A Girl and Her Teddy Bear--4 Months

Baby is 4 months old already.  I can't get over that.  But, as it was with Samantha, it just keeps getting better and better.  Sure, I miss the newborn part-it's over so fast-but nothing beats a baby who continues to gain a little personality and share it with everyone around her!  Here are her teddy pictures!

Maya weighs 13 lbs 6 oz.  She's been gaining about a pound a month.  Definitely slowed down on the chub side, but she's still got the rolls to know she's healthy!

Maya is ALL SMILES.  Seriously, you look at her and she smiles at you.  You make any sort of noise and she giggles like crazy.  She's pure joy!

One of the biggest milestones she reached this month was rolling over from back to front.  I honestly thought and hoped I'd get a baby that wasn't as active as Sam was, but she was only 1 week shy of when Sam started rolling over.  Now I can't put her down on the bed or anywhere that she might roll into things anymore which has definitely made my life a smidge harder.  I do hope she doesn't start crawling before she learns to sit like Sam did.  I just need a kid that I can sit down with a bunch of toys to satisfy her. 

Speaking of toys, she has also started really grabbing things and putting them into her mouth.  The only problem with this is that she's not completely coordinated.  So, if she drops it, she can't always get it back and that gets pretty frustrating for her!  It's hilarious watching her though.  It's right in front of her face and she just doesn't know how to reach out and grab it.  She grunts and groans until one of us comes and fetches it for her.  So funny!

I'd like to claim that she's become a better sleeper (she's not a bad sleeper, but she just hasn't changed much since she was born) because she slept for a glorious 7 hours last night (11-6), but I have a feeling that was just because she had her 4 month shots yesterday, so she's extra sleepy.  We'll see.  

Maya LOVES her sister.  Anytime Samantha looks at her she just giggles and giggles.  Samantha is the only one that can get her that excited.  It's so precious watching them interact. 

That's it for this month (I always feel like I forget a million things when I go to write these!! Oh well.)  We've got cousins, aunties and uncles visiting next week and then we head down to Utah for the last two weeks of the month.  It should make for an exciting July!

A Girl and Her Teddy Bear--3 Months

Baby girl is 3 months old today.  It felt like the first two months went by super fast but this last month has taken forever.  I felt like I was telling people she was 2.5 months the whole month!  I'm not complaining.  If it feels like it's taking forever, that just means she's not growing up too fast, and I'm okay with that!

Maya has really started to get a personality!  She is SUPER smiley.  I wouldn't say she was the smiliest baby I've ever seen, but compared to Samantha, she's a super smiley baby.  It's also not as hard to get her to giggle.  I swear it took everything I had to get Sam to smile or giggle, but Maya does it easily.  It's so rewarding to look down at her and just see her gaze up at you with the biggest smile on her face.  Adorable!

Her "talking" has also gotten a lot more frequent.  I find it funny that just a few weeks/months ago, she barely made a peep except to tell us she needed something.  Now she's making noise just to hear herself speak.  Totally cute. 

Maya found her feet a couple days ago.  She hasn't stuck them in her mouth yet, but she'll grab onto them.  I love that stage!

I swear she'll be rolling over in no time.  When she's lying on her back, she'll arch her back and turn her head searching for the soother.  She just needs to kick a leg over and she'll roll over with ease.  Samantha was about 3.5 months when she rolled from back to front and I was hoping it'd take Maya a little longer.  Not looking like that'll be the case!

Her sleeping habits at night are sporadic.  One night, she'll go until 4 or 5 without eating, and the next it'll be 2.  But she always gives us at least a 3 hour stretch while we're asleep.  

Chubber! 

Mother's Day

See that smile?  Melts my heart

Enough

The sweetest thing just happened.  I ran upstairs because I heard Sam crying.  Her light was still off so I knew before entering that she had indeed fallen asleep when I put her to bed.  When I opened the door, she was sitting cross-legged on her bed with tears running down her face.  Upon seeing me, she immediately stopped crying.  I asked her what was wrong as I was walking towards her and the only thing she did was lie back down on her pillow with a big yawn.  I started rubbing her back as her eyes began to droop.  She was back asleep and snoring within minutes.  As I sat there looking at my little 2 year old, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly blessed.  I just
stared at my beautiful girl and knew my life, in this moment, was perfect.  She drives me nuts most days, tests my patience every day, and yet, as I looked at her, I knew how blessed of a life I was living.

As I looked at her, I began thinking about myself as a mother. I began thinking about all the things that I wish I did better because my sweet little Samantha deserves the best.  I thought about regrets.  I thought about what I could do to be all that I could for her.  And then I stopped.  I looked at her and I stopped thinking those things.  I'm not perfect.  I know that.  You know that.  We all know that.  But, I'm enough.  I looked at her and I thought about the fact that all she needed when she woke up upset was to see me.  She saw me and was comforted immediately.  She laid back down and fell asleep immediately, knowing that I was there to watch her and comfort her.  I was enough.  And I am enough.

I think as moms, we are the worst at this.  We constantly think about how imperfect we are, and what we can do to become more perfect as mothers.  We want the best for our kids, right?  So we want to be the best for our kids.  But we need to stop that.  Of course it's okay to strive to be better each day; I'm not saying that.  But, we need to stop giving ourselves such a hard time.  We are enough for our kids.  We are what they need.  We are doing our best and we need to stop beating ourselves up for the things we do wrong.

I love my kids.  I love them more than anything.  They know that.  And that's enough!

A Girl and Her Teddy Bear--2 Months

Baby girl is 2 months old already.  Where the time goes, I never know! It's been a good month.  The weather's (kind of) changing, Sam has gotten used to having baby around so there have been less gauging eyes out and hitting, and Maya's just as perfect as she's always been!

*Edit* As of her 2 month appointment, Maya weighs 11 lbs 10 oz.  

Sam had to get in on the action

I put Maya down to go upload the photos and Samantha brought the teddy next to her and also put the blanket on her so "she doesn't get cold!" What a dear sister she is!

Maya definitely smiles a lot more now.  Daddy can get her to smile (and even do a little giggle) the best by doing bicycle legs with her.  She loves that!

She's starting to have a lot to say.  Her little coos melt my heart.  I love this part of this age.  I love how she's starting to interact with us.  It's so sweet.  

Maya's still a great sleeper, only eating once during the night.  She typically goes to sleep for the night any time between 8-9 and I'll dream feed her at 10:30-11.  Then, she'll wake up at 3-4 and then not wake for the morning until 7.  It's pretty doable.  She's also stopped needing me to put her soother in all the time throughout the night.  Occasionally, she'll wake up prematurely, so I'll just stick it in there and go back to bed.  

We switched her to her bassinet at 6 weeks and she made the transition beautifully.  In fact, she sleeps better there than anywhere.  

She has put herself to sleep since we brought her home and that is very helpful.  I just swaddle her and put her down with her soother and she just drifts off to sleep by herself.  Love it.  

She's still eating every 3-31/2 hours, which is very helpful for me.  It means I can get a lot of things done, which has helped with my mental health!!

Trip to Costco!

She's getting really good at holding her head up, so I thought I'd try her in the Boba carrier.  

First time in the bumbo.

Sisters

It got warm for a whole of 2 days, and we very much took advantage of it. (It's snowing as I type...)

Outfit courtesy of my mom.  So adorable. 

Had to get a closeup of these adorable shoes.  You can't tell because Maya's feet are still too small, but they're little sandals.  It's supposed to be a little peek-a-boo shoe.  

We're hoping the weather goes back to being nice so we can spend more time in the sunshine!  

6 Weeks

Baby Maya is 6 weeks old.  She and I had our last appointment with the midwife yesterday.  She weighed 10 lbs, 5.5 oz.  That's almost 3 lbs since birth and almost 1 lb heavier than her sister at this age!!

Maya started following objects (usually just our eye/faces) around 4 weeks, which also meant that she started smiling around then too!  So adorable.

Her head is getting stronger.  She's still a floppy little thing though.  I love that!

I don't know if it's legit, but I also don't know what else to call it, but when she was (I think) 3 weeks old, she would roll over from her tummy to her back when we put her for tummy time.  It seems really young, so I don't know if I can count it, but I don't know what else to call it!

I tried to pick all the smiley pictures I've gotten in the last 2 weeks!

On her actual 6 week birthday.  She looks so happy doesn't she?

The day she weighed in over 10 lbs.  Look at those cheeks!

A Girl and Her Teddy Bear- 1 Month

Baby Maya is 1 month old today.  Break my heart!  She is the BEST. BABY. EVER!!!  I haven't wanted to say it for awhile because I didn't want to jinx it, but it's been a month and she's just so easy!  I know things can change on a dime, but for now, I'm enjoying how great it's been, and how perfect she's been!

I decided this morning that since my girls look eerily alike, I couldn't have them both pose with the elephant.  I wouldn't be able to tell them apart!  So, this morning I went scouring for another stuffed animal to do Maya's pictures.  I found this teddy bear that my dad got me for Christmas one year.  Perfect!

As easy as Maya has been, it has still been an adjustment.  But, really, it's only been because of Sam.  One day she got all of our attention, then a little person came and I have to spend a lot of time with her. So, Sam has had a hard time.  But, she'll get better.  

Ever since day 1, Maya has slept 4 hours during the night.  The last 2 nights, she's slept for 5!  It's been really nice.  I can't complain.  Really!

She eats every 3 hours during the day. 

Last week, Maya started following us with her eyes if we moved around in front of her.  Clever girl!

I'm also convinced that she's also given some real smiles in the last couple of days too.  Most of them are definitely gassy smiles, but there have been 2 different times when I felt like she was responding directly to me, so I'm counting it!!

I've noticed that when you have 2 kids, it's impossible not to compare them.  So here are a few comparisons.  

Similarities:

-Looks

-Scowl face

-Petite frame (although Maya's growing faster than Sam did)

Differences:

-Maya doesn't spit up nearly as much as Sam did

-Maya sleeps a lot better than Sam did, and she lets us put her down for naps!  In fact, we usually put her down before she's asleep and she'll fall asleep on her own!!

-Maya is a lot more floppy (like a regular newborn) than Sam was.  Sam was holding her head up day 1 and putting all of her weight on her legs at 6 weeks old.  I don't think Maya will be there in 2 weeks! Maybe that means Maya won't walk as soon as Samantha.  I don't think I'll mind that!

-Maya eats a lot more each feeding and can therefore last longer between feeds.  This has really helped my sanity!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the last month:

Enjoying my snuggles!

Precious!

I've been wearing Maya a lot more than Sam.  It helps a lot.  Especially when we're at Sam's music classes or when we go to indoor playgrounds, etc.  I can still help Samantha, but hold Maya at the same time!

First time Samantha wanted to hold her baby sister!

Maya's first bottle!

This will definitely be one of those pictures that Maya will love to see when she's older.  I know I'll never get tired of it!

This is definitely a gassy smile, but we like it just the same!

And, just to help older sister out by giving her some attention on this post, here are some pictures of some of the new things Samantha has experienced this month.  

Samantha's "first" St. Patrick's Day.  I don't do all the little holidays very well, but I figured I could put some dye in her milk.  She didn't really understand anyway!

Sam started sleeping in a big girl bed last weekend!  She's done really well!  She's still in the stage where she doesn't really think she can get off the bed, so we haven't had any problems with her getting out of bed at night!

Samantha's first haircut!  She cried at first, but got used to the idea by the end.  It only lasted 5 minutes!

She's not so sure, but I love it!!