A Two Month Old in Three Month Clothing

The title of this post points to the fact that our little Henry is now 12 lb. 9 oz. as of his two-month appointment last week. He is growing more out than up at the moment and busting out of many of his 0-3 month clothes, making his mini 'Dad bod'/beer milk belly all the more prominent and charming.

It's like a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' except he's totally not dangerous. Is he not just a CUTE, only mildly ferocious dinosaur?

No, Henry cannot yet ROAR, despite the many books I have read to him with such sound effects, but he has certainly been 'talking' a lot more, to us, to the lion in his mobile, to Morty/Marty the Moose when he is sitting in his bouncer.

Two months also has brought an adorable smile and soundless laughter. He seems to respond in this way when pushing on his belly button (which, now that we know it is likely an umbilical hernia and not just giant sounds rather cruel). Or after he's eaten. Because aren't we all happiest after we've eaten?

He did wake up smiling the other day, which was cute. Much rather have that then his mad panic of a dinner (breakfast?) bell alarm cry or the 'HELP ME MY DIAPER IS FULL!' scream. 

Speaking of crying and full diapers, the milk elimination diet seems to be helping the little man a LOT. He still has his moments--what baby doesn't, right?--but his subtle skin rash is gone (replaced by cradle cap...), he hasn't had any more extremely painful gas (but oh, he still has gas--most hilarious when it's while he is sleeping for some reason), and of course, no more blood in his diaper.

Technically, Henry had his 2 month appointment on his 9-week birthday. For someone who likes to think of months as 4 weeks this throw me off completely. But that's a personal problem. From here on out (or until The Bump's and What To Expect's baby emails switch over) we may think of Henry in terms of months and not weeks.

The appointment went swimmingly, except for the moment right before his pediatrician was about to examine him and he had a complete and utter meltdown the likes of which we had no seen (heard) in a while. I whipped out my boobs--as on does--to see if that might solve the problem, and while it helped a little, it was as though he knew the vaccines were coming and he just was NOT going to stand for it, no matter how many times I told the doctor that we were' definitely pro vaccine.' (I really didn't want her to think I'm an anti-vaxxer for some reason.)

The nurses came in and while I held down his arms, they jabbed three needles in his legs. After seeing your baby in the NICU getting poked and prodded and undergoing surgery, this really seems like nothing. [After mentioning this to the doctor, I immediately backtracked saying "Of course we don't want him to feel pain or anything," as though I had just confessed to being an unfeeling mother who ignores her child rather than simply stating the comparative reality of our situation. Questionable again in retrospect after I mentioned pushing on his belly button, now known to be an umbilical hernia.]

I was also NOT simply being a paranoid new mom in thinking that one side of Henry's head is flatter than the other. (I mean, we DO spend a whole lot of time just staring at our babies so I definitely was prepared to be told I was seeing things.) It is only 'mild to moderate' and no calls for a helmet yet, but you will notice he always turns his head the same way, so we are meeting with the PT or OT specialist next month about it and I'm trying to get him to turn more on the other side for tummy time, and balance holding him on both arms.

All in all, Henry has continued to be a superstar in his second month, finally enjoying bath time, sleeping longer,* beginning to grasp onto his Wubbanubs (and my hair...), enjoying visits from his Aunt Caroline and Uncle Greg, and Gog and GrandFaye/Grandma (official names still TBD).

*This does not translate into more sleep for his parents, I should note.

We also MIRACULOUSLY got into daycare, but the whole daycare dilemma truly deserves a diatribe in a second post (and a John Oliver episode.) I'll get on that later...which, based on my current posting and text response rate may be a whole month from now...