Adjusting to 2

Penelope has been a pretty easy going baby. Her brother was also. We have our good and bad days between Kai's behavior and Penelope's screaming fits, but all in all, the adjustment is going quite smoothly. I won't tell you that I don't look forward to sleeping through the night again, but we have worked hard to get on a schedule the last couple of weeks and I think she's getting the hang of it. I have to give credit to BabyWise because it helped with both of our kids in guiding us towards what our days should look like with feedings, awake time, and the all important sleep time.

We don't venture out much yet, but I have taken the two of them out by myself on several occasions. We enjoy the flexibility Michael has with work so that we can meet him for lunch or he can go in late if we had a particularly rough night.

Kai has dropped his afternoon nap time since we've been home. That transition went better than I expected which just confirms for me that it was time to make that change. He plays great throughout the day and watches a few shows here and there when I need a quiet minute. Some afternoons he has quiet play time in his room which he actually asks for and does pretty well to stay in there until time to come out. He and Penelope share a room so some days I have put her down in her crib to nap and so he doesn't go in there to play but just has some play time on his own in the living room. I'm hoping to get him in more of a routine once I get her on a more predictable schedule so we can have some reading time and some learning time and some outdoor time.

Penelope is growing well and settling in to our family. She does not like baths and does not like to straighten her legs. She wiggles the whole time you change her diaper and she is pretty impatient when meal time rolls around. She likes to be in motion; swaying, rocking, riding in the car. She is starting to stare and smile more deliberately at us and loves when Kai talks to her. She calms herself down pretty easily most of the time when you lay her down to sleep. She likes music or a fan running for consistent noise so that the loud noises like doors closing or Kai playing do not startle her. In the last several days we have migrated to a pretty consistent schedule. Her first feeding is in the 6 o'clock hour each day and then she generally eats every three hours with her last night feeding between 10 and 11. Then she and I visit during the 2 o'clock hour each morning as well. Kai slept through the night on his own around 8 weeks and I'm expecting she will do the same. I can hope at least right? She will be four weeks old this week. It seems like she's always been with us in a way, but I also cannot believe it has already been four weeks! At her 3 week check up she weighed 7 lbs 14 oz (25-50th%) and was 21 1/2 in. long (50-75th%). Here are some more pics from the rest of August!

Week One:

Big brother on the day we came home from the hospital

Checking out the bouncy seat and her lovey

First bath at home...before we got started and she started screaming

Our first family of four photo! I felt too gross while we were in the hospital to ever get a picture of all of us together.

Week Two:

Kai showing off his new Transformers shirt. He has been spoiled a bit since baby sister came along.

Chubby cheeks and long eyelashes

Doing some work on his letters. Hoping to do more of this with him to keep him ready for Kindergarten next year!

Likes her arms up by her head. Always wiggles out of the hat while she sleeps.

I put her by the door so she could have some new scenery. Kai found his chair, grabbed a few toys, and went to join her. He's so sweet to her when he decides to pay attention to her.

Week Three:

Contented smile

Having some fun at the zoo with Daddy

Baby toes

Sweet Big Boy

The kids. :-)