Sisters

I had my doubts about this whole sibling thing. Two months ago, I never thought Marla would accept a new baby with open arms. I figured she'd be jealous and take her resentment out on the baby, or at the very least regress in some way or another (potty training, sleeping, etc.). I'm happy to admit that I completely underestimated her.

She's been such a great big sister from the very beginning. She loves loves loves Avery.

She talks to her exactly like we do:
Hiiii, Avery!
Oh, what a BIG yawn.
It's ok, Avery, it's ok, I'm coming! I'm here, Avery, it's ok.

And she tells us what Avery needs and what she's feeling:
I think she needs to eat.
Don't push that button, it will scare Avery.
Mama, I think you're too close to her face.
Daddy, you need to be gentle!
She's laughing at me!
She's saying, "What is that silly sister doing?!"

Whenever Avery is on the floor, Marla makes a point of being next to her, talking to her and playing with her. She gets territorial when other kids try to get a glimpse of her sister, pushing them back and telling them "be gentle" or "she doesn't like that!"

Comforting her baby sister.



Helping with bath time.



She loves to read her books, sing her songs, pet her head, give her kisses and hugs, and "dance" with her by moving her arms and legs around. Here she is reading to Avery.

 

Chatting during tummy time.

 

Tickle tickle!

 

 

A little serenade session:

 

 

Avery seems to love Marla too, despite the occasional rough handling, super close proximity, sloppy kisses, and extra loud volume. I've been told that in time, Marla will be her biggest source of entertainment.



A few more pictures of the sisters together:

 

 

 

I just can't wait to watch this relationship grow. It's off to a great start!

 

 

Avery at two months

I didn't get to a one-month post for Avery, so here were her stats:

Weight - 11 lbs 14 oz (99%)
Height - 22 in (85%)
Head - I didn't write it down, but I'm sure it was big

And here's the stats from her two-month appointment today:

Weight - 14 lbs 4 oz (98%)
Height - 24 in (92%)
Head - 41.5 cm (96%)

Obviously she's growing without a problem.

If you think her belly is big...

 

...you should see her thighs (bandaged up after today's shots)...

 

 

...and her cheeks...

 

 

 

She's been regularly sleeping through the night (8-9 hours at a time) for several weeks now. At most, she wakes up once a night to nurse and then goes back to sleep until 5 or 6 a.m. I hate to jinx anything by writing publicly about this amazing pattern, but it's just too good not to. Plus, it came after about a month of sleepless nights as Marla got a stomach bug and croup shortly after Avery's birth, then passed everything to me (not to mention months of insomnia during my pregnancy), so in a way, this reprieve seems totally justified. I feel more rested now than I have in months.

Ah, sweet slumber.

 

 

In addition to being a good sleeper, Avery is just a great baby overall. She prefers to be held while she's awake, and prefers to be moving while she's being held, but we're used to that after having Marla. She nurses often, about every two hours, but I'm used to that too. She usually only fusses when she's hungry, wet, or tired.

Just chillin'.

She started smiling about a month ago and has been more and more responsive every day. She's been drooling more and more, chewing on her hands some, and has even reached out to bat a toy from time to time. She loves ceiling fans, baths, getting her diaper changed, and being in a moving stroller or car. She hates the baby swing, tummy time, and pacifiers. 

 

 

She talks and coos a lot too, mostly when she's lying on the floor looking at a person or object above her.

I just can't believe she's two months old already. She's making this phase as easy as it could possibly be, which makes the time fly by even faster. As much as I want her to stay a newborn forever, I'm so excited for the days and months to come. We love you, baby girl!