Ava - 2 Months Old

Two months already, I could cry! Everything is even more bittersweet this second time around as we know we are stopping at two children. I keep trying to soak up every moment but it's so hard when you have more than one child cause your time is split two ways. It doesn't feel like two minutes since she was born but at the same time it feels like she's been with us forever, she's really fitted into our family, she's made us complete.

Character

Ava is a very happy and smiley baby, as soon as she wakes up in the morning she beams from ear to ear before you even have chance to smile at her first. She really enjoys being talked to and will reply with the cutest sounding babbles. She also loves to be held and cuddled, especially by Mummy. She's quite dependant on me and she won't ever let me put her down and as lovely as it is, it's quite exhausting too.

Size

She now weighs 12lb 12oz, is 62cm long and is following the 91st percentile to a tee. She's very tall and is starting to get her baby fat, which I absolutely love! She's in size 2 nappies and is wearing 0-3 clothing. 

Health

No health complaints this month! Nothing at all, not even nappy rash or a bit of cradle cap. Hopefully I don't jinx myself there! Noah's had a bad cold and cough this month so Ava has been lucky not to catch it considering he is always smothering her in kisses. I wonder if my milk is giving her some immunity to it, I like to think so. 

Feeding

We are still breastfeeding and loving every moment. She feeds on demand which is usually every 2-3 hours during the day but come night time she usually goes 4 or 5 hours without waking for a feed, one night she did a 7 hour stretch! She's doing really well and I just follow her lead. 

Sleep
As mentioned above when it comes to bedtime Ava usually sleep between 4-5 hours without waking for a feed which is great. She tends to sleep best in our room so as soon as we go up for the night she has a big feed and usually falls asleep in my arms. I've only just starting to get her to sleep in her Snuzpod but to achieve that I have to let her fall asleep on me first. We are getting there slowly but surely but she's still only 8 weeks old and is still in that fourth trimester so I think she's doing great. 

Milestones

* Ava recently discovered her hands and is often found chewing on them.

* After discovering her hands she realised she can control them and so really concentrates on touching things and has a real fascination with her coloured blankets and pattern lamaze toys.

* She's extremely strong so has great neck and head control and is even trying to roll from back to front. She's growing up way too fast!
* She loves to chat and as soon as you start speaking her face lights up and she responds with the cutest cooing noises you've ever heard.

Favourite things and dislikes
Milk, being snuggled by Mummy, sleeping in Mummy's bed, smiles, being spoken too, bath time, her lamaze toys, her comforter and blankets, Noah, the sun, lullaby music, being held in general. She doesn't like having her clothes changed but doesn't mind her nappy being changed. She also doesn't like being put down or being alone for two seconds, she's very much a velcro baby!

Photoshoot - Noah 2 Months old

I have always been obsessed with taking photographs. Even as a child I used to buy disposable cameras and take photo's of anything and everything from tree's to my barbie dolls. I studied Photography at college gaining a National Diploma in Photographic Media and I have had a few jobs where Photography played a big role. A long the way I sort of forgot all about my DSLR. I kind of lost the passion for it. It was packed away at the back of my wardrobe and I began relying on my phone for quick snaps. Nick would always ask me why I don't just sell the camera and I always said I was keeping it for when we had children. Now that Noah is here I plan on doing DIY photoshoots here and there. I am kicking myself that I didn't do any newborn shots but I was living in a daze and now can fully concentrate on my old camera. It's like learning to ride a bike all over again. 

Noah is so used to having his photo taken now. He is only 2 months old and I have over 3,000 photographs of him. I don't want to miss a thing and pictures help me remember so much. Noah loves posing for the camera. Here are some pictures I took tonight-

Baby Diary: 2 Months Old

Today you have turned two months old! We have spent the day cuddling up to one another on the sofa and I have loved every second, just as I have enjoyed every second since you entered the world. You have really come into your own this month, it's been incredible watching you learn and develop. You now recognise Mummy and Daddy and love to babble and smile at us, nothing makes me happier.  

Character

I said it on your one month update and I will say it again, you are such a little character! You are such a Mummies boy already, which I love! Your character reminds me a lot of my own. You know your own mind and can be really impatient, especially when it comes to feeding time! As much as you love to be held you have become more independent this month too and we can actually set you down in your swing or on the sofa without you screaming the house down. You can actually lay there and entertain yourself, it's great! You are becoming so vocal and a real cheeky chappy.

Size

You now weigh 12lb 11oz are currently wearing 0-3 month clothes and the majority of them fit you perfectly now, some with a little more room to grow. The issue with most sleepsuits though is that you have rather long feet so we do tend to have to stretch the feet sometimes. You are becoming such a big boy. 

Health
Other than the occasional trapped wind and runny nappies you have been great. Recently the trapped wind and belly ache has reared it's ugly head again. You get such bad trapped wind that you end up hysterical but nothing a bit of gripe water, cooled boiled water and a tummy rub doesn't fix.

Feeding

You still absolutely love your milk! When you are feeding people always comment on how much you are enjoying it and that they have never seen a baby guzzle like it! We did switch onto hungry baby milk and it agreed with you but after a few weeks of consideration we switched back to regular Cow and Gate so we have hungry baby milk to move onto further down the line if you need it. Otherwise we would of had to move onto solids early if milk wasn't satisfying you anymore. You now drink 5oz every 3 hours during the day and have 6oz at bedtime which usually sets you through the night.

Sleep

Although you still don't settle until 1am in the morning your sleep has improved tenfold this month! You now take frequent naps throughout the day which is brilliant because it makes you a much more content baby. We have also cracked the moses basket situation and you are more than happy enough to sleep in it through the night and through the night. I mean that you sleep for a full 6/7 hours in it without waking! You then wake for a feed and then have a few more hours kip. Because you are only settling at 1am you do sleep until lunch so we are trying out best to get our times better but if we try settle you any earlier than midnight you scream the house down. I think we just have a night owl on our hands. 

Milestones

- Smiles. Proper social smiles! You love to give Mummy lots of smiles, from little smirks to big gummy grins. Each one you give to me melts my heart! So amazing.

- Lifting your head. You started lifting your head at an early age but you are still mastering the art. You can hold it up for long periods of time but you are still a little wobbly.

- Becoming alert. Again you have always been alert but this month you don't miss a beat. You now turn your head not only to different things that you see but to different things that you hear too. You have also discovered the TV and like to lie on the sofa and gaze at it in amazement. You now recognise Mummy and Daddy and chat and smile the most to us. 

- Vocal. You are so chatty! From eyy's to iyya's to cooo's you come out with some real noises and love chatting to everyone and anyone. You have such a lovely sounding voice, it's so adorable. Your favourite time to chat is after a nappy change. 

- Touch. You are still mastering the art of touch. You can grasp and pull but you aren't grabbing your toys as of yet. I have caught you pulling your dummy out and you bash your toys but you are still learning. 

Things you like

- Milk! You still love your milk!

- TV. You have discovered the TV this month and your favourite show is Spongebob Squarepants! You lie on the sofa and watch TV. It's hilarious.

- Going Tata's. You love being out about in the car, pram and going shopping. You love it even though you sleep the entire time.

- Baths. You absolutely love being bathed. You have a big smile on your face the entire time and have a real kick around. I can't wait to take you swimming.

- Sitting in your chair. You now don't mind being sat down and put down where as last month you would scream the house down. This makes my life so much easier.

- Laying on my chest. You still love sleeping on my chest and I am enjoying every moment while I can.

- Sitting up. You can't sit up on your own of course but you love sitting back on the sofa. You like acting like a big boy!

- Music. I recently started playing music to you and you really enjoy sitting their and taking it all in.

- Late nights. No matter what we do to try and make you sleep earlier you prefer to stay awake until the early hours.

- Moses basket - You now love sleeping in your moses basket.

- Blankey - You love your blankey against your face, it really helps you to doze off.

- Your Dummy - I sucked my finger growing up and didn't want you to suck your thumb so encouraged you to take a dummy as we will be able to take that away from you when the time comes. We also struggled getting you to sleep and found a dummy helped. We only give it to you when you are unhappy or when you are going to sleep. 

Things you don't like

- Being put down. You like a lot of attention!

- Waiting for a bottle. When you are hungry you want a bottle there and then. 

- Early nights. Like I said you like staying awake until the early hours. 

- Getting dressed. You still really hate being dressed and normally protest. 

- Being winded. You still fight being winded. 

It's been incredible watching you grow this month as you have grown and developed so much. Everytime you smile or coo it gives me goosebumps and I love you more and more each day.