Norah {Months 1 through 3}

All dressed up for Rae Rae and Ben's wedding!

Norah, my sweet second baby. I'm afraid I'm already failing at documenting your life as well as I did your brother's. It's not that I love you any less or that I'm even taking fewer pictures. The truth is that life is just much busier now, so I have less time to sit and write out all the details. But, that does not mean that I'm not enjoying each and every precious moment just as much. In fact, it's the exact opposite. I know now how fleeting these newborn cuddles and first smiles are, so I'm choosing to take it all in and savor each moment. With your brother I feel like I looked forward to each new milestone, I wanted to watch him grow and change. With you, all I want is for time to slow down. Way down. In fact, I'd love for you to stay 3 months for a while, which are words I most likely never would have uttered with your brother. I love looking back and reliving his first year though my blog though so I want to take the time to document a few momentous things happening in your life, even if I only get around to typing it out every other month or so.

Weston's first time holding you. 

 Your first month of life was a little rough for all of us, but I think that's true with most newborns. We needed time to figure you out and you needed time to adjust to the world. After many fussy evenings and consulting with other wise mamas we came to the conclusion that you have one very sensitive tummy. No formula for you (you were only getting it every once in a while anyway), and very limited dairy for mama. We've tried the sensitive tummy formula, but you seem to not like it at all. Fortunately you will take a bottle, so I just pump if we're going to be away from each other. Speaking of eating, you are a fabulous eater and have been since you were born. You were a strong sucker from the get go, so great that we had to get you a pacifier in the first 24 hours you were born. You don't seem as interested in a paci now, you'll only take on occasionally. You are eating about every 3 hours, sometimes with a little longer stretches in the morning and shorter stretches in the evening. It takes you about 15 minutes to do a complete feeding, I love how efficient you are, especially with your brother around. While you are eating he likes to do one of two things- he'll either sit right next to us and be very interested in what's going on, trying to kiss you and hold your hand OR he'll be sneaking out the dog door to get outside. Most of the time, it's pretty funny.

Big brother was here. He loves to bring you pacis. 

The next big topic with newborns next to eating is always sleep. After my experiences with your brother I did not have my hopes set too high, but I did not so secretly hope and pray that you would enjoy sleeping a little more than he did in those early days- and lucky for us, you do! In the first month you impressed me with your 4-5 hour stretches, I kept waiting for you switch gears and begin the every-couple-of-hour wake ups. But it still really hasn't happened. On New Years Eve you had your first 7+ hour stretch and slept through the night. Since then your pattern is to typically go down around ten or so after your last feed- you like to be tightly swaddled and have your sound machine on. You sleep in the newborn napper in the pack n play next to our bed until you wake up, which is usually not until some time after four. Once I've fed you I normally keep you next to me because you're such a sweet little snuggly baby. It's the perfect mix of getting my own space and then getting some great cuddle time. After that feed you usually wake up again sometime around 7 and then you'll either stay in bed and continue to sleep when Weston and I get up, or you'll decide to get up too and hang out in your swing for awhile. I am so so so thankful that you're such a good sleeper, I don't take one moment of that for granted! 

Here are your stats for your 2 month check up: weight: 12 pounds 4 ounces (75th%) and 24 inches long (92nd%) and your head is in the 73rd %.
These stats explain why you are growing out of your 3 month sleepers in length, but don't quite fill out any of your 3 months pants. :)
A few other fun things to remember: You smiled so early! Around 6 weeks you started giving us the biggest smiles- you smile with your whole face! Around 8 weeks or so you started giggling, we love that sound! At ten weeks you started making more sounds and now you like to have full on conversations with us.
As for toys, you like the swing and fall asleep in it pretty often. You like your bouncer, especially when I'm trying to cook or eat but can tell you want to be around people. You also like your playmat but I have to be careful about putting you on there when Weston is awake because he loves to lay down on it right next to you (and sometimes accidentally tries to roll over you...). I can't wait to try the bumbo and jumperoo with you in the next couple of months, I think you'll really like being upright so you can see all of the action.
Lorelai put it best when she said "Everyone in our family has fallen in love with little Norah". It's absolutely true. You're a precious little girl and we can't imagine our family without you!