Two Months!

Baby dedication day!  A big bow occasion for sure :)

Okay, so in all honesty I totally wrote an entire post at 6 weeks...but never finished uploading the pics to go with it!!  Actually I double posted today so it is up because I wanted to document it, complete or not.   Well, when you have a newborn, two more weeks fly right by whether you like it or not.  When I wrote the last post I had a 9lb baby.  Now she is more than a whopping 10 lbs!  Oh my goodness.  My tiny dancer girl is growing up.  And is as precious as ever I might add.  Her chubbier little cheeks are just getting more kissable.  Of course I'm as biased as any mother, but we are so in love with Selah.  She amazes us with something new every single day.  I have written a handful of posts in my head to document it, but they haven't made it to the computer.  I'm blaming it on the fact that my sweet one is still eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. around the clock.  Though last week we had about 3 or 4 days when she would go a 4 to 4 1/2 hr stretch at the beginning of the night.  That was just wonderful.  With the lack of sleep I'm still quite tired, walking around with a foggy head, and just in general feeling lazy.  Those first 4 weeks were pure adrenaline for sure.  Art projects, sewing projects, blogging, baby holding all other hours of the day...definite bliss.  The baby holding still remains as blissful, but everything else has taken a back step to making the bed, doing the laundry and keeping the kitchen clean.  For my sanity. :)

While I'm amazed that I have a 2 month old, I'm still thankful that it's only been 2 months...because though I still might have only a handful of weeks more of wobbly head, tiny body newborn phase, I secretly love all the beautifully exhausting moments and am treasuring every one.  The sleeping thing is minor. 

I am so, so thankful to be home and enjoying this sweet girl of ours.  Some of my favorite things are reading our children's Jesus story bible to her, talking to her and making her smile, giving her baths, dressing her up, singing her songs, taking her on walks, watching her while she sleeps, staring at her while she plays, "playing" with her, feeling her sweet skin, wearing her in one of my baby carriers, talking about how amazing she is with Kevin, dressing her up in cute clothes and cloth diapers...and feeding her.  Yes, breastfeeding is going great! Glory to God for answering our prayers for sure.  After working so hard those first 6 weeks - pumping after every feeding, taking herbal supplements and a prescription, visiting the lactation consultant about 5 or 6 times, supplementing her with formula, being in pain...we finally caught our rhythm at almost exactly 6 weeks.  At her month appt.  the doctor said I would probably always have to supplement.  Which I was a little determined and hopeful to prove wrong.  Then, at a little over 5 weeks, the prescription really started kicking in and I made a decision to not have the option of formula, even when she was fussy at night and we weren't sure if she was still hungry or just fussy and we had to choose how much to give her...which had been the case the first few weeks.  Every feeding required us to be discerning about exactly what she needed and guessing how much she was getting from me.  Whew...a lot of work.  We started supplementing only with the breastmilk I had pumped, and I would just try to feed her again if she was fussy, whether I had anything or not.  Then at 6 weeks and 1 day I breastfed her exclusively all day and all night...and have ever since.  I am so so thankful, and praising God every day for how it has worked out and how wonderful the experience is for us now.  I know that's just my situation and I completely and totally respect all others' because it is a super sensitive subject.

At two months Selah as curious as ever, loving the discovery of the world around her.  She is certainly a pacifier baby, though she is discovering her fingers and thumb for longer periods of time when she has to.  And she always has her hands by her face or holding on to something (like her wubbanub - the best thing ever-more to come on that!)  It's so cute.  I love how it seems daily she is growing in patience and trust, gradually coming out of that more panicked scream stage when she wants or needs something.  It is so sweet to have her smile so big at us now and I can only imagine that will get even more sweet, especially when those smiles turn to giggles!  So far she is quite snuggly and I just love that.  It's a large part of why I struggle to write a post to completion!  A good problem to have though in my opinion.  I'm treasuring it all.  I often look at her intently and just imagine having conversations with her as a toddler, as a little girl, as a teenager, and as an adult!  I pray so much for this little girl and all those precious stages!!  So fascinating to wonder what it will be like and know how significant each step along the way will be.  I am definitely praying that God will lead us each and every step of the way and guide us to build a solid foundation. 

My sweet grandma and her second great-grandaughter!!

I promise I am not quitting the blogging world.  If anything I have more to write than ever!!  I actually have some goals for posts this week.  Like, hello - who wants to hear the birth story?!  Better late than never. :)  Very tough to write about such a sacred thing I'm finding.  Crazy.  Lately blogging has just been a priority/timing issue.  I also desperately need to work out...so when I get a free moment I have to choose...hold the baby, ("pause and reflect" if you know what I mean :), finish a blog post, workout so I can wear at least one pair of pants again...hmmm, I wonder what usually wins!!  For one I feel pretty exhausted with my short spurts of sleep...causing a great lack in motivation.  But most importantly, how could I pass up this precious special time!  It will never be like this again, I am well aware.  My sweet girl had a bit of an eye infection this week and was so super cuddly...so extra snuggling it was.  If God is so gracious to bless us with another child someday, those newborn days will be oh so precious as well...but not quite so still.  Because guess who'll be asking mommy to play in a whole new way??  My sweet Selah girl of course.