a summary of nova's first year

1 MONTH

Eating:  7-9 feedings in 24 hours; every 2.5-3 hours
Number of Naps:  There was a bit of waketime and sleep after each feeding, so the "nap count" was kind of unnecessary at this point.
Duration of Naps:  Anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.  If she woke early, I'd try to use the paci or rock her back to sleep so she would be well rested.
Length of Waketime:  Optimal waketime was probably 50 minutes; actual waketime was closer to an hour or a little more.  This was because she was having so many issues nursing and would sometimes take a full 45 minutes to nurse.
Hours of Sleep at Night:  I didn't let her go past 5 hours at night.  Many times, I'd wake up to my alarm telling me to feed her at the 5 hour mark.

Worth Noting:
-I didn't keep track of any kind of "schedule" the first week.  We focused on full feedings every 2.5-3 hours, the EWS pattern, and the sleep hierarchy. 
-We started working towards a consistent morning waketime at 4 weeks.

2 MONTHS

Eating:  7-8 feedings in 24 hours; every 2.5-3 hours
Number of Naps:  I guess there were technically 4 naps and then after the 8ish feeding was bedtime.
Duration of Naps:  Anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.
Length of Waketime:  I was still trying to figure out her optimal waketime.  Sometimes it seemed close to 50 minutes, but other times it seemed closer to an hour and 10 minutes.
Hours of Sleep at Night:  This was a frustrating month because I knew she was capable of going longer than she was.  There were scattered moments of hope, but most of our nights were broken into 4-4.5 hour chunks.  Things started to lengthen out during week 9 though.  One night she went 9 hours between feedings, so we felt like we would turn a corner soon.

3 MONTHS

Eating:  6-8 feedings in 24 hours; every 2.5-3 hours
Number of Naps:  Still taking 4 naps.
Duration of Naps:  Anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.  Naps did start to improve this month, specifically the 2nd one.  There were a lot of 45 min. - 1 hr. and 10 min. naps, then towards the end of the month, things started getting better.
Length of Waketime:  1st waketime = 55 min, 2nd waketime = absolute mystery; almost every 2nd nap ended up being just 45 minutes, 3rd waketime = 1.5 hours, 4th waketime = 1.5 hours (or however long would make her 4th nap around 45 minutes)
Hours of Sleep at Night:  A couple days before she turned 12 weeks, we decided not to feed her when she woke in the night.  We had every reason to believe she could easily make it through the night without eating.  (She was on formula, didn't spit up a ton, was gaining well, and wasn't eating well for her first feeding of the day due to the MOTN feeding.)  So when she woke in the night, she fussed, and then went back to sleep on her own.  So from 11.5 weeks on, she was doing around 10-11 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-By the end of this month, we started swaddling her hands up by her mouth.
-At 10 weeks, I tried a new thing.  The consistent morning waketime was really rough on us, so I decided that whenever she woke (6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.), I'd start my day.  My goal was just to keep bedtime the same.  I'm not sure if this helped us get closer to STTN or not, but that did happen soon after.  Once she was STTN, she fell back into a consistent morning waketime. 
-In general, it felt like something magical happened when she turned 3 months.  Everything just seemed more settled - her schedule, her night sleep, her naps, her ounces per feeding.

4 MONTHS

Eating:  6 feedings in 24 hours.
Number of Naps:  4
Duration of Naps:  Anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.  Naps were getting more and more dependable.
Length of Waketime:  The 1st waketime was typically closer to an hour and 15 minutes.  The rest of the waketimes were 1.5 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night:  10.5-11 hours of sleep. 

Worth Noting:
-We had to cluster feed at night, as you can see.  I tried 5 feedings a couple of days and she just wasn't ready for it.  Cramming in those last 2-3 feedings at night was hard, mostly because she was just so tired having to be up that long.  But it was necessary so she could get all ounces in.
-Nova goes down pretty quickly for naps, sometimes not even making a noise.  A minute or so of crying is pretty normal though.

5 MONTHS

Eating:  5 feedings in 24 hours.
Number of Naps:  4
Duration of Naps:  The first 3 were anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.  The 4th nap was only 45 minutes to an hour.  If she was still sleeping at an hour, we'd wake her.
Length of Waketime:  The 1st waketime was close to an hour and 15-20 minutes.  The next 2 waketimes were 1.5 hours.  The waketime before the last (4th) nap was closer to an hour and 45 minutes or 2 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night:  10.5-11 hours of sleep. 

Worth Noting:
-Soon after she turned 4 months, we cut down to 5 feedings.  6 feedings had just turned into too many for her, almost causing her to "snack feed" and not take full bottles.
-A lot of the time, she wakes or stirs at the 45 minute intruder during naps.  I'd say 95% of the time, she goes back to sleep.
-Last month, she was swaddled with her arms completely out.  And as of 5 months, we have switched her over to the sleep sack.  She kept getting her body out of the swaddle so it was time to make a change.
-A few days after turning 5 months, she started eating rice cereal once a day.  She had a few mornings of early waking (anywhere from 6:30-7:30) and some bad naps, so I took that as my cue to start.

6 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (4 bottles, 2 solids) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 3
Duration of Naps: Anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.
Length of Waketime: An hour and 45 minutes was the norm.  Occasionally if I saw sleepy cues a bit earlier than that, I'd put her down.  Also, if it was getting towards the end of the day and I needed to stretch her schedule, it'd be closer to 2 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 11-11.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-We moved to more of a "four hour schedule" even though it's not technically all the way to four hours yet. We found that 5 bottles a day was causing her to snack and refuse the bottle. She does much better with just 4 bottle feedings.
-After a couple weeks of rice cereal once a day, we moved to doing it twice a day (when we changed to the four hour schedule).
-Started offering a sippy cup of water after some meals.

7 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (4 bottles, 3 solids) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 3
Duration of Naps: Anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.
Length of Waketime: An hour and 45 minutes was the norm, but if she gave me sleepy cues before that, I'd go ahead and put her down.  She could do 2 hours towards the end of the day if I'm needing to stretch her schedule.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 11-11.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-Just before turning 7 months, we added the rice feeding at lunch time.
-The veggies she has had so far are carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes.
-We started giving her the mesh food feeder (apples and oranges) occasionally and she loved it.

8 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (4 bottles, 3 solids) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 2 (this month we made the transition from 3 to 2 naps)
Duration of Naps: Anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.  (There were very occasional 2.5-3 hour naps.)
Length of Waketime: Around 2 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 11.5-12.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-We introduced fruits this month (bananas, apples, pears).
-She continues to love all kinds and mixes of veggies.
-After going down to 2 naps, Nova's night sleep got much better.  I was not only noticing some early waking, but also occasional wakings in the night.  Sticking with just 2 naps seems to have solved it.  Her night sleep is also now closer to 12-12.5 hours rather than 11-12.  Not a huge difference, but any added sleep is a plus!
-Adjusting to 2 naps means that our last feeding and bedtime are a little earlier than preferred.  But I know that as she gets older, we'll be able to push it more.
-The number of ounces she takes at each liquid feeding is a guessing game.  There is seriously no pattern - sometimes all she wants is 2 ounces, but other times she'll guzzle an 8 ounce bottle.

9 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (4 bottles, 3 solids) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 2
Duration of Naps: Anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.  (There were occasional 2.5 hour naps.)
Length of Waketime: Around 2 hours.  I did find that sometimes she needed closer to 1.5 or 1.75 hours of waketime this month.  That could possibly be due to illness or maybe just that she's adjusting to 2 naps a day still.  It's safe to assume anywhere between 1.5-2 hours is what she does though.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 11.5-12.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
 -Last month, I talked about how we had transitioned to 2 naps.  There were a few days, however, that a 3rd catnap was needed if she didn't nap quite as long as expected.  I just took it day by day and did what worked best each day.  But officially, at 9 months, she is down to 2 naps except for Wednesdays.  Those days are off because of Duke's school pick-up.  Because her afternoon nap is cut short, she always goes down for a 3rd nap around 4:30.
-We have just barely begun to venture into non-baby (pureed) foods.   So far, she has tried pasta and rice.  She is a fan of both!
-She is now completely capable of picking up small foods (like puffs) and feeding herself.  Now that she's learned that skill, we'll begin to slowly introduce more finger foods.
-As of now, we'll start cutting out the rice cereal since we'll be adding in other foods. 
-Nova seems to be pretty sensitive to textures.  She gags easily, so I know we will have to ease her into the process of more chunky foods.
-She seems to have settled into a more predictable pattern with drinking 4-6 oz. of her bottles at each feeding.  It's not always that amount, but for the most part, that's what she takes.

10 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (3 main meals, 4 bottles) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 2
Duration of Naps: Morning nap went through a 45 minute funk for a couple weeks, but it seems to have settled around 45 minutes-1 hr. 15 minutes.  Afternoon nap was anywhere from 1.5-3 hours, although the average was 2-2.5 hours.
Length of Waketime: We were kind of done needing to operate on "waketime," but if I had to count, I'd say 2 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 12-12.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-She got tubes in her ears at the beginning of this month and it made a HUGE difference in her sleeping.  (She had been waking up at several points in the night and crying due to pain.  She rarely needed us to come in and tend to her, but it was still interrupted sleep for all of us.)  We had our happy baby back!  
-At mealtime, we do a combination of her feeding herself and me feeding her.  One, because it helps keep her focused and two, because if we let her feed every single piece of food, we would be there forever.

11 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (3 main meals, 4 bottles) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 2
Duration of Naps: Morning nap was a bit unpredictable, but it was usually around 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes.  Afternoon nap was anywhere from 1.5-3 hours, although the average was 2 hours.
Length of Waketime: We were kind of done needing to operate on "waketime," but if I had to count, I'd say 2 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 12-12.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-For the past couple of months, I've felt that she would start cutting down on her morning nap a lot sooner than expected.  In general, it seems that if she sleeps more than an hour in the morning, then she wakes from her afternoon nap way too soon.  Dropping the morning nap is a transition that can last awhile, so I'm just assuming that we are at the beginning of it.
-Something has clicked with her and the sippy in this past month.  She has discovered that there is actually something in there to drink!  This is great since we'll be transitioning to whole milk in the sippy soon.

12 MONTHS

Eating: 5 feeding periods (3 main meals, 1 snack, 3 bottles) in 24 hours.
Number of Naps: 2
Duration of Naps: Morning nap had to stay around 30-45 minutes.  Afternoon nap was anywhere from 2-3 hours.
Hours of Sleep at Night: 12-12.5 hours of sleep.

Worth Noting:
-In order to have any kind of normal nap in the afternoon, I really have to keep the morning nap short.  My guess is that she drops her morning nap sooner than Duke did (at 15.5 months).
-There are occasional mornings that she does not end up taking a morning nap at all because of appointments or not napping well at church.  She actually does just fine.  I don't think she could handle it every day, 7 days a week.  But the fact that she can handle it at all means that we are definitely in the transitional period to dropping the morning nap.
-Around the time she turned 1, we dropped that 4:00 p.m. bottle feeding and replaced it with a small snack and water.  That leaves us with 3 bottle feedings.  The next one we drop will be the lunchtime bottle.
-She is not a fan of milk in the sippy cup right now.  We'll see if she gets used to it over time.


***To see more detail or a schedule for each month, check out Nova's monthly schedules or Duke's monthly schedules.
***To see a summary of Duke's first year, click here.

duke's 3rd birthday

Celebrating Duke's birthday has been a gradual process over the past several weeks.  But that's how I prefer it.  Everybody should get an entire birthday month in my opinion.

First - our day out with Thomas the Train.  Truthfully, I feel like I was the most excited for this.  Duke loved getting to see and ride the real Thomas.  The worst part?  That tent with all of the train tables.  This was, of course, Duke's favorite part so we had to endure it.  It smelled and was really crowded.  Also, all of the parents are forced to reveal their opinions on sharing.  You know, for some, the train should always be given to the other kid.  And for some, the train always belongs to their kid.  But Duke was in train heaven so we stuck it out.

We got together with my parents, siblings, and one set of grandparents to celebrate all of the October birthdays (Duke, my dad, and my brother).  Duke got lots of fun things and finally got to eat a piece of his Lightning McQueen cake.  The anticipation was almost too much to bear!

A few nights ago, Mimi and Nana came over to the watch the kids and they brought him his very first tricycle.  I can't wait to see him master it!

On the day of his birthday, he went to a special breakfast with Colt at the Runway Cafe.

Then, he was off to school.  At first I felt like that was rude to send my kid to school on his birthday.  But I guess that's the hard knock life of having a school year birthday.  #poolpartiestilidie

When Nova and I picked him up from school, we grabbed Sonic drinks and played at the park.  For dinner, we went and got Chick-fuh-way.

We decided not to do any kind of official party this year.  Partly because everyone in our friend group was either pregnant or in the first weeks of the newborn stage.  Partly because I knew that our families would celebrate Duke no matter what.  Partly because we had already had our special Thomas day with just Duke.  And partly because this just may be the last year that we could get away with not having a party without Duke really noticing.

Duke is one special kid.  "Three years old" seems like it happened in a blink of an eye, yet my memories of what it was like before Duke are getting fuzzier and fuzzier.  But welcome to what all of the old ladies say - the days are long, but the years are short.  Even though they should just stop saying that because it doesn't really seem to help anything in the moment, it is the truth. 

I love living life with this guy.

duke meets nova

 

Everyone says your older child instantly looks huge once you have a newborn.  Well, everyone is right.  But beyond the outward appearance, there was also this unexplained oldness that happened inside of Duke - like everything about him grew up the second that Nova entered this world.  In a matter of minutes, his role had changed.

We'd been talking about Baby Nova (or "Bay Nova," as Duke likes to say) for a pretty long time.  Duke talked about sharing his toys with Nova and saying, "It's okay," when she cries.

On the day she was born, he slowly walked in the hospital room with the sweetest smile on his face.  He got up on the bed with me and peeked over at his baby sister who was finally here.  His eyes began to get a little teary as he looked at her and looked at us.  It was as if he understood the weight of the situation in his 2 year old mind.  He held her and without any prompting, he whispered, "It's okay.  It's okay, Bay Nova."  My baby was loving on my baby.

This whole transition has been a beautiful thing and a scary thing.  I was completely surprised at how weepy I was in the beginning.  Tears, tears, and more tears.  I wasn't anticipating that at all.

I cried as we walked into our house the first time as a family of four.  It was so heavy.  I knew life was going to be so different.

I watched Duke play outside one evening while Nova was sleeping and the tears were non-stop.  I knew that he knew life was different, too.

I worried for my sensitive little guy.  I wanted him to still feel special and loved and noticed, but my attention was now split between two children.  That was hard for both of us.  

After several days of feeling a little resistance from him, I decided the two of us needed some time out together so we took a trip to Cuppies - an activity that was normal for us pre-Nova.  But even that felt different.  Being with just him carried a different emotion with it after adding Nova into our family.  He was now my "oldest child."

So much of me felt guilty for all the stay-at-home time we'd been having - no running a million errands every morning like we used to.  The parks, the post office, Target, and Barnes & Noble are just a few of the places that have seen less of us.  (Fortunately, or unfortunately for my thighs, we're still pretty acquainted with Sonic and Dunkin Donuts.  Thank you, Drive-Thru.)  Sure, it's hard for my life to feel temporarily paused as I adjust to this mom-of-two gig.  But it's even harder to see his life pause.  I worried that I'd taken something away from him.  I worried that he thought all of his fun had stopped.  I worried that he just didn't like me.

Even though the adjustment period certainly isn't over, I'm in a much better place with all of this after 7 weeks.  I know that Duke loves (and likes) me.  I know that even though sometimes I have to remind him to be gentle, he does love (and like) Nova.  He asks to hold her, loves to kiss her, and frequently says, "I wike her." 

Whenever I get nervous that I've forced him to grow up, I remember that we wanted to have multiple children so they could experience a sibling relationship.  There's a uniqueness about it and so much to learn from it.  Growing up with siblings is crazy fun.  I know he will treasure his role as a big brother.

I look forward to seeing them become best buds.

pregnancy comparisons - duke & nova

Just for funsies, let's compare the life of Duke and Nova in my belly.

CRAVINGS

Duke - potato chips, pickles, ham & mayo sandwiches, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, cherry cokes
Nova - bacon, cherry and/or vanilla cokes, chocolate malts, ice cream, frosted flakes, salads, chips, lots of chewing ice

THE COMPANY

With Duke in my belly, it was pretty much just me living a peaceful existence in my home each day.  This time around, I've had this entertainer to keep me company.  He builds some pretty great towers and he also brings me my shoes when I just don't feel like getting off the couch, walking over to them, bending down, and putting them on.  He's been a great helper and takes pretty good care of his mama.

FIRST MOVEMENTS

I first felt Duke around 20 weeks and first felt Nova around 18 weeks.

ULTRASOUNDS

(Left:  Duke at 22 weeks || Right:  Nova at 27 weeks)

So, are they twins or just siblings?  It's amazing to me how similar they look!

FIRST BRAXTON HICKS 

I started feeling them with Duke around 33 weeks.  With Nova, I began noticing the sensation of them around 22 weeks, but didn't experience the actual stomach tightening aspect until a few weeks later.

STATS

-Nova's heart rate has consistently been higher than Duke's.
-I am officially the same exact weight with both babies at 40 weeks.
-My blood pressure is typically low and has remained pretty much the same for both pregnancies, with common ups and downs.  However, mine is a bit lower at the end of this pregnancy than it was with Duke's.

MY BELLY

(Left:  Duke || Right:  Nova)

These belly pics were both taken at 38 weeks.  In general, I don't think there was a huge difference with my belly's size in these pregnancies. 

THE NURSERY

 

Nova's nursery was definitely ready way earlier than Duke's.  You'd think it'd be the opposite!  I guess I was just so trusting with my first pregnancy that it would last the entire 40 weeks on the dot.  Thankfully, it did!

FEELINGS ON LABOR/DELIVERY

I confidently walked into Duke's birth with little knowledge on natural labor and delivery, so I was incredibly grateful for the support I received from family and friends.  I felt like I had an army of people who really believed in me and believed I could do it.  I hadn't watched any documentaries or really read any books.  I just trusted that my body could do it and my mind could handle it.

With Duke, every moment of the labor and delivery was new so I was processing it as I went.  This time, I've been excited to process it differently, with a past experience in mind and a little more perspective.  But while I feel like a stronger person in so many areas now, I've been more nervous about the natural birth the past few days.  Can you really do this again? Are you really strong enough for the pain again? have been the kinds of thoughts swirling around in my mind.  But again, I have such great people in my life that are encouraging me and praying me through it.

THE END

My last few weeks of being pregnant with Duke were filled with plenty of signs that my body was preparing for something.  With Nova, I've experienced practically zero signs.  However, I did have an appointment yesterday and I'm at a 1 and 50% effaced.  So while it's nothing crazy, it is something I suppose.

Obviously, I can't compare any labor facts at this point.  I'm starting to wonder if I'll be feeling fine one minute and then have a ridiculous contraction the next.  Who knows?  Dinner at Ted's and "The Walk" are both happening tonight though, so that just may do the trick.  Come on, Nova, we're ready to meet you!

What were some differences you moms noticed in your pregnancies?

the mom and duke chapter

Today was a pretty normal day.  I got up before Duke, accomplished some things around the house, and was ready to eat breakfast with him when he woke.  I had plans of running errands later, but didn't necessarily plan to eat lunch out.  However, while we were out and about and almost done, I began feeling that this chapter was going to end - the mom and Duke only chapter.  It gives me a lump in my throat just typing it.

I quickly decided that we each needed smoothies from Jamba Juice and sandwiches from City Bites and a picnic at the park.  He picked the picnic table and we sat down together to have lunch.  After eating and discussing all the sounds we heard and all the trucks that drove by, we headed to the swing.  It didn't take long for him to realize that there were 4 awesome slides in front of him and he sure didn't want to waste his time on something he had in his backyard.  So, off to the big toy we went.  I watched as he went down every slide over and over and over. 

And that's when I started getting teary eyed on a park bench in the beautiful spring (although summer-feeling) heat.  I'm a smidge over 38 weeks pregnant and who knows when our last park date will be.  Was it today?  Will we be able to squeeze in a few more?  I have no idea.  But I sat there and tried to memorize everything about everything - the sun being out, the wind, the color of Duke's hair, how he climbed up the stairs cautiously each time, the way he said, "hot!" when his legs touched the slide, how he joyfully exclaimed, "again!" after every landing.  

Everyday that inches closer to Nova's arrival leaves me with excitement mostly.  These intensely sentimental and emotional days really are just here and there.  But, boy, when they hit, they hit. 

So if you happen to find me crying in a park somewhere in these next couple of weeks, don't be alarmed.  Well, maybe ask me if I'm in labor first.  But if I'm not, just know that I'm a crazy hormonal pregnant woman who is overwhelmed with love for her son.

dukelish, volume 2

(If you missed the first installment of Dukelish, click here.)

The past several months have been full of hilarious conversations all day long.  It blows my mind how often (and how loudly) this kid talks.  I find myself jotting things down on paper or texting our back-and-forth dialogue to Colt just so I can remember.  But there's only so much I can write down!  At this age, almost everything he says is funny.  So here just a few of the memorable ones:

On the way home from Mother's Day Out ...
"Hey Mama?"
"What, baby?"
"I missed you."

While looking at his Star Wars lunch box, I say ...
"Duke, who's that?" (pointing to Obi-Wan Kenobi)
"It's Boat!" (my dad)
"And who's that?" (pointing to Han Solo)
"It's Pappaw!" (Colt's dad)

After giving him a little talking to about not throwing toys, Duke puts his finger on my mouth and says ...
"No.  Don't talk."

While at Hobby Lobby, Duke hears various people come on the intercom and to each request he says loudly ...
"No, thank you."

In general, his new favorite thing to say to us is ...
"Stop it."
(There's not a lot we can do about that one, so we just encourage him to say, "Please stop," when he wants someone to stop doing something.)

After tucking him in one night, Colt and I walk out and Duke says ...
"Good night!  Merry Christmas!  I wuv you!"

After seeing the Backyardigans as an option on Netflix, he says ...
"I watch it at school!  I watch show!  I close my eyes!  (long pause)  I think about it."

After driving by Duke's "school" (Mother's Day Out), he says ...
"Teacher says 'shhhh.'"
"Why'd your teacher say that, Duke?"
"I not go night night."
"Oh, what were you doing?"
"I talkin'." (with a big, proud grin on his face)

During breakfast, I say ...
"Duke, can I have a grape?"
"Of course!"

Vocabulary Worth Remembering:

Munade - Lemonade
Moomix - Music
Basketaball - Basketball
Sco Pots - Cold Spots (in reference to me heating up his frozen pancakes so we don't have "cold spots")
Pickups - Hiccups
Puffins - Cheese Puffs

I can hardly handle how much I love this little 2.5 year old.  Soaking every little word and conversation up as much as I possibly can!

a summary of duke's first year

In preparation for this next baby, I've reflected a lot on Duke's first year - the feedings, the waketimes, the amount of naps, the duration of naps, etc.  I was pretty faithful about posting Duke's schedules every 2-3 months when things were changing.  I'm SO glad I did because I will definitely be referencing them.  But something else I wanted to do was compile all of the basic information (eating/waking/sleeping) of Duke's first year in one place.  Between Duke's monthly schedules and my letters to Duke, I was able to piece everything together.  I hope this will not only help me, but will help other moms as well!

1 MONTH

Nursing:  every 2.5-3 hours
Hours of Sleep at Night:  one 5-6 hour stretch and then a 4 hour stretch by the end of the month

2 MONTHS

Nursing:  every 3 (sometimes 3.5) hours
Duration of Nursing:  35 minutes-1 hour
Duration of Naps:  1.5-2 hours
Length of Waketime:  1 hour 20 minutes-1 hour 30 minutes
Hours of Sleep at Night:  8 consecutive hours by the end of the month

11 WEEKS

Nursing:  6 feedings a day; every 3 (sometimes 3.5) hours
Duration of Nursing:  25-45 minutes
Number of Naps:  5 naps
Duration of Naps:  1.5-2 hours
Length of Waketime: 1 hour 20 minutes-1 hour 30 minutes
Hours of Sleep at Night:  8 hours

3 MONTHS

Nursing:  6 feedings a day; every 3 (sometimes 3.5) hours
Duration of Nursing:  15-25 minutes
Hours of Sleep at Night:  7.5-8.5 hours

4 MONTHS

Nursing:  tried 5 feedings, but still needed 6 feedings a day
Duration of Nursing:  15-30 minutes
Number of Naps:  4 naps
Duration of Naps:  morning/afternoon naps - 1.5 hours each; 3rd/4th naps - 45 minutes-1 hour each
Length of Waketime: 1.5 hours before naps; a bit longer in the evenings
Hours of Sleep at Night:  9-10 hours

Worth Noting:
*We started rice cereal.

5 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating:  6 feedings a day; 2 feedings supplemented with rice cereal
Duration of Nursing:  15-20 minutes
Number of Naps:  3 naps, occasional 4th nap
Duration of Naps:  morning/afternoon naps - 1.5 hours each; 3rd nap - 1-1.5 hours; 4th nap if extra fussy
Length of Waketime: 1.5 hours
Hours of Sleep at Night:  9-10 hours

6 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating:  6 feedings a day; breakfast and lunch supplemented with rice cereal; dinner supplemented with a veggie (green beans, carrots, squash); fruits (bananas and applesauce) were added after 2 weeks of veggies
Duration of Nursing:  15 minutes
Number of Naps:  3 naps, occasional 4th nap
Duration of Naps:  morning nap - 2 hours; afternoon nap - 1.5-2 hours; 3rd nap - 45 minutes-1.5 hours; 4th nap if extra fussy
Length of Waketime: 1.5 hours
Hours of Sleep at Night:  9.5-10 hours

7 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating:  5 feedings a day; main meals supplemented with baby food and/or rice cereal
Duration of Nursing:  15 minutes
Number of Naps:  3 naps
Duration of Naps:  morning nap - 2 hours; afternoon nap - 1.5 hours; 3rd nap - 45 minutes-1 hour
Length of Waketime:  1.5 hours
Hours of Sleep at Night: 10.5 hours

8 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating: 5 feedings a day; main meals supplemented with baby food and/or rice cereal
Duration of Nursing:  12-15 minutes
Number of Naps:  3 naps
Duration of Naps:  morning nap - 2-2.5 hours; afternoon nap - 2 hours; 3rd nap - 45 minutes-1 hour
Length of Waketime: 1.5 hours before first two naps; 1.5-2 hours before 3rd nap
Hours of Sleep at Night: 11 hours

Worth Noting:
*Started doing "sippy cup time" during lunch and dinner for Duke to experiment with it.
*Started using the mesh food feeder.

9 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating:  5 feedings a day; main meals supplemented with rice cereal and fruit and/or veggie
Duration of Nursing:  8-12 minutes
Number of Naps:  3 naps
Duration of Naps:  morning nap - 2-2.5 hours; afternoon nap - 1.5-2 hours; 3rd nap - 30 minutes-1 hour
Length of Waketime:  1.5 hours before first two naps; 1.5-2 hours before 3rd nap
Hours of Sleep at Night:  11-11.5 hours

Worth Noting:
*Still was working on finger food skills.
*Began mashing up veggies and fruits instead of baby food.

10 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating:  5 feedings a day; main meals supplemented with rice cereal and fruit and/or veggie
Duration of Nursing:  8-12 minutes
Number of Naps:  2 naps
Duration of Naps:  morning/afternoon naps - 1.5-2.5 hours each; officially done with 3rd nap
Length of Waketime:  1.5 hours, but can be closer to 2 hours if needed
Hours of Sleep at Night:  11.5-12

Worth Noting:
*Really great with finger foods.  Especially loved Gerber puffs.

11 MONTHS

Nursing/Eating:  started weaning this month; 5 feedings a day (3 nursing periods and 2 bottles of formula); main meals supplemented with rice cereal and fruit and/or veggie
Duration of Nursing: 6-8 minutes
Number of Naps:  2 naps
Duration of Naps:  1.5-2.5 hours each
Length of Waketime:  1 hour and 45 minutes-2 hours
Hours of Sleep at Night:  11.5-12 hours

12 MONTHS

Eating:  fully weaned to a bottle 5 feedings a day by the end of the month; main meals supplemented with rice cereal and fruit and/or veggie
Number of Naps:  2 naps
Duration of Naps:  1.5-2 (sometimes 2.5) hours each
Length of Waketime:  2 hours, but we didn't really operate on "waketimes" anymore at this point
Hours of Sleep at Night:  11.5-12 hours

Worth Noting:
*Went cold turkey to drinking cold milk out of sippy cups and said goodbye to bottles right at 12 months.
*We pretty much transitioned to 3 main meals and 2 snacks right at 12 months.
*Began seeing signs of transitioning to 1 nap a day.

a glimpse of courage in duke

What is it about seeing your child act courageously that makes you want to bawl like a baby?

I got a glimpse of this when Duke got his first and (so far) only stitches back in January of 2013.

I got another glimpse of this at his 2-year-old well check when he choked back tears with quivering lips.  He was uncomfortable and didn't want that silly instrument in his ears, but he knew it needed to be done.  And he knew I was right there with him.  I saw him swallow back the urge to scream and fight.

The most recent glimpse of this was at the eye doctor.

Duke had been doing a few things that made me question the health of his eyes.  I didn't know if it was an actual vision issue or if there was just something irritating him.  Either way, my pediatrician advised me that if I got that feeling in my "mom gut" to get him checked out, then I should do it.

I really had no idea what to expect.  I've only had glasses/contacts since my senior year of high school.  Thinking about a little person like Duke getting his eyes checked seemed practically impossible.  How would they accomplish this task with a squirmy toddler?  

My nerves subsided when we walked in the door and were greeted by 4 young women with smiling faces behind the desk.  They had this kid thing down.  And, of course, there was a little aquarium that stole Duke's attention from the start.  We watched the fish swim around until they finally called us back.

After talking with the nurse a bit, she informed me that in order to check the health of the eyes at this age, they'd need to dilate them.  I hate getting my eyes dilated the one time per year I have to do it so I knew Duke wouldn't be a huge fan.  Although he whined a bit while the eye drops were going in, he quickly calmed down when he noticed a huge jar of chocolate in front of his face.  The nurse said he could have a piece of chocolate since he did such a great job.  He looked at her, looked at me, and then said, "One?"  (We're big into "one" around here.  Just one cookie.  Just one gummy vitamin.  Just one more drink.)  "Yeah!  You can have one!" I said. 

Duke opened his Reese's peanut butter cup, the nurse turned on Toy Story, and we waited for the doctor.  (Again, they had this kid thing down.)

The doctor came in and asked Duke to sit in the chair.  I thought, there's no way, mister.  And just then, Duke gladly climbed into the chair as if he'd done it a million times before.  He held my hand and sat so bravely as the doctor peeked into his eyes using weird objects he'd never seen before.

I was so proud of him. 

I do realize I'm in the very beginnings of this stuff.  I don't know what it's like to see your child step onto a school bus for the first time, walk into the doors of a high school for the first time, ask a girl on a date for the first time, audition for something for the first time, etc.  I only know the small, 2-year-old braveries.  But right now, those are huge in my world.

As I drove home and replayed the events over and over, I thought about what goes on in MY mind when I'm having to choose bravery over fear - the dismissal of negativity, the focus on the truth, the ability to know that it's going to be okay, etc.  Now, I know a 2-year-old isn't thinking about these things like I am, but his wheels were still turning.  He was having to decide if he was going to cry or if he was going to be okay.  Something in him said it would be fine.  I'm holding my mom's hand and she's right here and I'll be fine.  I don't know what's going on but I trust her.

Watching him sit there like a big (yet so small in the scheme of life) boy made my heart jump and, at the same time, made me want to weep at how precious this whole motherhood thing is.  It's incomparable to any other relationship or feeling I've ever experienced.  I know there will be many more joys to come in this parenting gig.  But right now, in my current stage of life, I'm celebrating small moments like this.

If you're wanting to know how it all turned out, he is actually farsighted just like me.  His doctor told me it was a good decision to bring him in.  Although there isn't anything to be done at this point, we know that we will need to get him checked again in a year.  (P.S. I'm learning that your "mom gut" is actually the Spirit giving you insight.  Intuition schmintution.  It's the Holy Spirit, y'all.)

After we walked out into the bright daylight with his awesome my-eyes-just-got-dilated sunglasses on, I decided this occasion deserved a "special."  We headed straight to Starbucks.  Duke got an apple juice and I got a decaf white mocha.

You know, this is really such a small event on the timeline of life when you zoom out.  Yet, I know that who Duke was on this day will forever be imprinted on my brain and in my heart.

Oh, Duke, if there was anything I could magically inject into you (besides a true love for God and an understanding of His love for you) it would be courage.  I pray, pray, pray God gives you dose after dose of it. 

duke's 2nd birthday

Duke turned 2 in October and I haven't had a chance to document his party.  (Thanks, nausea.)  Again, the lovely Makenzie joined us for the evening and snapped away all night.  What a relief it was to know I wasn't in charge of getting all of the important pictures!

This party was similar to Duke's 1st birthday in that Pinterest did not explode in my house.  I wasn't feeling well enough to do that even if I wanted to!  I'm just a better "chill" party planner at this point in my life.  Maybe I'll change at some point, but for now, simple is my jam.

Colt and I decided we would just invite family to this party.  It's a pretty rare thing that Duke has 5 great-grandparents living and I wanted this to be more of a focused time where Duke got to be with all of these important people at the same time.  We all had a lot of fun

(Isn't my Mama Lue beautiful??)

(The spread - thanks to every family member for bringing a little something to add to the meal.  Made my life so much easier!)

(4 of the 5 greats!)

(Duke has a thing with snow globes, so his Grammy and Papa got him a kid-proof one.)

(He loved it so much, he needed to give it a hug.)

I will say this:  Year 2 flew by way faster than year 1.  I was absolutely taken by surprise when his 2nd birthday began creeping up.  Duke just feels so much like a little buddy to me.  He fits in with my days and does exactly what I do.  It's been a precious thing being at home with him these past 2 years and getting to know every little thing about him.  I look forward to more of it.

Photography by Makenzie  Facebook Page // Website

family pics before the belly

Back in September, we did some family pictures with Makenzie.  We knew I was pregnant (only 4 weeks) and we wanted to get in a little session with just Duke before the belly began growing.

Besides the fact that I was incredibly nauseous and Duke threw up immediately after we got back in the car, it was a successful shoot.  I'm pretty sure we all went home and ate chicken noodle soup. 

If you guys are in the OKC area and needing a quality, fun, great-with-kids photographer, Makenzie is your gal.  These family pictures will be such a treasure for us!  Facebook Page // Website