Paxton is 2 months old!

Paxton was 2 months old on the 2nd, but since that was immunization day and I was traumatized for the better part of last week this has been delayed.  He's actually 10 weeks old today.  I can't believe how fast it's going by even though that's what everyone told me would happen!  Anyway, here's the update.

Paxton:
- is giving real smiles now!  He has the most adorable, toothless, gummy smile I've ever seen on a baby.  He always has smiles for Mom when he wakes up from a nap (and has a few moments to actually wake up).  I could just sit there all day and baby talk him to get him to smile.  If only I didn't have laundry and dishes and blogs waiting for me ...

- weighs around 10 lbs (I think).  We haven't had him weighed since his appointment in January, but he's definitely getting heavier and taller.  He's also developing more rolls on his arms and legs, and his cheeks just get chubbier every day!  He's starting to lose his neck and look like Mom did in her baby pictures!

- is growing out of his 0-3 month clothes (sad face sigh).  It seems that I have to pack up more of his newborn stuff every day since he's grown out of it!

- holds up his head pretty much all of the time now.  We've tried him out in his Jumperoo which he does really well in (even though his feet don't quite reach the floor).  We've also tried him in his Bumbo, but I don't think he's quite ready for it since his neck control is pretty good but he can't quite sit up without help (and the Jumperoo seat helps support him unlike the Bumbo).

- is starting to make noises other than crying!  He hasn't quite started cooing or "telling stories" yet, but he sure is trying.

- still has blue eyes.  There've been a few times where I thought they looked grey, but they've still had a dark blue ring around them.  I guess we'll wait and see!

- has much lighter hair than when he was born or even when he was 1 month.  It also has a lot of red in it.  Jay doesn't want him to be a redhead, but it's possible.  Jay's Mom was a redhead and we have some red on our side of the family as well.  I guess we'll have to wait on this one too.

- is usually awake for at least an hour in between naps during the day.  It's actually usually closer to 2 hours and occasionally up to 3!  Mom is trying to figure out how to work around his awake times since he really doesn't like to be put down too much (see next point).

- hates being on his back.  It doesn't matter if it's in his crib, on Mom and Dad's bed, in his bouncy chair or his swing chair.  He is definitely a tummy boy (good thing he has such good neck control!).  He will tolerate being in his Jumperoo or high chair for about 1/2 hour and then he demands to be picked up.  This does not really help Mom get the laundry, dishes, housework, etc. done.

- still loves being in the Maman Kangaroo wrap.  When all else fails I can put him in the wrap and 99% of the time he goes right to sleep.  The only problem is that he wakes up as soon as I take him out and lay him down. =(

- is starting to track things with his eyes.  He still hasn't discovered his hands yet, but he's getting more coordinated with his movements.

- has figured out breastfeeding for the most part.  He actually started breastfeeding shortly after I did his 1 month old post.  It was a little rough at the beginning since I believe he'd been a little spoiled by bottle feeding for so long.  He would do fine when I was engorged, but when he had to start working for it he would give up.  But a little perseverence by Mom has gone a long way, and he now breastfeeds more than bottle feeds during the day.  YAY!

- discovered the baby in the mirror today and thought it was great.  I held him up to the bathroom mirror before his bath today and he had a great time giving the other baby high fives.  He kept looking up at me and smiling.  So cute!

- tries to eat his hand and breastfeed at the same time.  We have the discussion about how this doesn't work at least 3 times a day.

- doesn't like his soother too often any more.  You usually have to hold it in his mouth for a few minutes before he'll take it himself.  However, once you put him down while he's sleeping he will spit the soother out and then wake up immediately.  Kind of defeats the purpose.

- is getting better with baths.  He doesn't cry while I bath him anymore, but he's still not quite sure about the whole process.

- doesn't like it when Mom exercises.  He will be perfectly happy in his Jumperoo for about 15 minutes while I'm exercising, but after that he wants to be picked up.  This doesn't really work, however, so a lot of the time I get to exercise while he's crying or else it wouldn't happen at all!

- is starting to drool.  I'm guessing he will be like his 3 cousins and have bibs as a perpetual accessory for the next year or so.

- is my favorite little man and I can't imagine life without him!

Sleeping on Grammie

Hangin' out in the bouncy chair

Grandpa Dave's first hold

This one uploaded sideways, not sure why. But it's Paxton in the Jumperoo

Sleeping in the Jumperoo.  This one almost gave me diabetes 'cuz it was so sweet!

Immunizations ... blarg.

Here is my rant about immunizations.  I realize that it is a good thing to get my baby boy immunized against meningitis, diptheria, etc (I actually read the pamphlets they gave me, and I am not so much about Paxton getting any of these diseases).  HOWEVER, I don't think the whole situation is fair to me or my little man.

I also realize that I am not the first mom, nor will I be the last, who has gone through this ordeal with her baby.  But come on!  To force a woman who loves this little being more than anything else in the world to hold his little body while some stranger jabs multiple sharp objects into his soft rolly flesh is just cruel and unusual punishment!  Mom's are supposed to protect their babies, not subject them to pain!  It happened 2 days ago and it's still bringing tears to my eyes!  It was definitely one of the saddest and hardest things I've ever done.  Poor Paxton was just sitting there all happy, looking at the health nurse like "Hey new person.  Whatcha doin'?  Do you want to adore me like everyone else does?"  And then WHAMMO!  She sticks him with the needle, and his whole little face just crumpled with shock and despair.  And then he let out the saddest most outraged cry I've ever heard from him.  I just wanted to run out of the room with him and not return.

I just sat on the couch with Paxton and cuddled him for hours after we got home.  I was still sad and crying when Jay got home.  Not cool.  And then, yesterday afternoon, Paxton started getting a slight fever.  He woke up around 3:30 pm and was feeling warm on his neck and the back of his head (as well his thighs were warm where the injections were given).  And then my poor little monkey started getting irratable.  I didn't get him back to sleep until about 9 pm, and then he would only sleep if I was holding him.  This spells not a good night's sleep for Mom since I had a baby sleeping on my chest.  I finally got him to sleep in his crib around 2:30 am, but he seems to be starting the whole not sleeping thing again this morning.  And yes, I have been giving him Tylenol since this ordeal began.  If he doesn't feel better later today I think we might have to start giving him Ibuprophen as well.

I'm already dreading his next set of shots, and that's 2 months away!