Bennett: 2 Months

Alrighty!  So to recap, we started with the birth story, then shared your 1 month antics and now we're onto 2 months. That's 8 weeks or 56 days. However you choose to look at it. Bennett has been with us long enough to get into our groove and we're loving every moment of being parents to the lil' guy.

Okay Mister Bennett, here's the scoop.

How big are you?

• At your last appointment on August 6th you were nearly 6 weeks old. 
• Height: 22.5 inches (70th percentile)
• Weight: 9lbs 10.5oz (30th percentile)
• Head: 38.5 inches (50th percentile)
• At your pediatric urologist (I'll share this story with everyone later ... it's still developing and has been since our 20 week UltraSound ... so when we're ready we'll share) appointment 2 weeks later at nearly 8 weeks old you'd already grown!
• Height: 23 inches 
• Weight: 10lbs 8.6oz 
• Still Long and lean :)

What's your temperament?

• Still exuberating all sorts of personality, and starting to become a bit more finicky about your likes and dislikes.
• Always love to be held and being swaddled is sometimes the perfect cure to calming you down
• Your continual "awahh, wahh" noise and newborn cry is now for the most part gone :( bummer too because that was one of my favorites. But you've replaced it with another and the saddest little sad face I have ever seen. Your bottom lip ... oh man you're cute. 
• Continuing to find your voice. Your coos and gurgles have gotten louder and you seem to be communicating with us more and more.
• You're also coming into your own on a schedule. Things are much more routine now than before and buddy if you do not get you nap or food when you are supposed to, you surely let us know.
• You've started smiling and it is enough to make my heart melt over and over. I think I can almost remember the first time you did it. It was around 5 weeks, I pinched your little cheeks and you SMIIIIILED at me, that gummy goodness for oh so long. After that you were all smiles all the time, and your daddy and I can't get enough!

How much are you eating?

• You've bumped up your feeding amount to 3.5-5 oz (about every 3 hours) 
• Your latest Bennettism is the 1oz freak out. We burp you after every ounce because you have the tendency to be a spitty baby, and this seems to help. However, at your 1oz burp you are NOT a happy camper. Your daddy and I refer to it as the First Ounce Freak Out. Whenever will you learn we promise to give the bottle back, we're just trying to help?! :)

What are you sporting?

• You've graduated to number 1 diapers, we're still Pampers people and they seem to keep you extra happy. Still a big fan of that blue line that let's us know if you're wet or not.
• You've been taking the soothie paci since we left the hospital, but we're starting to see you transition to the Avent paci's -- so picky :)
• You're now in mostly 0-3 month or 3 month attire. Some of it is a little baggy, but you can barely do any newborn fits anymore.

How are you sleeping?

• Your naps are starting to become more sporadic, and seem to be more cat naps than actual sleep sessions now-a-days
• Your best and longest nap is after your morning feeding - we can usually get at least an hour, sometimes 2 out of you.
• Before this nap is also one of our favorite times with you. Right before daddy goes to work and after you've had your morning bottle you are the SWEETEST little munchkin in all the land.
• Big steps this month on the night time sleeping
• Your sleeping THROUGH THE NIGHT! Consistently, I might add.
• About 11-12pm to 7am
• And you're now in your very own room, in your fancy crib!
• You're still wearing a Velcro swaddle-me at nighttime

Bennett Likes and Dislikes:

• Likes:
• Tummy time 
• Your jungle gym
• Baby Einstein YouTube videos
• BATH TIME.  You LOVVVEE bath time.
• The songs "You are so beautiful to me" and "You are my sunshine" -- you always giggle and smile - COMPLETELY ADORABLE ... and plenty of home videos to prove it later in life :)
• Dislikes:
• Being burped - "the first ounce freak out"
• you are NOT a good burper. Your neck is too strong for your own good and you're super pissed feeding time is being interrupted :)
• Shots.  Regardless of how good they are for you, they're stupid and they make both you and your mommy cry.
• Stoplights and traffic ... you want the car moving ... at all times

Fun moments, favorite notes, Bennett quirks & Milestones:

• You met all of your great grandparents on mommy's side of the family
  
  Grandma's Mom: Grandma Elaine
  
  
  
  PaPaw's Mom: Grandma Martha / Motsy
  
  
  
  PaPaw's Stepmom: Grandma Reda
  
  
• You went to your first MLB game -- The Cincinnati Reds vs The St. Louis Cardinals
• You had your first overnight babysitting adventure with Sissy
• Capturing your smiles via camera is still a personal challenge of mine and I get wayyy too excited when I get a good one - here's my favorite this month
  
• You had your first playdate with your best buddy Brooks ... you can follow some of his great stories on his mommy's blog here
  
• You attended your first birthday party (your cousin Emmie turned 5)
  
  
  
  Yep, you're awesome. Love, mom.

I scream, You scream

We all scream for ice cream!

My adorable niece Emmie turned 5 last week, and it was an all ice cream throw down at her birthday party. You may remember her from this post about last year's birthday present. This year there was no crafting for her actual present, but there was crafting for her party!

Her sweet momma had lots and lots going on on the weeks before Miss Emmie Lou's party, so she asked me to help.  You already know I went straight to Pinterest to get my brain thinking in the right direction. Here was some of my inspiration:

So, I hit the craft box and tried to throw together some cutesy ice cream inspired decor while little man was sleeping. I'd say the outcome was decent considering I was limited on time and hands with the new babe :)

I know, it's a horrible picture and the quality is super shotty, but you get the idea. I'll share a tutorial on the party hat in an upcoming post and try to walk you through the ice cream cones as well.  Blogger fail, I forgot to take pictures of how to make the cones.  

But the party was a huge success, and the water slide her parents had set up in the back yard made me sad I was attending the party as an adult and not a kiddo.  I mean, watersides at birthday parties?! How awesome is that?? 

(Again, blogger fail.  I took a video but forgot to snag a picture. DANG!)  

Miss Emmie was a fabulous birthday girl! Happy Birthday lil' lady!

Priceless Pint-sized Portraits

Remember our discussion about my patience?  Well, waiting for Bennett's newborn photos has seemed like an ETERNITY ... but now that they are finally here they were well worth the wait.  I mean ... SERIOUSLY.

Penny and I scoured the Internet well before Bennett arrived to find our must have photographer.  I'm a huge fan of wrapping the baby up and putting them in adorable little poses.  And if you've ever been in my home you know Shane and I really go for that rustic/vintage/chic/cottage mix (I wasn't entirely sure how to describe our style?), so I knew I wanted to incorporate earthy/organic fabrics into his shoot so they'd look great as wall decor. (Yes, I realize how absolutely nutty I sound for the fact that this was a legitimate thought while choosing newborn pics).  Nevertheless, we loved Shelby's work on her website.  The Shelby Bradshaw Photography Facebook page is now one of my favorites to stalk, and her personality ultimately won us over.  I would recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer in Kentuckiana.

All of the studio shots took place on July 10th (12 days old) and outdoor sunset pics took place on July 12th (14 days old).  Bennett slept like a champ and was a total baby model.  He must get that from his daddy's Alix Adams and Cosmo appearances as a young'n ... yes, this is a real thing ... I've got the pictures to prove it people.  

It probably didn't hurt that our photographer is a baby whisperer either :0).  She was AWESOME and it was so cool to be in the studio and see all of the behind the scenes action.  I feel like all of the professional pictures I've ever been a part of, I've been behind the camera in one way or another.  Engagement pictures, bridal pictures, bridesmaid pictures, wedding pictures, etc.  I'm always being told what to do ... but to just simply be watching a photo shoot and help with props and what not was SO MUCH fun. Is there a job where this is all you do all day? If so, I may consider a career change ...

We only had a few mild casualties. Bennett pooped on me in the family shots (hence why it's cropped), he peed on Shelby a couple of times (Bennett, you owe her an apology when you get older), and poor Shane almost had a heat stroke while we were trying to achieve a special shot (unfortunately it never worked out), but other than that we came away unscathed...hehehe!  Most of the shots Shelby put together: the mix of blanket colors, baskets and what not.  But we also brought along a few of our must have trinkets that we wanted to include in the pictures. All in all, it was just a really fun day.  

Alright, I'll stop blabbering ... here are some of our favorite shots. Clearly I'm drowning in my own bias, but I think he's just the most precious little nugget I ever did see. He's just so cool ;)  I can't share them all because we're saving some for his birth announcements and some family gifts ... but here's a good sampling!

You were fantastic Shelby. We'll forever cherish our little bambino's first shots!

Peanut or Peanut Holder?

At a mere 1 month old hubs and I took Bennett to his first Major League Baseball game. 

The Cincinatti Reds vs. The St. Louis Cardinals

He obviously wasn't as enthused about the game as we were ... 

But the Red's pulled out a victory.  Bennett got his first official game certificate.

 He was also able to wear his #5 jersey we got at the consignment sale earlier this year (Johnny Bench's number for other red leg fans out there) and he was the absolute perfect little peanut holder. So, we call it a success!

It's never to early to teach youngin's the love for the game right?!