Something Happened...

Yes, something very big indeed. My colicky baby with reflux who has been known to cry for hours for no reason is suddenly a happy smiling boy! 4 pm was the time he'd typically lose it-I felt like I was on death row and 4 pm was my time to head to the electric chair. Honestly, that's how much I dreaded 4 every single day. Not anymore!! Evan's smiles are incredibly meaningful. I can't tell you how important they are to me... I felt like I didn't have a bond with him because all I did was feed him, change him and have him scream at me. It was very difficult and I felt myself getting frustrated and angry. I had to set him down and walk away to cry/swear/yell more than a few times... All of this is in the past (hopefully) and I feel a connection with him FINALLY!

I don't know if it's him growing out of the colic stage (they are 10 weeks old currently) or the Zantac medication for reflux or a combo of both. Whatever it is, I am NOT complaining. My life got a whole lot easier all of a sudden. I guess all those people that kept telling me 'it get's easier' were on to something!

Our babies could not be any more different. We have nicknamed our fussy Evan the CEO because he wants what he wants NOW! He's definitely a morning person (the CEO in him says 'the early bird gets the worm!' according to my husband) and he smiles endlessly and giggles in the mornings. What a delight! Ella is not a morning person at all, she prefers to eat and go directly back to sleep. It works out perfectly because I get 1:1 time with happy Evan and when Ella wakes up in the later morning, I can spend 1:1 time with her.

It's amazing how fast they are growing up! Both LOVE play mats (if you have a baby and don't have a play mat get on the internet and order one now!). Both of them are reaching for and grabbing objects (they love links). Ella is all smiles every single time she sees one of our faces. She is the happiest calmest baby ever. She's so content... Evan is still demanding, but we're getting him figured out and it makes a huge difference. The only time he loses it is when he is overtired. Usually I can see it coming and I can swaddle him and set him down for a nap before it gets too ugly.

They are sleeping like champs!! Ella has been sleeping through the night some-she had a three night streak this past week!! Evan is up once around 2-3 for a feeding and if Ella gets up this is usually about the time she gets up. They have gotten so much faster at eating. What used to take 1 hour to feed, change and put the baby back to sleep can now be done in under 30 minutes. Both of them go to sleep well too. It used to take 1-2 hours to get Evan to calm down and go to bed at night. Now we have a routine and both go to sleep without fuss. They are still sleeping in their Rock N Plays in our room...I'm just not ready to move them to a crib yet. Their bedrooms are so far from ours!! It's a long hallway...seriously.

During the day these two are eating about every 2-3 hours; we're having more and more 2.5-3.5 hour stretches in the mix. It is AMAZING!!! I can get so much done with their longer nap times. We have a nice routine down of eating, playing, napping. Repeat. If only I could get a nap...I have taken less than a handful of naps since they were born, and that was while we had family here to help! Those people that say 'sleep when the baby sleeps' are crazy.

My favorite part of the morning is bath time. They get up around 6-6:30, eat and then play (Ella usually goes back to sleep). After their next meal around 8-8:30 I give them both baths. I put on Pandora and we sing Christmas carols (well I sing, they look at me like 'geez this lady has an awful voice'.) Both of them LOVE bath time. They are so calm and happy during and after the bath. I also love the 1:1 time I get to spend with each of them. I was doing baths every other day, but I changed them to every day because we all seemed to enjoy it so much. My husband thinks I am crazy for giving them baths every day. Am I? I'm a very clean person (I could NEVER not take a shower once a day) and I think there's nothing like a freshly cleaned and lotioned baby. Maybe I am crazy, but it makes me happy so I'm sticking with it!

I'm feeling great! I'm truly enjoying my new role as a mom (this wasn't always the case..I had a lot of dark teary times when I felt inadequate). My husband is so great!! He is the epitome of a father. I would not be this happy without his help. He will do anything I ask of him. He's always asking how he can help me. He's willing to take both babies so I can get out of the house or just go upstairs to catch a break. He gets up in the middle of the night without complaint. These kids are incredibly lucky to have him as a father...