7 Months: an Update by Sarah Olsen
This is us today 🙂 all three of us are sick, in comfy clothes, snuggled in together.
What month?
7 1/2 months
How big is baby?
She is around 23 pounds
Whats something new this month?
Its funny how busy life becomes with two. Between school drop offs, work, naps, store runs, play time, bath time, dinner time, and bed, the moments alone are very few. This is not a complaint but instead a new way of life, I love it and wouldn’t want it any other way. It is a balancing act, figuring out how to accomplish all that needs to be done in a day and allowing some days to just be for focus and play.
Something new:
Esmé has started putting her hand in the air and dancing when music is playing. Wyatt use to do the same thing around this time. I love seeing how similar and different they are.
Most challenging moment?
Sleep regressions. The four month sleep regression was a doozy. All the sudden she was awake in the middle of the night and very chatty. She rarely cries, but she lets you know all about how she feels through her “pterodactyl noises.” The issue is that her loud baby chatter in the middle of the night wakes up Wyatt and Eric. Multiple mornings I found Eric asleep on Wyatts floor after trying to help him stay asleep from all the baby noises escaping our bedroom. When you only have one you don’t have to worry about waking anyone in the house up, but keeping a toddler and a baby asleep at the same time in a small house is an interesting challenge.
This got better, but every now and then she wakes up and starts smiling and “talking” in the night and I just run through my list of ways to calm her back down and get her to sleep.
My late night list to keep baby asleep:
Nursing
Paci
Snuggles
give her a lovey
more attempts to nurse
a quiet song
Also: diaper blowouts!! Every morning on he way to school Esmé has a blowout so when I get there I have to change her diaper and clothes before getting Wyatt out of the car.
Something you loved this month?
There are times when I will put Esmé in the middle of the bed (safely with barriers all around) while I am changing or tidying or getting ready for the day. Some of the most beautiful moments have been watching the two of them cuddle in bed and make each other laugh. Wyatts go to phrase, “She loves me so much.” He is right, she is completely in love with him. He was the first one to make her smile, and laugh, and cackle. When he snuggles her she giggles, and they seem to communicate in their own way. What makes me so happy about this besides it being adorable, is that I know this bond will only get stronger.
Mama time?
When the kids are sleeping if I don’t have a huge pressing list of things to do I will try to do something for myself, even if its just a quick bath and mask. My goal is to get away for yoga at least once a week.
I do go out to dinner with my girlfriends some nights and that is such a healthy important “mama time.” Being with my closest friends to catch up on everyones life makes me so happy. I feel energized by the strong women in my life.
What am I eating?
Wyatt loves to be a part of the cooking process, so I love to make foods that are easy for him to help in a big way. He loves to make guacamole, pizza, he loves adding the seasoning to all the dishes, he can crack an egg better than I can, and takes great pride in scrambling them.
Esmé is now eating food. She has tried sweet potato, regular potato, papaya, rice, watermelon, avocado, guacamole, mango, squash, and zucchini. I have transitioned into feeding her more of what we are eating for lunch or dinner much faster than with Wyatt. First of all its easier, and she loves to hold her own spoon and hold the food herself.
My body / and Checking in:
For me it takes a full year to feel completely like myself again. By Wyatts first birthday I felt as though time had flown by so fast, and also I couldn’t even remember what my days were like before I had a child.
The best thing I do for myself is yoga. It makes me feel amazing, refreshed, energized, and centered. Its why I need to figure out how to incorporate it into my life more.
Anyone know a great yoga app they love?
Having a second child has really been incredible. Not only for Eric and I who adore our little girl, but for Wyatt, who is constantly amused by her and grateful for her. I can see it on his face every single day as he asks to hold her, or lay next to her. He wants to wear the same PJ’s as her and asks me to get them ready “side by side.” He always wants her with us and tells her how much he missed her while he was at school. This relationship between them makes me want to have a lot more kids. 🙂 shhhhhh don’t tell Eric.