Friday Phone Dump

Happy Friday!

This is a very common sight in the morning these days.  Lennox seems to be just as into cartoons as Harlow.

we took our first mini road trip with Lennox to Tulare.  She hates the car so it was a little interesting.  Thankfully she slept about 1/3 of the way.

I gave Harlow this sucker while I was driving and when we got out of the car, this was the smile I was greeted with.

Last week Lennox found her hands.  Now they are constantly shoved in her mouth all day long.

Harlow told me she was having a house party and when I came in to see, she really was! Should I be scared for high school and college?

Harlow, Lennox and Grandma Lori at swim lessons.  I don't always dress them alike I promise!

She is going to make a great mama some day.

Lennox or an Easter Egg? You decide...

I got talked into doing an adult ballet class.  I haven't danced ballet since High School. I haven't done anything physically active in almost 2 years.  This is an attempt to get back to my pre-baby body... It is very comical to watch and somewhat embarrassing how out of shape and uncoordinated I've become.

Lennox - Two Months

I think I'm in denial.  If I don't post these pictures on the blog and do the official two month update it feels like she's not really two months old already.  But she is... (and will be 3 months soon because I'm a slacker and am behind)  I always said each month went by way too fast with Harlow but with Lennox it feels like it's racing by and has already lapped me a couple of times.  Sometimes I go to bed at night and wonder what I accomplished that day.  We've had some bumps in the road recently that we are working on to get figured out.  I just knew something wasn't right with little Lennox, don't misunderstand that.  She is a perfectly healthy baby but she always seemed unsettled and upset.  We spoke to the Dr. about it once in the beginning and then by the time her 2 month check up came around I was determined to get some answers.  She is healthy, gaining weight, thriving and has moments where she is truly happy.  But a lot of the time she is gassy and irritable, unsettled and was crying as though she was in pain all.the.time.  We brushed it off as being Colic-y at first but it didn't fit well with symptoms because her fussiness was all day long.  We finally had the Dr. order some stool sample tests and they came back showing she was lactose intolerant.

From the beginning when we thought she was just colic-y I eliminated dairy, soy, caffeine, spicy foods, acidic foods and eggs from my diet. Nothing got better, nothing fixed the problem. So I was surprised to learn that it was lactose that was upsetting her. I know lactose can be found in a lot of things but I was being extremely careful on what I was eating (or not eating for that matter). We are currently struggling with trying a formula instead of nursing. It hasn't gotten much better, I actually felt like it had gotten worse since we started the formula but we are giving her time to see if she'll adjust.  If not, we'll do more tests and see if there is anything along with the lactose she is allergic to.  Or see how severe her lactose intolerance is.  In very rare cases babies have been found to be allergic to the lactose naturally found in breast milk. Hopefully that is not the issue. It's hard to see your baby in pain and not have any immediate answers or quick fixes.  I feel like each day we don't have an answer is like an eternity. And not nursing her has been hard on me, I have the mom guilt daily, hourly, each time it's time to feed.  But I'm willing to try the formula to see if she can feel better. 

Even through all of this, Lennox is still a ray of light each day.  Especially first thing in the morning.  I have never met anyone who wakes up first thing in the morning as happy as she does.  She stretches and immediately smiles at whomever is standing over her. She has learned to make the cutest cooing sounds.  She literally talks to us.  She recognizes the sound of our voices and can follow the sound of our voice. She will follow us with her eyes if we walk past her.  She has become so much more aware of her surroundings.  She loves to watch Harlow run around and play. 

Things she loves:
Patty Cake
The Elephant Song
Bath time
Having the bottoms of her feet massaged with lotion
Raspberry noises
Her swing
White noise
Her heartbeat bear
Being turned around facing out when held

Things she hates:
Getting in the carseat
Riding in the car
The pacifier
Being held in a cradle postition
Getting out of the bathtub

:: LENNOX :: MAE ::

TWO MONTHS OLD

Friday Phone Dump

Just a heads up, there is so much baby cuteness in this post you may not be able to handle it!

I swear Lennox can read my mind.  EVER.SINGLE.TIME. I sit down and eat she decides to cry. Seriously, every time! I was starving one night and Pete was still at work so I finally got desperate and put her in the bumbo for the first time.  She sat as quiet as a mouse my entire meal. It was a miracle!

I wish she was this happy all day long, that smile slays me! She is always so happy in the morning. I don't know anyone who wakes up first thing in the morning as happy as she does. I sure don't.

I realized on Saturday night how much my life has changed in the last 3-4 years.  Who knew this is what I would be doing on a Saturday night.  Watching Harlow play with the Legos at Barnes and Noble while browsing the children's books and parenting books.

Cute outfit courtesy of Keri and Chris P.

Watching cartoons.

I walked in to see Harlow whispering to baby sister and trying to hold her hand.

Baking some Valentine's Day treats with Harlow.  Hot pink chocolate chip cookies!

She was throwing a nice little screaming fit, until I turned her around in my lap.

Daddy came home from work early to go to the park with us!

Harlow loves this playground.

Finally got results back from her tests and turns out she's lactose intolerant.  So we are trying a special formula for 10 days to see if there is any improvement. I got to finally have coffee again!

This must be her, 'I spit up all over my outfit and yours too mom' face.

Friday Phone Dump

This Friday's Phone Dump has a ton of what's happening in our lives.  We took a zoo trip, went to Grandma and Papa's to watch the Super Bowl, taught Harlow how to ride her scooter outside (with her new helmet) and watched Harlow grow up right before our eyes. She is seriously getting so big, I want my baby back!

Chaffee Zoo

Watching the Super Bowl with Dad.

Harlow and I cuddled up one afternoon to watch Homeward Bound.

My partner in crime and best shopping buddy.

We bought and Ergo carrier for baby and attempted to take a walk one afternoon.  Harlow rode her scooter.  We didn't last long, Lennox cried...

Carrying her like this made me feel 9 months pregnant all over again.

Riding her scooter with her new helmet.

She's always in the best mood when she first wakes up.

2 months old.

Pete was my chauffeur, we were driving home from Harlow's gymnastics class.

Took 2 month pictures for Lennox, but have barely started to edit them.

Harlow reading a story to her bear while I fed Lennox.

I straightened her hair and she went from almost 3 years old to 20 years old in minutes.  It's crazy how much older it made her look.

At her 2 month check up.