Emery Tracker: Month Two

First, thank you very much to everyone for all their kind words and encouragement.  The outpouring of support, suggestions and love I have received after the one month post has genuinely touched my heart.    Heaven knows Ryan & I are up for trying things out- just refer to our Amazon purchases over the last 2 months!  I can't express just how appreciative I am to each and every one of you!  Hopefully if I just tell you it's close to the number of pictures I've posted of Emery on this blog it will put it in perspective.  :c)  More than anything it just helps to know that we aren't alone.  So thank you from the very bottom of our sleepy hearts.

The Story:
Month two was every bit as action-, sleep deprivation- and laughter/border line hysteria-filled as the first month was.  Not long after her first month birthday we took Miss Emery to the doctor to have her checked out to ensure there was nothing actually wrong that was causing her to be as fussy as she was.  She had her tummy, chest, ears, nose and throat poked and prodded.  The official diagnosis?  She is absolutely fine and just a high maintenance little bug.  That was, of course, a relief as no parent wants anything to be wrong with their little angel.  Sure her official diagnosis as the world's tiniest diva doesn't help with our loss of sleep but it means we are pre-paying awful teenage years right?  Right?!  *crickets*

Look at that precious, round belly!

For starters lets review progress on the remaining challenges from month one, shall we?   Challenge 3 - endless colic: we have seen some marked improvement on this front.  Baby girl actually has distinct spells of real happiness.   The most consistent one is around 10 am.  She kicks and smiles and is a true joy to be around.   It's the most precious thing in the whole world.  I wouldn't say we are completely out of the woods on this one though.  Those little smiles and coos are so addictive that I'm ecstatic with the progress we have made.  Maybe by next month we'll actually have this whole colic thing kicked to the curb.

She looks a little skeptical about kissing colic good bye, doesn't she?

Challenge 4 - you can't put her down. ever.: I would say incredibly marginal progress has been made on this front.  Like if progress were to be likened to vehicles we are squarely in Smart Car range.  The  tiniest of possible vehicles and at any moment it could be completely smashed to bits.   Emery still insists on sleeping on us.  If you were to look at our couch you would do a double take to determine if cops had drawn a chalk outline of my person in the cushions or what.  They're that worn in.  So what constitues this "progress" then?   One morning we put sweet pea down to do tummy time and came back to find her... Asleep.  Color me shocked as all get out.  She stayed that way for nearly 2 hours as Ryan and I hovered like shocked vultures.  On top of that we have been able to get her to sleep in her swing for 1.5-2 hour blocks about 3 times in the last month.  Wheeeee!   So suffice it to say we are still working at it.  Something tells me that we won't have this challenge completely curbed next month but wouldn't that be a cool joint Mother's/Father's Day gift?  (If only infants could read, right?)

Why on earth would you ever want to put me down, crazy lady?!

Did you think that would be the end of challenges?   Haaaa.   You're cute.  Never one to let her parents rest on their laurels, little miss has pulled some new tricks out of her hat this month.  Challenge 5 has been a direct effect of the improvement in challenge 3.   The reason she fusses less is very clearly because she can see further and it entertains her.   Awesome, right?  Welllll the problem with this newfound sight range is that now she will NOT turn her brain off.  She has sworn off sleep. Her new middle name is over-tired.  To get her to sleep or nap now you have to take her into the completely dark bathroom, run the faucet, bounce her for 20 mins and pray.  You pray that nothing makes any noise or emits any light for the next 2 hours.  If so much as a butterfly flutters by you are done and in for another screaming fit.  Her ability to fight sleep really is astounding to me.  How shocked will she be when college hits and she craves naps?!

Why would I nap when I can kick and punch all day long?  Seriously, adults just don't get it.

Challenge six is that she ABHORS the carseat and car rides.  She will scream bloody murder as long as you are in there.  Again her stamina is impressive.  I have seen her scream without stopping multiple trips to and from Conroe in the last month.  I think the main problems with the carseat are that 1) her highness is not being held (HELLO?!) and 2) news flash- the back of the seat is reaaaally boring.  What?!  I should just ride back there with her and sing/talk to her?  On it.  Ineffective.  Ryan might claim its my awful singing voice but as I demonstrated during my 5th grade Christmas play solo- I'm a natural born star in the vocal department.  I chalk it up to her being our sweet diva.  This disdain for the carseat also means that any walks have to be taken in the Moby wrap securely chauffeured by her most loyal subject- mama.  I plan to feed her plenty of veggies so that when the time comes she is big and strong so she can tote me around on her chest in the grocery store.

Hold the phone- what was that about me carrying you?

Needless to say- we are still working on figuring this whole parenting thing out over at Casa Martin.   The biggest break through for us this month was one night when I randomly googled "high needs baby."  My curiosity was piqued after seeing the term used on multiple reviews of another product on Amazon with excellent reviews that promised my baby would sleep in it (fail btw).   After reading the first paragraph of Dr Sears' 12 Features of a High Needs Baby, I broke into tears of relief.

"Your baby acts the way she does because that's the way she is. Your baby acts the way she does, not because of your parenting, but because of her personality."

As I read on it was like someone had written a biography on Emery.  Ryan and I laughed as we read it outloud to each other because it was so accurate.  For the first time I felt like I wasn't crazy.  It's so difficult as a first-time parent NOT to feel like its your fault.  Reading that it wasn't and that other people had raised a baby like this to be a happy, healthy adult felt like Christmas in April.  I am not sure if I've ever felt that much relief in my life.  It was certainly a turning point for Ryan and I.

Hahaha.  I tried to think of something funny to say but I can't stop smiling.  I just think she's way too cute.  Sorry.

Since that day I have done a lot of thinking.  Sure raising my little angel has been a challenge (or 6 to date), but I know God never gives you a greater obstacle than you can handle.  I have to say- big guy, I am very flattered by your confidence in me!  :c) Having faith in that fact, and starting to truly believe it isn't our fault, allowed me to more accurately examine all the positives of life with our sweet Emery.

She was reallllly not digging wanting to show off her ruffled behind.  So this is the best we got.

On top of the typical things a baby does for you- teaches you the true meaning of unconditional and selfless love, makes your family whole and gives you a renewed excitement about everything in the world- this love bug, with all her unique challenges, has taught Ryan and I to communicate and be there for each other in ways we never could have understood before.  Neither of us could do this without the other.  We are each far more aware of the other's emotional state and we keep each other fed, sane and smiling.  She also has taught us just how strong we are as people.  When we think we are out of resilience- we are shocked to find that there actually is more in the tank.  Love truly is an incredible motivating force.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when all is said and done our relationship will be stronger than it was before and that every single minute of listening to that faucet run, every single sleepless hour, every single lap around the first floor will all have been worth it.

Why, hellllllo there.

I look forward to what I have to report in month 3!  Just within the last couple of days our little peanut has become so much more interactive and smiley- so I know this one will be a fun one.  We love you, sweet, crazy little child of ours!

Hey Mom- how come I have to dress up but you're still wearing your clothes from last night?!

The Stats:

• Height at 2 months:  24 inches (95th percentile)
• Weight at 2 months: 11 lbs 7 oz (47th percentile)
• Head at 2 months: 15.5 inches (77th percentile)
• Diaper size: 1
• Clothes: 0-3 months, although much to Mama's chagrin she had to retire some 0-3 month jammies a couple nights ago.  I have a feeling more will be met with the same fate in the next week.  :c(
• Feeding:  You still eat pretty much every 3 hours, give or take 30 minutes.
• Firsts: 
• First official dinner out at a restaurant (April 23rd)
• First time you CLEARLY smiled at both Mama and Daddy individually (April 24th)
• First time you rolled over tummy to back (April 29th).  It should be noted you did it when you were REALLY angry and haven't repeated the feat since 
• First time you fell asleep not in someone's arms (May 2nd)
• Games:  From a sitting position in our lap, we pull you up just a little bit, you stand up, we count to 3 and you "jump" (read: we lift you really high over our head), set you back on your bootie and we repeat it.  You really love this game.
• Songs:  Mama has realized she doesn't remember any of her children's song.  Daddy pointed this out to her when she tried to tell you there was a lion on Old MacDonald's Farm.  Mainly Daddy & I just make up songs.
• Foods Dripped on Your Head/Fished out of the Moby Wrap:  BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Creamy Jalapeno sauce & an M&M Cookie (hey this is what happens if you won't let us put you down, peanut)
• Other Notables:  You continue to be amazingly strong.  You sure don't get that from me.  You are VERY focused on people's faces right now.  You really seem to want to get to the bottom of this whole "talking" thing.  If we stick our tongue out at you, you concentrate really hard and open your mouth like you're trying to do it.  It's the cutest thing in the world.  Hopefully I'll get it on camera for next month.  Oh!  And your hair is starting to fall out in a really unfortunate mohawk/mullet pattern.  Luckily you're cute as a button anyway.  :c)