Lauren on Living

A Lifestyle Blog about Simplifying Healthy Living

Reese’s Monthly Growth Series // 10

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Waves bye-bye, asks to be picked up by reaching her arm towards you, still no teeth, light sleeper, light eater, wants to be held all the time, prefers mommy over anyone else, first time being put to bed at night without mommy, generally easy going, very stubborn, not very cuddly

So I’m only two and a half weeks late with this monthly update. Everything seems like so much more effort with the third. Even so, Reese is such a funny little thing and a joy to be around.

Reesey Pea, is very stubborn and quite vocal about her preferences. She’s very serious around most people just but when she’s comfortable with you she can be quite the little ray of sunshine. She still screams to get your attention, which isn’t too pleasant, but I guess when you’re a third child you have to find ways to be heard above the cacophony.

Reese waves bye-bye by holding her arm out straight and the flapping her wrist but it’s the way that she asks to be picked up that really gets me. She extends her arms towards you and flaps her wrists and looks at you with such longing with those big brown eyes of hers that it pierces your heart.

This little one still isn’t eating all that much, but I’m thinking she probably eats a normal amount for a child her age, whereas Asher and Bennett were the oddballs with their consuming massive amounts of food. I’m such the fact that she’s still all gums doesn’t help anything either. She makes do, for the most part, mashing her food with her gums, but there are some foods that just prove too challenging. I mean, she doesn’t even have a hint of a tooth, but I’m really starting to relish her toothless grin. As cute as that first tooth will be when it comes I know a part of me will be sad that she’s moving yet another step away from infancy.

Reese is so dainty and petite and I’m really cherishing the feel of her tiny body in my arms, I only wish she were a cuddly child. She has no issue voicing her displeasure when I kiss her one too many times.

We went to Texas for a friend’s wedding which meant we left the kids with Raf’s parents and my mother-in-law put Reese to bed and although she did fuss a bit they were able to do it! So that definitely opens up a whole new world of possibilities to us. It’s nice to know that even though she won’t take a bottle, she is able to go to sleep without being nursed as long as I’m not there.

This little girl is either constantly on the move and getting into everything or she wants to be held and not put down at all. She has a strong preference for me and I often have to hide when most other people are holding her because if she sees me, she’ll want to come to me. I’m trying to savor this clingy-ness because I know it won’t last and one day I won’t be her favorite person anymore. And now I’m feeling all the feels!

Reese’s Monthly Growth Series // 3

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12 pounds (34th percentile), has found her hands, coos and babbles a lot, still hates tummy time, no laughs yet, smiles more often, falls asleep on her own, first plane trip (to Texas), eyes are brown, thrush is gone

Reese is 3 months old and the time is just flying by. Developmentally she seems to be somewhat behind where her brother and sister were at this age, but she’s her own person after all (something I have to keep reminding myself of). She hasn’t laughed yet, but she is smiling more. It could just be that she doesn’t find me funny. She has found her hands and loves sucking on her knuckles. She’s very talkative and is often cooing or babbling. Reese still takes a pacifier but she’s not as in love with it as she once was, instead, she’d much rather nurse, and since her weight percentile has increased, I guess it’s paid off!

We’ve finally kicked thrush to the curb and fingers crossed it doesn’t come back to hitch a ride again. She’s a much happier little girl than she once was, but she also such a serious child. While she smiles more often it’s still not all that frequent and instead, she likes to look at everyone with a very serious expression on her face. She sticks her tongue out a lot and will often like me when I’m kissing her, which isn’t pleasant.

Reese sleeps fairly well. I no longer swaddle her during the day and I tried to stop swaddling her at night but she just isn’t ready yet as her arms keep startling her awake. She’s a pretty floppy baby, which is something I’m not used to, but it does make her extra cuddly, which I love. She’s a mommy’s girl and is happiest when she’s with me. This girl still loves her sleep although she is spending more and more time awake, which is nice.

Asher and Bennett are still enamored with her and it’s so sweet how affectionate and attentive they are towards her. We took her first plane ride to Texas and she didn’t love it. She was pretty fussy on the flight but nothing terrible. She does, however, enjoy the warmer weather in Texas and loves being outside, which is something she has in common with her older siblings. Reese has the loveliest olive complexion and I think she may actually be our Persian looking child. Her thighs have filled out deliciously and she’s got a chunky backside to go with them.

I found out that I have a torn meniscus this month, so I’ll be having knee surgery to repair that April 3rd, followed by 6 weeks of crutches. I honestly don’t know how I’ll function with an infant let alone the older two. But I’m sure we’ll find a way. Thank goodness my parents live nearby!

Bennett’s Monthly Growth Series // 6

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17 pounds 12 ounces (78th percentile), 17.5 inches head circumference (95th percentile), 26 1/4 inches long (64th percentile), first international trip (visited Yap, FSM), went on 9 flights this month (making it 13 total), first boat ride, first time in a pool, first time in the pacific ocean, first time meeting her first cousins and uncles jared and evan and aunt sholz, sleep has been all over the place, super curious about eating.

I cannot believe that half of her first year is already behind us! I mean, seriously, what. just. happened?! I have been enjoying every second of this sweet time with her and she is an absolute delight. This has been an insanely busy and hectic month. We were literally traveling from August 1-28 and are still trying to return to normalcy. We spent 2 weeks in Eliot, Maine at my parent’s house. I took my first solo trip with two kids and actually survived it! My whole family, (parents, brothers and their families and us) flew half way around the world to the tiny island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, where I grew up. The journey there was quite an adventure and features, a tropical depression, torrential rain, a mechanical issue, spending three days in the tropics with no luggage and more. So stay tuned for that epic tale. After that we spent five days in Hawaii with my older brother’s family before heading home.

Bennett has always been and continues to be a complete joy. For the past month the 4 of us have been sharing a room, which was really good in many ways because I think it helped prepare B and A for when they’ll share a room but the room sharing combined with the jetlag has resulted in Bennett’s sleep being all out of whack. However I will say that bed sharing probably made the jetlag so much more bearable because when she would wake up in the middle of the night she’d just nurse until she fell asleep again and I’d barely  have to wake up at all.

This sweet girl is probably at her peak chub right now and I’m loving it. She’s in the sweet spot. You know the one. The time when they are able to sit up and are very engaging but can’t move around yet. It’s glorious. She’s all smiles and flirty eyes 95% of the time. She has been incredibly curious about food and looks at us longingly whenever we’re eating. I did let her taste a little bit of fresh coconut but I don’t think she actually swallowed any. I think she may have had a tiny bit of hair growth. Nothing to really write home about, but it’s a start! FullSizeRender (9) FullSizeRender (8) FullSizeRender (7) FullSizeRender (6)

Bennett’s Monthly Growth Series // 2

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11 pounds 9.5 ounces (60th percentile), 22 3/4 inches long (65th percentile), 15.5 inches head circumference (83rd percentile), got thrush again, smiles readily, on the verge of laughing, discovered her fists and loves to gum them, tolerates bath time, sleeps for a 6-8 hour stretch at night, usually wakes up once or twice at night, has a bedtime schedule, still very cuddly, extremely impatient – now means NOW, looks like a clone of mommy

My little Rosebud is two months old! I can’t believe how fast the time is flying. I remember things moving much slower when Asher was her age. Bennett is an absolute delight. We are all entranced by her. She is quick to smile and very well natured. She has periods of fussiness in the evenings, but I’ve found that as long as I hold her OR leave her alone (one of those two) she’ll settle quickly. I normally put her down to bed awake and she falls asleep on her own with no fuss, I just make sure to replace her pacifier a couple times. It’s wonderful, I feel like I’ve reclaimed my evenings! She loves to nurse and when she’s ready she isn’t at all patient about it, the girl knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to make herself heard.

She is basically my clone. The resemblance is absolutely uncanny! I feel like I’m looking at a picture of myself when I was a baby. What is my face doing on this tiny body?! It’s so weird, but after two years of seeing 99% Rafaan in Asher, it’s really fun to see my genes shine through.

Asher is still totally besotted. He handles her so sweetly and demonstrates a tenderness in her presence that is solely reserved for her. It makes my heart swell to bursting to see their interactions.

There is something so special about having a daughter. Neither Raf or I have sisters, so this feels totally novel and exciting, not that she’s really anything other than just a baby right now, but still. After having 3 sons my grandparents were blessed with a daughter and my grandfather always told me, he felt complete as a parent once my aunt came along, and I totally know how he felt now.

Still trying to figure out how to function with two. Parenting is the easy part, making dinner…not so much, but I’ll get there…hopefully. Also whoever said newborns were a ton of work never had a toddler, but more on that later.

Benny Girl is filling out quite nicely, I am LOVING all the rolls she’s getting. Asher at 2 months was 9.5 ounces lighter and half an inch longer, so I’m really enjoying all the chubby baby kisses!

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