An update on Cara

Time is flying.  Cara is now 2 and a half months old.  She is getting so big.  We think she has crazy fussy times so we worried that she wasn't eating enough.  So we decided last week to take her in for a weight check and she was actually up to 10.1 lbs!  I look at her everyday so I don't notice the weight gain.  But, the scale doesn't lie.  Another sure sign is that I have just moved her up from newborn clothes to size 0-3 months.

She is smiling all the time and squealing when she is happy.  She tries to do a sit up when she is laying down and actually makes it like half-way up.  The swing has become a nap time must.  One day she just decided she likes it.  Thank goodness for the swing because that is the only way I am able to do anything during the day.  The bouncy seat is fun for her too.  Snuggling is one of her favorite things to do.  If I wear her in a carrier then I can do most anything around the house or even when we are out and about.  Things are getting better every day.  She is more and more willing to just sit and hang out while we are running around doing other stuff.

She is still up every 2-3 hours at night and during the day.  I hear that is normal with breastfed babies so I am not too worried about it.  We give her a formula bottle about 2 times per day.  It actually seems to make a difference in how she acts.  She is much more calm now and sleeps better each time she sleeps.

She just stares and smiles at Byron when he talks to her. She loves to be talked to.

We are all doing well and are excited for it to get even more fun as she gets older!

An update on Isabella

Well, they weren't joking when everyone told me that my time would be pretty sparse after Cara got here.  As you can tell from the RARE posts on here, my time is pretty filled with tasks every day.

We are all doing well.  Isabella is getting so big and so smart.  She picks up on everything we do.  We are amazed almost everyday at the things she does and imitates.  Now she can do the following:
wave
blow kisses
hug
high-five
show her teeth
point to her nose, tongue, fingers, toes, hair, head, ears, and bellybutton
say bye bye, mama, dada, nana, papap, sister, baby, bellybutton, nose, hi, ball, book, bite, please, down, and uh-oh (not all are recognizable to others but it is her consistent sound for each)
sign language for milk, eat, and more
If you ask her what a cat says she says "mow", and for a dog she makes a sort of yelping sound
climb on and off chairs and couches

She is great with Cara.  She wants to play with her all the time.  I have a floor toy that Cara lays under and there are hanging toys.  I lay Cara under those and Isabella will sit at her feet and play with those toys which entertains Cara too.  She loves to kiss her and even tries to help me burp her.  If Cara fusses, Isabella tries to give her the pacifier or blows her kisses as if trying to comfort her.  I cry like every other day at something she does sweet to Cara.

She is growing right on track and will recognize things like clapping just from hearing the noise.  She is also becoming a more independent baby.  She will play in the dining room/play room while we are in the living room.  She is so sweet!  Nap time and bedtime go so well.  She lays right down and goes to sleep almost every time.  We do two naps per day lasting about 1 1/2 hours each.  Then at night she goes to bed at around 8 and doesn't get up until about 8 in the morning.  We are blessed to have such a great sleeper.  She has been off of her pacifier for almost 3 weeks now.  Byron just laid her down for a nap without it one day and she never needed it again!  Isabella is a very passionate baby so when she is upset she is actually very upset and she gets her feelings hurt easily.  She is a great blessing and has such a sweet personality already!

Cara from her first week till 2 months

 Uncle JJ came to visit us.

 Her first smile!