen numbers

She speaks very well.  It's not just mom pride talking.  I've been told this by several people, family and non family.  She has a good vocabulary, and is pretty clear when she speaks.  Even a year ago she was saying things like (where did the toot toot go?).

She loves to play with her blocks the most I think.  This encompasses her mega blocks, wooden blocks & her bristle blocks.  Also almost every single time we go outside she has to pick up sticks

She's obsessed with Daniel Tiger, and because there is a song for everything it seems like, I'm okay with that. Also obsessed with these chuchutv surprise egg videos on youtube.  They are so weird though. lol

Her favorite song is Bless the Lord (Oh my Soul).  Her favorite color is green.

She's starting to figure out the concept of jumping by using both feet.  Still funny to watch.  I feel like she's a bit clumsy though and trips over her feet often it seems.  But usually just inside so maybe it's the carpet/rug (or the maze of toys in the living room)

She loves to eat strawberries, green beans, carrots, chicken nuggets, ham, and cheese sandwiches (but they must be called a grilled cheese even if it's not).  She's got a bit of a sweet tooth and I can't trick her by saying something I eat isn't a treat.  I have to wait until she's distracted or share.

She's really a good eater though.  She will usually try anything.

Mallory Update ~ 10 Weeks

Breastfeeding

She's been weird about it this week.  Not really refusing to nurse but fighting it a lot.  And it's at times she should be hungry.  Or she will nurse for literally 2 or 3 minutes.  I know as babies get older they get more efficient but that still seems off to me.  But she's having enough wet/dirty diapers so I don't worry too much (because honestly I'll always worry).

Sleep

Tuesday night she slept from 11 pm-4 am  (when I woke her), and then from 5 to 6:45.  So pretty good.  Wednesday she slept from 10:30 pm to 3:30 am (when I woke her), then until 7 ish. I attempted to feed her in bed and then she snoozed on me until about 8:30 (and Eleanor was sleeping this whole time too!)

Naps are hit or miss.  I'll try the crib for the morning one.  Sometimes she'll go for it, but not always.  Mid day is usually in the rnp or on me and then she just cat naps the rest of the afternoon/evening wherever she is. 

Misc.

Still giving more smiles; Rob's got some too.  

We visited the Easter bunny and she wasn't phased at all (where as Eleanor was terrified).

9 week update ~ Mallory

Breastfeeding

Still going well.  I had a clogged duct this week and then another day I was super engorged and she wouldn't nurse.  Had a few episodes where milk was squirting and getting on her face before I realized and could stop it (it's so infrequent for me that I don't think about it; I know it's all the time for others).

Sleep

Wednesday night I fed her around 10:30 then again at 3 and 6:45 and while she didn't go back to sleep after that last, and I didn't feel any more rested than normal she slept well.

Daytime sleep is all over usually.  She takes 3-4 naps a day, but depending on where she's napping (car, swing, crib) effects how long she sleeps for. She sleeps the longest in her swing (not on usually because batteries are dead) or in a moving car/cart/stroller. 

Misc

Still having some projectile spit up.  Last night it was enough to make a puddle on the counter (because I was holding her trying to give her medicine), soak her clothes, mine and when I set her on the floor so I could get her changed she spit up again and with force to make it land a foot away. 

Then today she did it once she was in her car seat, although thankfully we were still home! 

She had her two month check up yesterday.  She's 12lbs, 22 inches and still has a 90% head. 

She's getting stronger at holding up her head, and she's starting to make some more cooing sounds and giving smiles more (last week was the first)

As for me, I'm struggling a bit.  I know right now I need to take the time to snuggle and play with the girls but the stress of trying to keep house and get stuff done by myself is overwhelming me.  I hate feeling like I've done nothing all day.  And I know I have two young kids; I just feel like I'm being unproductive when it's 5:30 and I have gotten few chores done.  Like what have I been doing?  Am I just not being very good at time management.  Today I'm skipping nap so I can write this post and 'try' to catch up on some cleaning stuff. 

Mallory 2 Month Update

Two months just flew by.  How is it that I can remember her birth like it was yesterday but it was two months?

She's out of newborn diapers and into size 1.  She's starting to fit into some of the cloth diapers we have so I've been using those more because she freaks a little bit if she's the slightest bit wet usually.  So changing her 3 times in an hour sometimes can get expensive with disposables. And since I have to wash the cloth ones anyway for Eleanor it's not really any more work.

She's also out of newborn clothes except for a few random pieces that may be cut bigger.

She usually is up 2-3 times a night (considering that 11-7 ish because that's my night) but goes one 3-4 hour stretch at the beggining.   She is in the rock n play at night and will be for a few more months at least.   I have been sporadically having her nap in the crib though.  In part because I want her to be used to it, but also because Eleanor won't get in her face as much.

She's started giving real on purpose smiles as well as the random ones also.

I'm hearing more noises that aren't cries.  Those adorable little coos and what almost sounds like a laugh.

Her grip is getting stronger and she's starting to hold onto my shirt, my hair, this oball toy she has.

She's also batting at her hanging toys on the playmat a little.

Still having projectile spit up once or twice a week.
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I weighed her using my super accurate method (weighing myself holding her and not holding her) this morning and judging by that shes almost 12 1/2 lbs.   Still no clue on length.  She was supposed to have her checkup Thursday but I rescheduled it because of a big snow storm predicted.   And now it's supposed to miss us and just rain.  So not until next week will I know.

8 weeks ~ Mallory

Sleep:

She's been going longer stretches at night. She has went a few 3-4 hours stretches at night and Thursday took a 3 1/2 hour nap.

I tried a few times to put her in her crib at nap time.  But she was asleep when I put her down and she woke up right away and wasn't having it.

I also think she prefers sleeping on her stomach. I sometimes let her sleep on the nursing pillow.  I know that's a no no but I am always nearby and constantly checking on her.

Breastfeeding:

Still going well although I still only like to nurse in the football hold. I've had to do cross cradle a few times because it's hard to do football in public.  This is strange but I feel like her diapers are more watery when I do cross cradle.  

Misc: 
Today she gave me real smiles.  Like on purpose smiles.  She's been randomly smiling the last week and a half or so but this was the first time I got a real one.  I melted.



Evenings have still been tough, but at least it hasn't been every single evening this week.

I was trying to nap with her the other day and Eleanor was in her room singing and I am convinced Mallory knew it was her because I looked over when I heard Eleanor on the monitor and Mallory was smiling.   Super sweet!

7 week update ~ Mallory

Miscellaneous 

I thought the spitting up was getting better because it had been a week and a half, but nope.  She spit up yesterday and it soaked her clothes, my pants, my shirt, the play mat.  She even got some in her ear.  

Still super fussy in the evenings.  I feel like I can't do anything between 6-9 pm because I can't put her down of pass her off.

I did vacuum last night and turned the vacuum on like 2 feet from her.  She didn't even flinch.  But if I drop a toilet paper tube from ten feet away she will flail her arms out and be startled.  I don't get it. lol.

She's started smiling this week.  Randomly at not intentional but when I look at her and see her little grin while she's looking at the lights or the couch it's precious.

Breastfeeding

She's been nursing closer to every 2 1/2 hours this last week.

I pumped yesterday afternoon so Rob could try to give her a room temperature bottle as opposed to one I chilled in the fridge and then heated back up.  It didn't make a difference.  I've tried 3 different kinds and she won't take any of them.  

Sleep

She usually does okay intil about 5 am.  That's the hardest feed to get her back down after.  It takes an hour and a half more often than not.  And by the time I finally get her down, and then myself back to bed, I get maybe 30 minutes before Eleanor wakes up.