Grayson's 2 Month Update!

I can't believe it's already time for Grayson's 2 month update! This month has flown and he is growing and changing right in front of my eyes. Each week I can see so many differences in him and he is constantly hitting new milestones. In a lot of ways, he is like a new little person since last month and I am seeing his personality come out (which I love!). If you haven't already noticed by the crazy amount of pictures I post of Grayson, I am completely in love. In some ways, I feel like a teenager...completely head over heels for this little boy and constantly admiring how cute he is. Grayson has my heart and makes it melt on a regular basis. 

Weight & Height: We just went to Grayson's 2 month appointment today, so we were able to get accurate measurements. Grayson is 12 lbs. 2.8 oz (62nd percentile) and 22.5 inches long (33rd percentile). Short and chubby :) Since he only started off at 7 lbs. 1 oz. and is still exclusively breastfed, I am thrilled with his significant weight gain! 

Sleep: This is probably my only complaint about Grayson at this stage of his life. He is a wonderful napper, but he still doesn't sleep for very long periods at night. He averages about 3 hours of sleep at a time, sometimes reverts back to waking up every 2 hours and other times, he reaches 4 hours of sleep before waking up. Each night is still different for him, but we are slowly starting to see regularities in his sleeping and eating patterns which helps. Grayson has been much better about eating quickly and then being put back in his Rock 'N' Play next to our bed and falling right back to sleep. That new trick of his is a life saver...no more being up for an hour at a time each feeding! Last night he actually slept for 4.5 hrs and then 3 hrs...this mama was thrilled! 

Clothes: Grayson is in 0-3 month clothing and just went to size 2 diapers this week. Stop growing, Gray! I personally really struggle watching him grow. It brings me so much joy, yet makes me sad that the days are already passing so quickly. I finally put away his newborn clothes last week and I was so sad about it. My husband was laughing at me the whole time saying...he is almost 2 months old! You know it's a good thing he still doesn't fit in his newborn clothes, right? ....Yes, Josh, I do. But it's still sad! ;) 

Mood: Grayson's mood has probably been the biggest change that we have noticed this month. Josh and I used to joke calling him "The Grump" the whole first month because he was just that, grumpy. He wasn't good about not being held all the time and couldn't self-sooth (very normal for newborns), but now he is a different baby! He is a lot happier and cries so much less. Grayson is much more content and will go for almost an hour on his play mat cooing and playing, which gives me time to get things done around the house. I can tell that he is more aware of things and notices sounds more which helps entertain him and keep him calm for longer. He has also started smiling this month which just melts my heart. I absolutely love it and am constantly trying to make him smile. 

Milestones: smiles, holds his head up, cooing and very vocal. 

Loves:  Batting at colorful objects in front of him (especially his red, jingly fox), sucking his hands, kicking his arms and legs around while laying on his back, running errands with mommy and basically going anywhere in his car seat and stroller, his play mat, bath time (as long as the water and bathroom are very warm!), laying in mommy and daddy's bed, sleeping on his side, and staring at the owl mobile in his crib while it spins and plays music. 

Doesn’t like:  tummy time and being burped (who likes being interrupted during a good meal?!)

How Is Mommy Doing? At 8 weeks postpartum, I am feeling great and very much like myself again. I was very lucky and felt about 90% after the first few weeks, but it took awhile for me to get back to feeling 100% again. My body is back to normal and I have even started running again (very slowly). The only lasting symptom from birth that I am still dealing with is a bruised tail bone. I don't know if anyone else has ever experienced this, but my doctor said most likely Grayson nicked my tailbone on the way out. (TMI, sorry). I love being a mom and am actually handling it better than I thought. Emotionally, I have been fairly calm and haven't been nearly as stressed and overwhelmed with all the changes as I thought I might be. Sleep deprivation is hard, but I am managing. It's amazing how God can create your body to do so many things including carry a child, give birth, and still function while getting very little sleep over a long period of time. As far as Grayson and I, I feel more connected to him this month and that really helps when I am feeling worn out. I have deeply loved him since before he was even conceived, but it took a while for me to feel that mother-baby bond. In a lot of ways, I felt it from the moment I saw him, but I also know it has grown stronger with time. 

Going Back To Work? So many of you have asked me about this, so here's your answer. We were originally planning on me going back to work full-time after Grayson was 6 weeks old. I knew it would be hard, but leaving him was one of the hardest things I have ever done. By going back to work, I felt like motherhood was being stripped away from me (obviously not true). I went from being with my baby 24/7 to being gone half the day. I hated not knowing what was going on with him and I felt like I was missing those precious moments of his life. After a breakdown and lots of tears on Sunday night, I forced myself out the door and to work the first 2 days of that week and about mid-day on Tuesday, I just couldn't do it any more. I was miserable. Like I said, it was much harder for me than I ever would have imagined. I just felt like work wasn't where I belonged anymore. I belonged with my baby. Thankfully, my boss and I were able to work out a perfect arrangement for our family. I am now working 3 days a week! Yes, I do still have to work, but at least I am home and with Grayson more than I am away. Between Josh and I, we are able to adjust our work schedules so Grayson can be with either one of us (or both) at almost all times. We are very blessed to be able to say that! I am in no way discrediting working mothers or stay-at-home mothers for that matter, but for me, working part-time is the perfect balance! 

Going back to work while being a mom and a wife, and still managing my household and my life has been tough, but I am doing it! Our family is still adjusting to life with a little one and in a lot of ways our life is much more complicated now, but it is also so full of love and happiness! Grayson is our joy and we cannot wait to see what month 3 of his life holds!