two months with alice.
Posted on 09. Jul, 2010 by Princess Lasertron in alice
Today, Alice, you are two months old…and….well, I can’t believe how well this is going. I can’t believe how much I love motherhood. I mean every mom loves their baby, but I love mothering. And that is because you make it easy for me. You’re a great sleeper and eater and very communicative–I tell myself this is my reward for 60 hours of natural labor. But in all seriousness, I think that your sweetness is a gift to me. Ever since I knew you were growing inside me, I have been sending you my thoughts and hopes and worries and joy. I tried to tune into what you were telling me in return. When you arrived two months ago, I felt that it was best to follow your lead and let you tell me what you needed and that intuition has kept both of us well-rested and happy.
Maybe it’s because of that that we were already in tune with each others needs. But I think your calmness and connection with me is a gift from you because you knew I needed some stability. Some routine. Some calm. Where I am frantic and manic and anxious, you are loving and quiet and observant and appreciative. Thank you for giving me that and reminding me every day of what is really important to me.
For the last two weeks, you have been very clear about the fact that you either want to be held by me, or be lavished with attention from all of your friends and family. Being alone in any way is very upsetting to you right now. From your first little feeding tummy-to-tummy with me in the morning to when I make dinner with you in your wrap (btw, you love the wrap now that you can hold your head up) to each night when you fall asleep in my lap, you are held and cuddled. This is fine with me–as you continue to notice the world around you and discover your fingers and toes, you are slowly gaining more independence and I know I will miss this snuggly time someday.
You have set your own bedtime routine which you adhere to strictly. Anything we do before bed is fine with you–sometimes it’s a bath, sometimes it’s tummy time, sometimes it’s just eating until you fall asleep. But after 1:30 am, it is impossible to keep you awake and you calmly drift off to sleep. You also fall asleep when anyone so much as mentions the word “car.” You always sleep in the car, and since you go everywhere with me and I am still working hard, we usually go on at least one car ride a day. I wonder if that is adversely affecting your natural sleep schedule but we have been doing this since you were born so I suppose you are probably used to it. This is your life!
The best advice I have gotten that I am trying to follow is simply not to take everyone’s advice. Not to even ask for advice (or unless it’s from my own mom, who has been amazingly helpful and supportive), because to be honest, as soon as I hear that someone else’s kid is sleeping at a different time or hitting a different milestone, I start to question my own methods. Your dad and I are trusting our intuition when it comes to raising you. We are trusting what you tell us.
…You are beginning to calm down at the sound of my voice (rather than just the sight of me).
…You love to talk–”hooooooo,” “aah,” “BEH!” and “hee!” are noises that you coo out all day long.
…You refuse to take a pacifier but you continue to accept bottles of pumped milk and, of course, our fingers.
…You haven’t grabbed a toy yet–you don’t even seem to notice them–but you play with my hair as you eat, grab our shirts, and clutch your own clothes.
…You are starting to consciously open and close your hands. You are sucking on your fists, but no fingers yet.
…You toot all morning, every morning. They are LOUD.
…You love being on the changing table–sometimes we sit up there naked for an hour and just kick and chat.
…If all else fails, baths always do the trick–you have never cried in the tub. Our doctor actually showed me that trick when you were crying in his office and he put your hand under warm running water. The sensation fascinated and surprised you immediately and you drifted into calm. Since then, I have always used that trick to relax you.
…Your birth announcement ran in the paper this week!
Happy two-months-old day. And 290 months-old-day for me! I am already so excited for our birthday party next year!
xo
mama
23 Responses to “two months with alice.”
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sam
29. Jul, 2010
5:54 pm
this is so beautiful.
love it.
jackie D
13. Jul, 2010
10:34 pm
Megan thanks for posting the pictures of Alice. I love to see how she has grown over the past few weeks. She is adorable and growing fast, before you know it she will be a busy toddler. You are a wise mother to use your intuitive skills raising your daughter. Allowing our children’s needs to lead helps to create wise parents.
Carrie C.
13. Jul, 2010
7:48 pm
Everytime i look at that picture of you holding Alice, i laugh at how big she seems cuz you’re so tiny. and i guess since dave is her dad, she’s gonna be a tall girl.
Suezi Gurzi
13. Jul, 2010
1:04 pm
adorable! Alice is one lucky girl and you are one blessed Mommy! enjoy those moments because they go by fast! this post makes me go back to when my babies (17 and 13) were actually babies and the sweet precious times we had with each other! Great advice to yourself in listening to your own intuitons! I even stopped reading “what to expcet the first year” book. We made it through with flying colors! Thanks for sharing.
shelby
12. Jul, 2010
12:49 pm
thos pics are aborable! i hope that alice continues to be able to sleep in the car. i think that adapting your baby to be able to sleep anywhere is so important. one of my brothers kids are 2 and 4 and it’s such a pain when they nap/sleep because it has to be silent. …i am blessed that even in my adult life i can sleep anywhere.
meg duerksen
12. Jul, 2010
8:12 am
she is filling out so sweetly! such a cutie!!
i love hearing how you are loving being a mom!
Tasha Griffin
11. Jul, 2010
3:31 pm
Awww, she is so precious, and I love this post. Alice is such a lucky little girl, and she is going to (and already does) have such a happy and sweet life! I love that you’re following your own intuition and Alice’s cues..it’s sometimes a hard thing to do, but ultimately so important.
Isa
11. Jul, 2010
11:14 am
Soooo sweet!
Princess Lasertron
11. Jul, 2010
3:39 pm
thanks
when you coming to see me again?! I wanna make you some waffles!
jennifer J
10. Jul, 2010
11:47 am
Smart girl, to listen to your baby and your intuition, and ignore everyone except Dave and your mom! Alice is obviously happy, and you are obviously a fantastic mother! It’s so wonderful to see it all working out so well for all of you!!!
Laurie
09. Jul, 2010
10:57 pm
She is so cute! Every picture you post of her she seems so content and happy! You can tell just from this that you and Dave are great parents and she is lucky to have you! I love that you are letting her tell you what she needs and not stressing over what you “think” they need! That is such great advice to any parents, or future parents, right there!
Congrats again on your beautiful little girl!
April
09. Jul, 2010
8:58 pm
I wanted to tell you that I think you are awesome! I wish I had listened more to the voices in my heart when it came to raising my first one. I had all these ideas according to what everyone else was doing. That’s probably why my first didn’t sleep through the night for the first year! With my second I was so much more confident. Things were so much more relaxed. We all are now. The picture of your little girl in the sink is pretty dang cute!!!
Monica the Tiara Chick
09. Jul, 2010
3:24 pm
This is such a sweet and well-written post, but what I really wanted to say is that the belly in the “sink bath” picture is OM NOM NOM NOM.
that is all.
Princess Lasertron
09. Jul, 2010
4:36 pm
hahahaha it SO is!!
kim*
09. Jul, 2010
2:29 pm
from seeing you as a lil tiny gal in that photo with your bro in a past post. She is totally ganna look like you. She already does. I think you and Dave naturally look alike as well… have similarities anyway. NOW if I have kids philipino will dominate my half mexican and whitey sides lol. Yay for 2 making it thru 2 months of joy.
emma
09. Jul, 2010
1:00 pm
your post to Alice is simply wonderful, fun and sweet. I bet she will love to read these when she is older… she is one lucky girl!!
The last photo is gorgeous… x
Wendy Townley
09. Jul, 2010
11:35 am
Alice is one lucky baby! I so enjoy keeping tabs on Alice here and at her own website. Now, when will Alice join Twitter?
Alison Kelly
09. Jul, 2010
7:32 am
your family remind me so much of another couple we know. They are crazy cool (she is a bad-ass hula-hoop dancer, he a musician). They go as a family camping with their friends, and have chosen to include their child into their pre-baby routine and in return they are incredibly happy. Continue doing what you’re doing sexy lady
Princess Lasertron
11. Jul, 2010
2:31 am
thanks alison
Gina
09. Jul, 2010
6:46 am
Great post! I’m curious what that pillow thing is that Alice is sleeping on in the pic on your couch? It looks interesting. Thanks!
Princess Lasertron
11. Jul, 2010
2:30 am
it’s just a regular pillow, just really squishy! I think my mom got it at target or something. I like to use it for nursing because its so squishy and mold-able around her head for support.
rosie
09. Jul, 2010
6:12 am
She is so scrumptious and adorable! Although you said you don’t want advice, I am going to share the best advice I got as a new mother (which is 13 years ago tomorrow when my “baby” was born). My sister told me not to worry about how I did things because I was (am) the only mother my babies ever had and they don’t know what the books, other friends and family or random people think is the right way to do it.
That advice was such a gift and helped me continue to trust my instincts which has served me well.
Renee
09. Jul, 2010
5:30 am
I wish I were half as cool as you
Alice will LOVE these someday!