Today's post is going to be a double-post. First of all, I wanted to write my blogs about what I've discovered after having a baby with some regularity, predictability, etc. So, I designated Thursday for these posts (unless something else comes up). However, today is also a special day. It is September 8th and Gordon Lee is 2 months old today. Today's post will cover something I've learned and a few things about Gordon Lee on his 2 month birthday.
I remember working out at the YMCA with my dad a couple of years ago. I had been lifting (what I felt) was a good amount of weight. I was on a leg extension machine lifting two 45 lb plates on each side. I felt pretty tired. At this point, my father came over and added two more 45 lb plates. WHAT?!? 180 pounds? You have got to be kidding me! "I can't do that!" I told him. He reassured me that I could and to at least try a few repetitions. Well, after lifting quite a few times (I no longer remember how many), I realized that I very well could do it! After this fact, he told me that sometimes you think you've reached your limit just because your mind thinks so when really you haven't.
I won't forget this lesson because it has carried over to so many other areas of my life. I am going to stop holding my breath for some elusive future when things are going to get "easier." During Gordon Lee's first week or so, I remember asking my mom, "Please tell me it gets easier." I'd been so sleep deprived due to the fact that I hadn't slept in over 24 hours after he was born. Then, he needed to eat every 1-2 hours. And I remember thinking, When in the world am I going to get any sleep? It just seemed like an uphill struggle that had no end.
I knew it would get easier, but I spent my days just waiting for the next week, the next day, the next month when things would stop being so crazy. Plain and simple. They haven't. Some days are easier than others. But my baby still wants to eat basically every hour. He is "supposed" to be able to space feedings out 3-4 hours at this point. But, unfortunately, babies don't read the books on what they are supposed to do. So, every hour it is (except at night when he goes 3-4 hours). Then, he often cluster feeds from 6-10 pm meaning he eats every 30 minutes. Yes, that is a lot of eating. But it just goes right through him!
I know a lot of people expecting babies right now, and I am not trying to make it seem bad. Having a baby is a wonderful thing; it just isn't easy. Basically, what I'm trying to say is when you think you can't to it, you can! There have been days when Gordon Lee is wonderfully peaceful and then there are other days when it seems all he ever does is cry, eat, and sleep. I have thought I couldn't do it, but the truth is, I can. If I keep waiting for it to get easier, then I am missing out on the time that I have with him now, which I know is so short!
Now for PART 2
I won't forget this lesson because it has carried over to so many other areas of my life. I am going to stop holding my breath for some elusive future when things are going to get "easier." During Gordon Lee's first week or so, I remember asking my mom, "Please tell me it gets easier." I'd been so sleep deprived due to the fact that I hadn't slept in over 24 hours after he was born. Then, he needed to eat every 1-2 hours. And I remember thinking, When in the world am I going to get any sleep? It just seemed like an uphill struggle that had no end.
I knew it would get easier, but I spent my days just waiting for the next week, the next day, the next month when things would stop being so crazy. Plain and simple. They haven't. Some days are easier than others. But my baby still wants to eat basically every hour. He is "supposed" to be able to space feedings out 3-4 hours at this point. But, unfortunately, babies don't read the books on what they are supposed to do. So, every hour it is (except at night when he goes 3-4 hours). Then, he often cluster feeds from 6-10 pm meaning he eats every 30 minutes. Yes, that is a lot of eating. But it just goes right through him!
I know a lot of people expecting babies right now, and I am not trying to make it seem bad. Having a baby is a wonderful thing; it just isn't easy. Basically, what I'm trying to say is when you think you can't to it, you can! There have been days when Gordon Lee is wonderfully peaceful and then there are other days when it seems all he ever does is cry, eat, and sleep. I have thought I couldn't do it, but the truth is, I can. If I keep waiting for it to get easier, then I am missing out on the time that I have with him now, which I know is so short!
Now for PART 2
Gordon Lee is 2 months old today! As now now, here are a few of the things he is doing.
smiling...as I have hundreds of pictures of this because I can't get enough of it!
laughing...he actually doesn't laugh that often but he will let out a few chuckles every now and then. It is super cute when he does.
Fixating on objects more. It used to be that he could only stand a few minutes (if even that long) laying down on his little playmat before he started screaming like he was in a torture chamber. Now, he actually takes notice of the things there and will lie there for much longer. However, he still has a lot of times when he wants nothing to do with it. In the video, he is having a moment when he can't get enough of his star that lights up and plays music for him.
He also interacts quite a bit. If I say things like "Hi," "Hi, Gordon Lee," "I love you" or "Good Morning," he often responds with a coo or a little happy noise.
It really is fun to watch him grow and develop. Babies change so fast. It sometimes seems like there is something new every day!
This is so true. If we wait for things to get easier, we really do miss out on the things right now. Great post.
ReplyDelete