2 Months Old

Charles is two months old!

Here is a summary from month 1 to 2:

• 5 weeks
• loves his pacifier
• starting to smile and react to faces
• 6 weeks
• rolled over from stomach to back twice.  He was asleep on his stomach and then when I went into get him, he was on his back.
• smiling more
• colicky from one feeding to the next at night.  Typically from the 5 to 8 feedings.  Nothing really helps.  Clayton was colicky but you could walk around for a long time and she wouldn't cry.  Sit down and she would cry so walking it was.  There really isn't anything that makes Charles stop crying.  I can promise I've tried everything.  Occasionally, sitting in the boppy pillow with the hair dryer going or the water running in the bath tub will calm him.  But it's just a shot in the dark with what works and those only work temporarily.  Eventually you can tell in his eyes when the colic battle is over for the night and he falls asleep.
• fussy if he is awake.  Just not a happy baby.  We use gas drops like candy but it isn't a miracle cure by any means.
• 7 weeks
• Harris introduced the cry-it-out method and although I thought this was way too early, Charles needed some tough love.  I don't let him scream complete bloody murder for too terribly long, but I did realize that his sleep style is completely different from Clayton's and he needs to work himself to sleep on his own.  (Probably should have let Clayton cry-it-out a bit sooner but she was a baby who would fall asleep in my arms while taking a bottle.)  Charles wants to be on his tummy to sleep and prefers to root to sleep in his bed.  He isn't a baby who will just pass out wherever he is.  In the car seat in particular.  He has a big crying spell before he will fall asleep in the car seat.  Doesn't work when you are in a store and makes going out to eat impossible.  
• holds head up very well when on his stomach
• 8 weeks
• slept from 9-6 all night long
• 2 months
• drinking half Enfamil Gentlease and half Enfamil Nutramigen seems to be the secret formula at the moment for fussiness.  I'm giving him half Enfamil Gentlease to help with the spitting up (although don't think it helps all that much) but also because Nutramigen is so pricey and there isn't a generic.  I'm hoping to switch him back completely to Gentlease once his colicky phase ends (fingers crossed it does and its soon).
• loves his sister and smiles a bunch at her.  He lights up when Clayton comes around and talks to him.  It's so sweet.  I'm soaking up every minute of sibling love.  I had a brother close in age.  I know that sibling love comes and goes at various times.
• sits in bouncy seat content now for a bit.  Bouncy seat used to be completely out of the question. 
• holds head up great and looks around when on his stomach.
• likes standing.  Likes for you to support his body so he can stand and bear weight on his legs.  (My mom tells me I'm going to make him bowlegged-- old wives tale.)
• wants to sit up.  Charles is constantly trying to sit up.  He sure will have good stomach muscles with all the straining crunches he does.  
• spoiled.  Whether it's his momma in his face trying to calm his nerves, or a sweet sister loving on him, Charles is spoiled.  He gets upset when he is left unattended for long.  Certainly an attention hog.  
• wakes up mad.  Charles doesn't wake up sweetly and play in his bed.  He wakes up crying and mad.  Probably gets this from his mom who often wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.
• deep sleeper.  Charles is a deep sleeper when he finally conk out.  He sleeps through Sadie's barking, Clayton's yelling, and me vacuuming in his room while he is napping.  Clayton is a deep sleeper as well.  I contribute this to me not shutting their doors or censoring noise while they sleep so they don't get accustomed to a quiet house.  

I'm not going to lie.  It's been a rough 2 months!  Charles has been extremely fussy from about 3 weeks to 8+ weeks.  Most of the time if Charles is awake, he is crying/fussing/not happy.  He has some better days than others but most aren't the best.  

Many people have asked how I have dealt with it and I have to say that God gave me patience in this instance.  I don't consider myself an extremely patient person but God certainly had been with me these last few weeks.  I take deep breaths and have adjusted to the noise as I guess Clayton has.  But most of all, I love my little crying baby.  There isn't anything I can do.  It is a different type of crying and fussiness.  You can see it in his eyes.  It is upsetting because you can tell something is bothering him, but no matter what you do, it doesn't help.

  Thank goodness Clayton has taken the addition of Charles into our family with excitement, patience and love.  Most of the time she just ignores his crying and sometimes puts her hands over her ears.  She will tell me, "Charles crying!"  

At one particular weak mommy moment, she was wanting to wake him up.  Desperate, I told her, "Please Clayton don't wake him up.  Because if he is awake he will be crying and mommy doesn't want him to be crying!"  Pretty sure she saw my desperate face and understood.  She makes it easier to handle because her love for him is unconditional and she loves her baby brother regardless if he is a crier.  Because if she was frustrated and telling me to take him back, leave him outside, or who knows what else, I may have lost it.  I do have guilt over her having to miss out on fun things this summer (going to the park, playdates, getting out of the house) because of his colic but remind myself that this is a short moment in their lives and we are all bonding at home just in different ways.     

I know I will look back on these weeks as it will be a phase (I'm hoping short-lived).