Isobel at two months

I just cannot believe that Isobel is two months old already! Time seems to drag when you're pregnant and you feel as though you will never get to meet that little bundle... and then they are here and you can't imagine life without them.

We started this month will a cold. Poor Isoebel didn't cope too badly, but Mummy was a little fraught, watching her sleep and constantly checking she was still  breathing. I'm not proud of my anxieties but I know I'm not the first mother to feel this way. Anyhow, we got through the cold with Olbas Oil and lots of cuddles.

If the paranoid baby watching isn't enough, I've also been panicking about vomit. My son suffered terribly from acid reflux from such a young age and all throughout this pregnancy I told myself that if Isobel presented with the same symptoms, I would not panic- instead, I would deal with the situation with a calm and clear head. Oh dear. Isobel's had a few projectile vomiting sessions and all I can say is thank goodness for health visitors! We chatted for ages about everything that happened when my son was born and his poor health in the early days. She also reassured me that Isobel was growing and developing perfectly normally... phew.

Emotionally, this month has been a lot more challenging than the last one. We're settling into a routine now and the euphoria of Isobel's birth is starting to fade a little. I've also been thinking a lot more about Luka's birth and making comparisons between the two experiences. Sleep deprivation is also making me feel a little tearful at times, but I've been here before. Isobel isn't a bad sleeper, it's just that she finds it difficult to do it without me!

We're still co-sleeping but she isn't really using the bedside cot so much anymore. I guess Mummy's bed is too warm and comfortable!

So despite the cold and the projectile vomiting incident, month two is passing  us by without any real concerns. Isobel is such a calm baby and every day with her is a privilege. This month we've seen her first smile- and that was like somebody lit a fire in my chest!- and we've watched her really start to  take in her surroundings. But more than that, the effect she has had on us as a family is amazing.

Isobel's older brother and sister seem to adore her us as much as we do. From complete indifference to total awe, my son has totally fallen in love with her. He demands cuddles and he loves to try and make her smile. I have to admit that each time he does this, my husband and I smile with relief! The toddler is still very demanding of our time and attention and perhaps Isobel is so calm and easygoing because she has to be. Either way, she has slotted into family life so well that sometimes you forget there is a new baby in the house.

This month my body seems to have fully recovered from the c-section so we've been going on more walks, enjoying the sunny weather and trying to get back into my jeans! When we're on our own, we take the Graco Symbio b but if big brother comes too, we take the iCandy Pear instead. Isobel happily sleeps in the carry cot in this pram while Luka ‘drives’ the front but it’s a lot harder for me, especially up the hills! Having said that, the double is essential for the school run because the roads are really busy around there.

Another revelation this month is how well we are coping with the cloth nappies and how soothing Isobel still finds it to be in the Moby wrap. I love seeing her in fluffy nappies and only wish I had used them with the other two. I also love having her close to me in the wrap and find myself spouting off about the benefits of babywearing to whoever will listen!

Physically, Isobel has changed so much once more. By the end of the month she's weighing in at 9lb 13oz, which is amazing considering her tiny birth weight. Her brother and sister had always struggled to gain weight well so this feels like such an achievement and if ever an incentive was needed to continue breastfeeding, here it is! She's still feeding every two hours during the night but going a little longer in the day so we were plodding along really well.