2 months: Audrey (September)

I feel like I start every post with,"Audrey is such a good baby." but it's true! She is so laid back and easy going. She doesn't really cry and on the rare occasion that she does cry she's easily and quickly calmed down within a few seconds without the aid of food or a pacifier.

She is really starting to fill out her cheeks and has forearm and shoulder creases from putting on some extra weight. Let's not even talk about her thighs ... OK LET'S because they are adorable and chunky ;)I seem to call her baby, little lady, the girl or chunk-o. Everything BUT her name. I did the same thing with Devon. I think I called him "baby" for 6 months.

Oh, big stretch!

I read that the youngest siblings get the shaft with naps and are less likely to get full, restful sleep during the day due to the older siblings schedule taking the priority. It also stated that the youngest siblings also tend to adapt with older siblings' schedule when they are included in the activity in some way. With that said, Audrey is starting to get into a regular sleeping schedule, but is happy to go along with activities that I take Devon to and sleeps right through them. On the rare occasion that she wakes up she just watches from her super comfy pouch and snuggles into Mama. Can we all please take a moment to notice the pony tail on the top of her head. How adorable is that?

She does an 11:00 pm feeding and will sleep until 4:00 or 5:00 am. A quick snack around 9 then sleeps until lunchtime and doesn't get up again until 5. She is starting to stay awake til her 11:00 feeding then it's lights out. It's pretty awesome because it allows me to spend most of the day just with Devon and he gets all my attention, but in the evening when she is awake Joe is home to help with Devon so we get to all be together. It makes for a tired Mama, but that's just how is goes sometimes.

I call this chair " the beauty parlor" because I put her in it to do her hair since it gets her sitting up so I can comb her curls and put in pony tails. Doing her hair is definately the fun side of having a girl. Oh, and her knee-high socks that look like shoes, pink dresses, hair bows with flowers, make up, prom dress shopping, etc ;)

She is starting to open her eyes more and look around. She is smiling quite a bit more lately, but it's not yet to the point that you can get her to smile on demand. It is so amazing to see that first glimpse of her sweet, awake and happy face.

All clean. Fresh from the bath!

Maya, Aunt Crystal and Bella posing with Audrey at the Smith Labor Day dinner. What a bunch of pretty ladies!

Devon is going through a new phase with this little girl at the moment, but in spite of how he feels he still wants to be a helper and brings her diapers. (I moved her up to size 2 diapers today. Sad face.) He throws them in her crib as well as pacifiers, quarters and toys. He doesn't seem to have a problem with the baby, but he does get upset when I nurse or hold her. In his one-year-old-way he tells me to put her in the bed with a blanket so she can sleep and we can hold hands and play cars ;)He even brings me a blanket and takes me by the hand to guide me to her crib. I keep a close eye on him when he is around her and he is very gentle and ever so eager to help. He gives her kisses and fist bumps on a daily basis.

I haven't had Audrey sleep in bed with me much, but if I lay down for a nap or if I or Joe sleeps in the guest room I have her in the bed with me and I. Love. It. There is something amazing about waking up next to my beautiful, sleeping baby and being level with her sweet face that fills me with awe for this little person.

Audrey is the one person in my life that does not cause me any stress ... at all. Even getting up with her at 4 am is lovely because I get to be with her one-on-one and enjoy the quite of the house. Is there anything sweeter than a nursing baby? All my time with her is so precious and she is just this tiny, little girl who just wants me to hold her and make her feel better. She is truly a treasure.