Last week, our little ladies turned two months old. They are smiling and responding and (slowly) seeming to be more engaged with the world around them. Here are the big "events" of the end of Molly and Clara's second month.
Smiling. As promised by every parent and baby book, the much-anticipated smiles finally came. For our girls, born a month early, they smiled right at the 8-week mark. On Father's Day morning, Frank and I were sitting at the kitchen counter - Frank with Molly in his arms - she looked up at him and broke into a big goofy grin. I think he'd say it was one of the better Father's Day presents a kid could ever give. About four days later, I was talking to Frank and looked down at Clara to see that she was grinning up at me with the signature Clara look that says she's totally in on the joke.
Sounds. Oh my - the little sounds. They make perfect O's with their lips and make a sound like a tiny owl that is my absolute favorite. When they're in the right mood, they babble back to us when we talk to them. Early the other morning, I heard Clara shout and went to check on her. It was a real exclamation, not a cry, and by the time I got there, she was fast asleep again. I think they're finding their voices.
Sleeping. On the sleeping front, things are going really well. They both fight off daytime naps like champs, but at night they usually do great. It helped that we discovered that 7pm is a natural bedtime for them. They go right down most nights, which means Frank and I get some time to hang out and eat a real dinner (we call it the "adult happy hour"). Then they're usually up to eat at around midnight and again around 5. We're still pretty tired, but it's infinitely easier now that the wake-ups are predictable and farther apart. I thought it was a bit frivolous (we got ours as a generous baby shower gift), but I love our video baby monitor. Sometimes they make all kinds of noises and squirm around, but they're actually still asleep. The monitor means that we don't mess with them unless they're truly waking up.
And there continues to be nothing as wonderful as the sight of the two of them happily sleeping. Clara sleeps with her hands folded over her chest, and we know Molly is truly asleep when her mouth falls open just a bit...
Socializing. Okay, so the girls aren't really socializing, but they are certainly getting out and exploring Bangkok with us. The baby carriers (we have Ergos and K'Tans) have been fantastic. The girls get snuggled up in the carriers and usually fall right asleep. I've got Clara in the K'Tan as I type this, and she's happy as can be. It's cozy and convenient, and I would have one of them snuggled in there all day long if I could. We take them out to eat (though we're getting serious about hitting that 7pm bedtime, so we're totally becoming those people who go out to dinner at 5), to run errands, for walks around the neighborhood. Frank had a friend in town a couple weeks ago, and he said that another couple he had dinner with had seen us at brunch the week before with " two little gray bundles strapped to our chests".
We continue to draw loads of attention when we're out with the babies. At Starbucks the other day, no fewer than 5 people stopped to take pictures of the girls with their phones. What, on earth, do those people do with pictures of our children?
Growing. At just under 7.5 pounds each, the girls are smaller than lots of newborns, but they seem huge to me! They're getting fabulous chunky legs and sweet round cheeks that I can't get enough of. Tummy time is still not a well-loved activity around here, but they're getting stronger and have lost that new baby floppiness of the early weeks.
As for me, I'm feeling good. Tired, sure, but definitely like things are getting easier. When the girls were eight weeks old, I went for my first run in months. It wasn't pretty, but I felt like a billion bucks afterwards.
One of the most unexpected feelings I have is this occasional sense of nostalgia for even a few weeks ago. They're still so small, but every once in a while, I miss the feeling of holding them when they were so tiny and new. I definitely didn't expect that so soon, considering how fresh in my mind those tiring early weeks still are.
And finally, our monthly photo shoot went a little better than last month, but wasn't perfect.
For More Updates on Molly and Clara:
Katie (The Muffin Myth)
They're so beautiful, Jess! It seems like you and Frank are really settling into the rhythm of things. Hats off to you for being out and about and socializing with *two* brand new babies!
krisitne
This is the best update Jess - I love everything! xoxo
Debra
So cute! Glad all is well.
Katrina
So sweet and so cute! Great photos! And you look great!