Brantley: 2 Months Old!

Hi baby boy! Every day you show us more and more of your personality. This month we’ve enjoyed watching your little grin become a wide open smile with a twinkle in your eye. You are such a happy baby with the exception of your reflux, which causes you terrible pain and discomfort. During the last week you’ve spent most of your waking hours screaming, crying, and just wanting to be held. I can’t say I’m so upset about that part of it as I love walking around the house with you in my arms, but it’s absolutely heartbreaking to hear you cry. We’ve tried just about everything to help you but after spending the last 24 hours in tears (both you and Mommy), we think we’ve finally found what we hope will be the solution.

So other than the reflux, you’re a happy boy! You love when we sing to you and your eyes are just bright and open as wide as can be while you listen to us and look around the room. You have quite a fascination with fans and the wooden artwork hanging on our living room wall, although I think Daddy would prefer that you just look at us all the time instead of inanimate objects! You also discovered your toys this month. The crinkly toys are your favorite and you’re starting to turn your head toward the noises you hear and watch as we move the toys side-to-side in front of you. Sometimes I think you’re soothed by hearing our voices but then again, the only time you really cry is when you’re having reflux so my voice can only soothe you so much when you’re in pain.

My favorite part of the day is when I get you up out of bed. Usually when Daddy goes to work (either at the fire station or landscaping) he wakes up and is out of the house well before we wake up, so I get the pleasure of going into your room, unsaddling your little body, and watching as you stretch your arms high above your head and always give a big yawn. It’s quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

And while we’re on the subject, I have to brag on you a little. You are a GREAT sleeper. We put you down around 9:30 or 10pm and you consistently sleep until 7am. That’s 9 hours! Your Mommy (and Daddy) are soooo thankful for that. People told us that you would never catch onto a schedule and that it just wouldn’t work, but at least for now it’s working beautifully and you hardly ever make a peep after we put you down for the night. You nurse around 9pm then take another bottle shortly after while I rock you in your nursery and Daddy reads you a book. (Another favorite moment of our day.) When we lay you down you just go right to sleep. This may all change tomorrow but we really appreciate it right now!

Early in the month, we started taking you over to Nanny and Papa’s house to hang by the pool. It was so nice to relax by the pool with you in your bouncy seat beside us, and I think your grandparents and great-grandparents also loved getting to spend so much time with you.

Each day we would do our morning rituals – wake you up, feed you, have some breakfast, pack up our bags, then head to the pool for the rest of the day. You were happy and content just sitting next to us but you didn’t like the pool very much. Whenever Daddy would drop your toes in the water you would start screaming!

We also spent some time with your friends Brayden and Alexis. The Mommies started scheduling weekly day-dates with walks through the neighborhood and down to the boardwalk. It was definitely a much-needed break to get out of the house, get moving, and have some real conversations with other adults rather than just talking to the littles who are barely even making cooing noises back to us.  After a few trips to the boardwalk, the guys started getting jealous that the girls were having all the fun so we also scheduled some group get togethers including a night of fun at the oceanfront for your first concert!

The night of the concert it was unusually cold so we had you all wrapped up and you were happy as could be! You even slept in your carseat outside while we danced to the music, which didn’t seem to faze you at all.

My Brantley Bug, you are the most wonderful baby. Even through your long hours of screaming and tears (yours and mine), you are the most precious little boy.

Every day when I go into your room to get you out of your crib I am reminded of the wonderful opportunity God has given me to be your Mama.

I love you, Bug.