A half a year with our little missy sissy Monroe. Where has the time gone and mostly I keep asking how did we get another good sleeper? I feel like we hit the jackpot with her. She has been such a great little baby, but we have yet to figure out what her personality will be like. I am thinking she is a bit more serious and cautious like her Daddy, she looks 100% like me as a baby chubby cheeks and all. I'm talking a bit today about our schedule and how I'm balancing two.
The Deets:
Sleep- Monroe sleeps from 7:00-6:00 am then nurses then goes back to sleep from 6:30-8am. So I'd say she's a good sleeper. As for sleep it is one thing I have read a ton about, but my favorite books were Babywise and Mom's on Call. I loved the Mom's on Call book because it had a realistic schedule to follow. I actually just gave the book away to a girlfriend who is pregnant. Monroe is in her crib ( we moved her to her room at 2 months) and just a week ago we moved her out of the small dock a tot to the big dock a tot. Other than that she takes 3 naps a day still, one 2 hour in the afternoon and two little 45 minute naps mid morning and later afternoon.
Eating- This is that one question people always ask "are you breastfeeding". The answer is yes I am but we do supplement her with formula. After my hospitalization with my hemmorage the lactation consultant told me it would be hard for me to continue to nurse. Since my body was working so hard to replenish my blood and produce milk. So I was adamant about pumping every 2-3 hours in the hospital, it made for sleepless nights but in the end I was still able to breastfeed. She does get about 8-10 oz a day of formula and we use Enfamil Gentlease, the only reason we use it was that we got a free sample before she was born and she seemed to tolerate it well so we continued to use it.
As for bottles I'm kinda weird and like glass bottles best. So we use a few different ones but our favorite brand is the Lollaland bottles
She started solids and loves avocado, banana, peas, sweet potatoes, and apple sauce. She isn't a big fan of pears she makes the funniest face.
Oh I always get asked about my nursing cover, it isn't the cutest ones but it has a little plastic thing built in around the top so it created a space so you can look down at the baby. I have loved it over all of my other covers so I'm linking it below for you.
Sleep- Monroe sleeps from 7:00-6:00 am then nurses then goes back to sleep from 6:30-8am. So I'd say she's a good sleeper. As for sleep it is one thing I have read a ton about, but my favorite books were Babywise and Mom's on Call. I loved the Mom's on Call book because it had a realistic schedule to follow. I actually just gave the book away to a girlfriend who is pregnant. Monroe is in her crib ( we moved her to her room at 2 months) and just a week ago we moved her out of the small dock a tot to the big dock a tot. Other than that she takes 3 naps a day still, one 2 hour in the afternoon and two little 45 minute naps mid morning and later afternoon.
Eating- This is that one question people always ask "are you breastfeeding". The answer is yes I am but we do supplement her with formula. After my hospitalization with my hemmorage the lactation consultant told me it would be hard for me to continue to nurse. Since my body was working so hard to replenish my blood and produce milk. So I was adamant about pumping every 2-3 hours in the hospital, it made for sleepless nights but in the end I was still able to breastfeed. She does get about 8-10 oz a day of formula and we use Enfamil Gentlease, the only reason we use it was that we got a free sample before she was born and she seemed to tolerate it well so we continued to use it.
As for bottles I'm kinda weird and like glass bottles best. So we use a few different ones but our favorite brand is the Lollaland bottles
She started solids and loves avocado, banana, peas, sweet potatoes, and apple sauce. She isn't a big fan of pears she makes the funniest face.
Oh I always get asked about my nursing cover, it isn't the cutest ones but it has a little plastic thing built in around the top so it created a space so you can look down at the baby. I have loved it over all of my other covers so I'm linking it below for you.
Balancing Two
I did a blog post before I had her about how I was worried about Leo after Monroe was born, called "Letter To My First Born" . I often get asked how I feel now that I have two. Well the fact is I feel like Leo does get ignored a bit. It just is the reality that if I am feeding her, changing her or giving her a bath I can't tend to him. We try and devote some special time with him. She goes to bed at 7 and he doesn't go down till 8:30-9pm so We get that extra almost 2 hours with him every night. I try to ask him what he wants to do, most of the time it is chase, statue game, and acting out dinosaurs, although by this time of night I really rather turn the tv on I know he needs the attention that is when he gets it. The other thing I've learned with 2 is to try and get them napping at the same time. They both take a 2 hours afternoon nap at nearly the same time. So that means I get about 1.5 hours of freedom mid day! Some days I am super productive and other days I turn on the tv and end up taking a 30 minute cat nap.
Another thing I have learned is to meal plan and crockpot is key on the days or nights Jay works. I can get it going before the kids wake up and it makes for an easier day. Same goes with lunches I try and prep 3 days of lunches so I can easily heat them up.
A few other take aways with adjusting to two, I always wondered how you can love your children the same amount. I don't know if it is because we have a boy and a girl and their age but my love is totally different for them. Leo continues to make me so proud, he's hilarious, and I love seeing him finally start to interact with Monroe. With Monroe there is such a protective element I have with her, I think cause she's a baby and I'm always afraid Leo will mow right over her. All and all we are adjusting 100% better than we did with just one. Honestly the transition wasn't that hard, probably because she was so easy and we have so much family support here. I also think you are WAY more relaxed your second time around.
I did a blog post before I had her about how I was worried about Leo after Monroe was born, called "Letter To My First Born" . I often get asked how I feel now that I have two. Well the fact is I feel like Leo does get ignored a bit. It just is the reality that if I am feeding her, changing her or giving her a bath I can't tend to him. We try and devote some special time with him. She goes to bed at 7 and he doesn't go down till 8:30-9pm so We get that extra almost 2 hours with him every night. I try to ask him what he wants to do, most of the time it is chase, statue game, and acting out dinosaurs, although by this time of night I really rather turn the tv on I know he needs the attention that is when he gets it. The other thing I've learned with 2 is to try and get them napping at the same time. They both take a 2 hours afternoon nap at nearly the same time. So that means I get about 1.5 hours of freedom mid day! Some days I am super productive and other days I turn on the tv and end up taking a 30 minute cat nap.
Another thing I have learned is to meal plan and crockpot is key on the days or nights Jay works. I can get it going before the kids wake up and it makes for an easier day. Same goes with lunches I try and prep 3 days of lunches so I can easily heat them up.
A few other take aways with adjusting to two, I always wondered how you can love your children the same amount. I don't know if it is because we have a boy and a girl and their age but my love is totally different for them. Leo continues to make me so proud, he's hilarious, and I love seeing him finally start to interact with Monroe. With Monroe there is such a protective element I have with her, I think cause she's a baby and I'm always afraid Leo will mow right over her. All and all we are adjusting 100% better than we did with just one. Honestly the transition wasn't that hard, probably because she was so easy and we have so much family support here. I also think you are WAY more relaxed your second time around.
Monroe at 4 Months Me at 4 Months
See we do look alike! So all in all we are doing well. Despite record breaking snow fall in February that forced us to stay inside for a month, we have managed to take her on quite a few trips already, Seattle, Portland, Spokane, and Coeur D'Alene. We are so looking forward to spring and summer so we can get outside, poor girl has been stuck inside most of her life. This blog post was a little all over the map but I just wanted to update you all on her and how are are all doing. I'd say most days we are thriving but some days it is still survival. Like everything else there are good and bad days but the good days outnumber the bad and things continue to get easier everyday as she grows older.
Cheers,
The Loera Family of 4
Cheers,
The Loera Family of 4
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