2 Months Old

As they say, "time flies"...and boy does it ever. I can't believe Eli is 2 months old! Well, actually he is 2 months and 1 week old, if you want to get technical. That means that I am heading back to work in just 2 and a half short weeks. :( Can you tell just how unexcited I am about that thought? Thankfully my job allows me to work from home a day or two out of the week, which will be wonderful. However, I am really not looking forward to handing my baby over to childcare. I would totally love to spend every minute of his day around him. However, work is just a part of life, and hopefully with me going back, it will just put us in a better position in the future for me to stay home with Eli and baby #2.

So, How is Eli doing? Great! Well, great, now....recovering from his first round of vaccinations yesterday. Our 2 month appointment actually fell a week late, due to scheduling. So, Eli got 4 vaccinations yesterday...poor little guy! Two of them in his left leg, one in his right, and one was done orally. However, I have to take Keith's word for it, as I left the room. I just couldn't stand the thought of watching. I didn't supect that I would cry, but I just had to get out of there. Mr. Man was in such a good mood and interacting with the doctor and nurse, and I couldn't stand the idea of his world crashing down on him. I walked out of the room before they were

administered and stood outside the door. However, I continued to inch further and further down the hall to avoid the horrifying cry that I knew was coming. Suddenly I found myself around the corner trying to distract myself with my phone...all they while, really listening for that first burst of tears. There they were! Yikes, I don't know if leaving the room helped the blow at all. I quickly made a dash back towards the door, in time for the nurse to come out and Keith to put him in my arms. While I wasn't as brave as he was, it still felt great to get to be the hero!

He held up like a champ, and quickly calmed down after the shots were given. I was really surprised at how well he did. He fell asleep in the car and slept all the way through a grocery trip, and then was wide awake back at the house. I was starting to think that Eli came through the experience without a dent, but I was wrong. I suppose it was around 8 or so, that the crying began. But, he could not be consoled....and we tried everything. Poor little guy was not happy. We suspect it was his little legs that were sore from the shots, but we don't

know for sure. The rest of the night continued in this fashion. We gave him baby tyelnol and a lot of love. In fact, he was in mine or Keith's arms from 8 last night until 8 this morning. The slightest little move from one of us would evoke squeky cries or full out balling. However, I can say that lil' man is a champ this morning, and seems to have put the past behind him. I am not crazy about the experience or the 'up all night' crying. However, I will be sure to schedule his next vaccinations on a Friday, just to be prepared for what we might face.

Eli is quite the 'big boy' now. Not only did he do great in his appointment, but I have noticed SO MANY changes in him, in just the last week. Sources say that 'week 8' is a big one for babies development change, and it is so true. I am not joking when I say that he turned a corner a day or two within him being 2 months old. He smiles at us all the time, and is quite the 'chatty kathy'. He does his baby coos in a conversational manner, and is sure to speak his mind. Additionally, he has learned different ways to communicate, rather than the automatic cry. Sure, it may turn into a cry, but that is only after he gave us some other sounds or faces first. It is so fun to interact with him and notice the small changes he has for us everyday.

I am sure you noticed the pictures scattered around this post. These are actually Eli's '2 month photos'. Keith was the photographer on this one. After watching the professional in action at his newborn/1 month shots, Keith and I replicated her set-up and did some 'professional' shots of our own. He has an amazing camera, so we will be taking all of his milestones shots from now on.

So...what is up with this carseat drama? If you are my friend on facebook.....or have ever riden in the car with Eli, you will know the lil' guy hates his car seat. I am not joking! This is not a mild discomfort or ocassionaly cry. This is about a 80%-90% chance of a full, all out hysterical fit! It was a Peg Perego infant car seat, and it induced hysteria. Eli would kick, scream, claw at himself, streams tears down his face, and sweat. You would have thought that someone was physically hurting him during the ride. And, there was nothing we could do to get him calmed down. Trust me I tried it all: pacifier, swaddling, radio, lullabys, wave noises, toys, a mirror, comfy headrest, riding in the backseat....nearly everything. Finally, after exhausting several options, I decided this was a battle we wouldn't win, and we needed a change. So, after some research, I decided a step up to the convertable seat might be the best option. I was planning to borrow some friends seats to see if he had a preference. However, thought we would try the convertable first, considering we would have to buy him one eventually, anyway.

So, Keith and I headed to the store on Saturday and got him a Britix Advocate.....and? So far, so good! We haven't seen a hysterical outbreak from him yet. Granted, he has had a few fussy crying spells, but nothing that I couldn't get him calmed down from. Now, I have yet to make a voyage without Keith. So, no telling what will happen when I take the wheel, and lil' man is left to calm himself. Wish us luck! Convertable seats don't have quite the convenience that an infant seat do. However, with Eli's extreme dislike for his infant carrier, we were never afforded those luxuries in the first place. So, every stop we make then and now, lil' Eli gets taken out and put back in (vs. staying in the car seat and that coming with me).

Well, that is about it for 2 months. Oh...the stats!

Height: 23 3/4 inches --> 75%

Weight: 11lb 2oz --> 50%

Head: 15 3/4 inches --> 50%

So, things are looking good! Also, verdict is still out on the whole 'silent reflux' things. So, we are going to try going without the medicine for a little bit to see if we notice a change in him. If no change...then we will stop the medicine and rule out that 'silent reflux' was ever an option. However, if we do notice a change...then God help us all, and 'sorry Eli for taking you of medicine that you needed!'