Dear Irelyn: One and Two Months

Dear Irelyn,

I had a one month post for you in my drafts that just never got finished. So now you are two months old and I'm just going to combine the two!

Your first month you were just about the gruntiest baby ever. Because of that you gained the nicknames Grunt-a-babe and Little Baby Grunting {among others}. You have since grown out of that and I have to say that I miss it quite a bit!

It's also important to note that you have taken a binky since the very start and have even taken a bottle {twice}! Your big sister never did either of these things so we're feeling pretty lucky!

During your first month you pooped almost every time I got your diaper open. It was crazy! It didn't matter if you had just pooped or I was just changing a pee diaper or anything! You were bound and determined to poop every time your diaper was off! Cleaning up baby poop isn't the best job but you always just looked like it felt soooo good to get it all out so I just couldn't help but laugh every time this happened! We sure did A LOT of laundry that first month! It was extra funny because Holland NEVER pooped or peed on us while we were changing her and then you came along and decided you needed to make up for her perfect record in the first couple of weeks! You are now past that stage and have only pooped two days in the last two weeks! Which is a whole new adventure. I'm always trying to figure out how many extra outfits I'll need to pack since your "poop day" means there will be A LOT of poop when it does finally come. Haha. You chose the day we drove back to Idaho to poop {and amazingly didn't get any poop on your carseat} and then your blessing day. But, being the little angel that you are you pooped after your blessing and even after you were out of your dress! Haha. So neither of those ended up being too disastrous--thank goodness! I'm sure we have many more poop adventures to come though. And I'm sure you'll be thrilled that I've recorded them all for you! ;)

This last month you traveled to Arizona and Oregon. On those drives you passed through Nevada and Utah as well. So you have been in five states now! You did wonderful in the car and sleeping in weird places and having your schedule messed up every couple of days. You really are such a mellow baby which has been a wonderful blessing!

You have been smiling for a while now but you smile at us more and more every day. I love to get you smiling and cooing at me. Your cooing {or talking} is just about the sweetest thing I have ever heard! You are almost starting to laugh. Sometimes we can get one little tiny giggle out of you and it's adorable! I think you'll be laughing pretty soon! You absolutely love to be talked to and are even starting to enjoy having Holland get up in your face...sometimes. Haha. She can still be a little overwhelming! I can't wait to see you girls develop your relationship over the next few months and then years though.

You are just such a joy to have around. Being a mom to two definitely has its hard days and we just got home from being with family for the past month so I'm sure we have lots of adjustments to make but we really are so happy to have you as a part of our family!

Some Stats:
One Month: 11 lbs.
Two Months: 13 lbs.

And of course some pictures!

One Month.

Dear Holland,

This last month has flown by {very much the opposite of the month before}! Last Saturday {the 15th} you turned one month old. This last month has been filled with sleepless nights, bows and flowers for your cute head, roadtrips to Flagstaff and Pomerene, AZ, poopy diapers,  meeting grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, smiles, tears, a move to Idaho, tons of cute outfits, family walks, and so much more. It has been quite the adventure. And I'm sure the following months will be adventurous as well! I am loving watching you grow and learn new things every day. I love taking you places and realizing that each adventure expands your world. As I write this you are lying on my lap after eating and smiling up at me. I love your sweet smile. Your dad and I read that babies don't really start smiling at people until they're a month old or more but you have been smiling at us since the very beginning and we love to see a smile on your face! In the past couple of weeks you have started "talking" a bit more and it is so cute! You do it most right after you wake up {before you get grumpy and want to eat}. You also have a little squeal that almost sounds like a laugh. We love to hear your voice! Here are some other little things we've learned about you in your first month:

• You do not sleep well at night {although you are getting a LITTLE bit better}. You like to sleep all day and then be up for most of the night. 
• You want to be held all. the. time. {You are just now being happy lying on the bed for a little bit right after you wake up.}
• You are really good at holding  your head up.
• You have great style! Okay, that might be something I am forcing on you... 
• You sleep great in the car. Your dad and I even drove to Idaho through the night hoping to switch your sleeping schedule around. I think it kinda helped...
• You love to sleep on your daddy's chest. 
• You want to nurse all. night. long. 
• You have really long nails that you use to scratch anyone who holds you. {Mostly me while you're nursing.}
• You absolutely LOVE showers. You are the most relaxed while you are showering. 
• You hate pacifiers and bottles. The only people who have been able to get you to take them are Mimo and Gram. 
• When you are upset in the car you calm down when you hold on to mommy and/or daddy's thumbs. It is adorable.
• You aren't a huge fan of tummy time but it does last longer when you are in front of the mirror. Apparently you like your reflection! 
• You like to lounge on my lap while I get ready for the day so you can watch yourself in the mirror. 

And now for your personal enjoyment, here are some of the many nicknames your dad and I use on you: 

• Little or Wee Miss
• Holland Girl 
• Miss
• Stinker
• Pterodactyl girl {because of the dinosaur noises you make}
• Little Goose 
• Little, Mini, or My Main Squeesh 
• Sailor/Sailor Girl 
• Da Chunks
• Wee Little Squirt/Squeesh 
• Da gumps {aka Grumps}

I hope I'm not missing anything super important! Mostly we are just absolutely in love with you and can't wait to see how you change over the next months! We love being your parents! And now for some pictures from your first month photo shoot in the laundry basket! 

You were not a big fan of having your picture taken. 

{You rarely ever are other than quick pictures with my iPhone.}

Twisting and Turning! 

Holding onto the basket for moral support.

So, I am supposed to take pictures of you in this basket every month to see how much you grow but I'm pretty sure you will already have grown out of the basket by about three months...we'll see how this works out for us!

Love you sweet girl! Happy One Month! 

Love, Mom {and Dad}