…Months that is.

I mean look at this… can you believe it?!?

I believed everyone when they told me how fast it would go… I really did. But man, oh man… it is FAST.

These days I’m really doing my best to enjoy each stage. Admittedly, that’s easy right now. Our fussy, frustrated newborn is turning out to be a pretty happy baby. She’s still not laid-back or anything, and she probably never will be. I am her mother, after all… and she’s got this determination about her. I’m not quite sure where that comes from. Maybe her abuelito. Her dad and I definitely get things done, but sometimes I see a fierceness in her that I don’t see in the two of us. I pray for God to use that determination for His glory and to help her in her weaknesses with it.

She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25

I’ve prayed that over her practically since we found out she was a girl. I find myself humbled when I think about how I thought I came up with that verse to pray over her, like it was my idea… and the more she grows into the person God has created her to be I see how no, sweet Sarah, it was God’s idea. It reminds me of the verse in Romans 8 that tells us that when we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit does.

Back to Work

This month I went back to work. I’ve whined and mused and talked about that plenty, so I won’t talk about it anymore will try not to talk about it too much more. It got easier faster than I thought it would, but sometimes it’s still hard. I miss her terribly during my breaks and ache to leave and go pick her up. In the days leading up to my return, a thought punched me in the gut that I still sometimes have to pray through: Why am I leaving my own child to take care of other people’s children? I know that’s not from the Lord. I know God has me at my school and I like where I teach, but sometimes that still gets me. Sometimes I feel like a wimp about it because it’s only two days a week. I act like I’m working 12 hour days, 6 days a week or something.

She’s doing pretty well with Miss Marcy and Levi while I’m gone. I was convinced she wasn’t going to sleep well away from home, but she’s done great with that. Sometimes I think she even naps better at Marcy’s! But we’re having some bottle battles again. I thought she was over that. I guess she was happy to oblige every now and then, but multiple bottles in a day, twice a week? She’s not really having that. She’ll drink an ounce, and then they’ll try again a little while later, and she’ll drink another ounce, and then they’ll try again… and then eventually she’ll down like 4 or 5 ounces. We’re going to start practicing more on my days off.

Milestones

This month she has started vocalizing a lot more, and in the past few days has learned how to squeal. She’s very amused at that ability. Oh goody.

She still hasn’t rolled over from back to front, but she’s gotten very close.

She’s sits up like a champ. She does need some support, but not that much.

She has started sucking her thumb as a habit. We’ve seen her do it before, but this month it became her thing. She loves her thumb. If only we could get a bottle nipple in the shape of her thumb, I think we’d be straight.

She is still not sleeping through the night consistently, but she’s getting closer. In fact, two nights ago she actually did! She slept over 7 hours in a row, and it was a school night. Mommy was so happy. Last night she did pretty well, too. She woke up around 1:30 to eat, and then slept all the way until 7:00. Hallelu.

I think it’s safe to say that she has also grown out of her 45-Minute Intruder phase. Although, that may just be because I took the plunge and tried a lot more wake time after seeing the notes from her first day at Marcy’s. I think I was still treating her too much like a newborn. It was great to have fresh eyes interpret her sleepy signs when I was stuck on looking at the clock too much. So, you can maybe say that Miss Marcy is the reason we moved past our 45-minute Intruder phase! Although… as I write this, I hear her talking to herself in her crib… 45-minutes after going to sleep. But you know what? If she wakes up happy and well rested, then so be it! I guess that’s the difference. It’s not that she’s always taking long naps, it’s that she’s more likely to be refueled by a short one now.

She’s still eating cereal, and starting to get more consistent with it. She knows what to do now, and will open her mouth when she sees the spoon. We also started oatmeal instead of just rice cereal. She seems to like the oatmeal more. I don’t blame her. We’ll probably start carrots in the next week or two.

Current Routine

She eats every 3-4 hours, and stays awake about 2 hours at a time, sometimes more in the afternoon if she’s had a long nap. Here’s what a typical day looks like, give or take.

7:00 — Wake up, nurse and cereal (a bit earlier on days I go to work). Independent playtime while I eat breakfast, and then some singing or playtime together.

9:00 — Morning Nap. This lasts anywhere from 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. If she has a short nap but wakes up happy, I let her stay in her crib a bit longer to rest and to see if she falls back asleep.

10:00-10:30 — Nurse then playtime. We often go for a walk during this wake time.

12:00-1:00 — Afternoon Nap. If her morning nap was short, it’s closer to 12:00, if her morning nap was long it’s around 1:00.

2:00 — Nurse then playtime. If there are errands to run this is when we go do that.

4:30 — Late Afternoon Nap. This time varies a lot, depending on the length of her first two naps. This nap is also usually pretty short. Just a little catnap to get through the rest of the day. After this she nurses and eats another serving of cereal, then plays with Daddy. I either join in on the fun or get dinner ready,

7:00 — Bedtime routine begins. Bath, read a book if she’s not fussy, nurse, prayers and lullaby, and then bed around 7:30.

Late Night Feeding(s) — I do not wake her anymore for a late night feeding before I go to bed, and she’s responding very well to that. She wakes up anywhere from 11:00 to 3:00 to eat. Sometimes she’ll wake up a second time around 4:00 or 5:00.

Likes and Dislikes

LIKES: Taking walks outside, singing songs, sitting on laps, grabbing things, silly faces

DISLIKES: Bottles, the nursery at church (although we’re hoping she’ll get over that hump soon. I think she gets overwhelmed.), staying in one place too long

More Summaries

Newborn

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months