Silas - 2 Months!

Precious Silas!  It doesn't seem possible that you are already 2 months old!  This month with you was so much fun, especially because you learned how to smile.

You smiled for the first time during a members' meeting at our church on April 28, however you began smiling much more readily a week and a half later.  Oh, how I love your big smiles, Silas, and I love how you usually stick your tongue out a little bit when you do it!  I'll often be doing something else while you're laying in my lap and will happen to look down and see you smiling up at me.  I can't help but just stop what I'm doing and smile back at you.  My favorite is when you get really excited and start kicking your legs, flapping your arms, grinning really big and making cute noises...it's like you can't hardly contain yourself!

You started making fun noises this month, and it will be neat to one day know what's going on in your head as you go throughout the day.

I also really, really love your kisses!!  You now will open your mouth really wide when I start kissing you.  Sadly, I can't remember if you started doing that this month or last, but I love it!

I still call you my "Spider Monkey" because you still cling to me whenever you can.  I remember picking you up one day and as I was holding you upright, facing toward me, you kept reaching your arms around my neck.  Each arm kept grabbing on and then moving further behind my neck and grabbing on again.  It was one of the best "hugs" I've ever gotten!!  I stood there soaking up those moments of your little bitty body and those tiny arms wrapped around my neck so tightly.

You have also been sleeping longer and longer.  You started going 6 hours between feedings at night at 5.5 weeks, which is technically referred to as sleeping through the night.  At 6 weeks old, you started going 7 hours between feedings, and at 7 weeks old, you started going 8 hours.  How thankful and blessed I am that you have proven to be a good sleeper like your brother and sister were!

Speaking of, your brother and sister are still so crazy about you!  Caleb is constantly talking about how cute you are and how much he loves you, and Evie is always saying, "Baby!  Baby!" or "Baby see!" (because she wants to see you).

You now usually eat at 8, 11, 2, 5, 8 and 11 again, with a 1-1.5 hour nap in between each feeding.

We tried giving you a bottle for the first time this month, which you hated and would act like you were gagging.  Thankfully, you eventually got the hang of it, though, and have successfully now had 2 bottles.

While feeding you on April 22, I noticed your left eyelid going up and down while feeding you, and I realized that you have a minor case of Marcus Gunn Jaw Wink Syndrome.  I guess I hadn't noticed it before because you usually ate with your eyes closed prior to that.  You can barely see your eyelid movement when you're looking straight ahead and sucking, but it is definitely more noticeable when you look down.  Though I wasn't noticing any of the other symptoms that can be associated with MGJWS, we scheduled you an appointment to see a pediatric ophthalmologist on May 10.  Dr. Packwood confirmed that everything else looks fine, so we'll go for another visit in 6 months.  Though this is something that you'll have for the rest of your life, I'm grateful that it's nothing that will require surgery or anything like that. 

You also experienced your first Graham carnival this month (and even rode the train and elephants), though I think you slept through all of it. 

Your hair has been falling out a bit, I guess, because it seems more patchy now than when you were born, and you really enjoy sucking on your hands when you can find them.

We moved you up to Size 1 diapers this month, and you are still wearing Newborn and 0-3 Month clothes, though I'm about to pack up your Newborn clothes, which makes me kind of sad.  You're growing too fast!  In fact, at your 2 Month checkup (which was about a week late), you weighed 13lb. 8.4 oz (83.3%) and were 23.25" long (55.39%).  It blows my mind that you have grown so much in just 2 months!  At your checkup, you were diagnosed with a small umbilical hernia, which we'll just keep watch on because it should resolve on its own over the next few months.

Silas, you are such a joyful, laid back baby, which has been such a blessing as I learn to care for you, Caleb and Evie.  Thank you for your love and your smiles, sweet Silas--they brighten each one of my days!

(Click here to see more pictures of Silas.)