first month

Sophia is a wonderful baby.  She loves to eat so I feel like I'm constantly nursing and we aren't really on any kind of schedule (besides eat, play, sleep).  Sophie is getting less gassy and hasn't been spitting up quite as much.  She used to have at least one fussy period every day, but that has gotten much better because she seems to be figuring out how her body works.  She will sometimes go 4 hours before her first feeding in the middle of the night, but that isn't consistent.  She usually wakes up every 2 or 3 hours at night.  At around 6 weeks she started getting a feel for nighttime, meaning that she'll usually fall asleep right after eating so I'm not up all night long anymore.  We love our sweet Sophie.

Sophie makes the most adorable faces after she eats.  I love how she stretches her legs up and arches her back while tipping her head.  It is SO CUTE!  I regret not getting pictures of Ella doing this so I attempted to get one of Sophie. This is usually how she ends up.  She is so sweet.  I'm still amazed at how tiny she is, but I know that it won't last long so I'm trying to enjoy every second.  I would stay at home in my sweats all day long if I could.  I love my little girls.

our helper

the girls in matching jammies when Sophie was 3 weeks old

When we came home from the hospital Ella's whole world had changed.  She loved her baby sister, but didn't love that Sophie got Mom and Dad's attention too.  Ella acted out in every possible way.  Within the first week she stopped eating anything that had nutritional value, cried about everything, threw countless tantrums, bit me because I wouldn't let her keep a Barbie shoe in her mouth, asked to nurse, wanted to get in the crib, had me change her diaper on the changing table, and did just about everything else I feared.  She hated when I nursed the baby.  Absolutely hated it!  I don't know if it was just because the process was new and strange to her, or if it was because I spent so much time doing it, or if it was because Sophie had one on one time with Mom doing something that Ella couldn't. Through this difficult period of transition Ella has always loved Sophia and has wanted to help her whenever possible.  Sometimes she wants to help too much.  Ella believes that giving Sophie her pacifier is always the best thing to do.

 When people asked Ella if she helped Mommy she simply said, "No."  It was the truth.  Fortunately the more she adjusts, the more willing she is to help me out.  For Christmas Laz and Allie gave Ella a lawn mower.  She loves mowing the lawn with Daddy.

I am happy to report that now, in Sophie's 8th week of life, Ella is back to normal!!!  She sleeps well, eats about as well as can be expected, and has stopped acting out more than an average 2 year old.  The second our "normal" life changes she starts to act out, but I'll still take it!