I love the newborn stage. But I’m not a mom who goes into mourning when it’s over. For as blissful as it is, it can be equally exhausting and overwhelming at times. On the really overwhelming days this second time around, I found myself thinking, Just make it to three months. All the kinks work themselves out by then. And it’s true. And we made it!
General Baby Thoughts
New babies have a lot to figure out about this wide world we live in. Wynn’s little body had to figure out nursing, sleeping, tummy troubles, and having a routine. And in the last two weeks or so, she finally seems like she gets it! The only time she’s discontent is when she’s tired or hungry (or in the car, but that’s another story). Otherwise, we have a girl with the smiliest disposition. We took the bus home from the airport, and she and a rather rough-around-the-edges man sitting across from us smiled and laughed at each other for at least half an hour. She is just the sweetest little person, and as long as people are around, she’s grinning from ear to ear. We can’t help but compare our Winnie to how Sally was at her age, and Winnie just seems so much more laid back! It might not always be this way, but we are counting our lucky stars right now!
Since it’s the second time around for us, I can’t help but add a little note about how Winnie’s big sister is coping three months in. Much of the initial jealousy and subsequent acting out has subsided, but Sally’s behavior is still noticeably less mischievous when Wynn is asleep (and vice versa when she’s awake). She definitely still prefers the only-child life. Currently, she asks to also do “tummy time” anytime Wynn is doing it, which is pretty cute — usually. I’m excited to carve out more one-on-one time with her now that we’re adjusting a bit better.
Financial Baby Thoughts
I still haven’t bought Wynn any clothes of her own! She is living the hand-me-down life like a champ. I’ll make up for it when she’s a little older, I’m sure, but for now we’re enjoying the savings of not buying her clothes. I did spend $20 on headbands since she doesn’t have much hair, and I keep getting the “It’s a boy, right?” question when I’m out in public with her. I also spent $26 on SwaddleMe blankets since Wynn seems to love them. Anything that will help her sleep well is worth every cent! Aside from that, we’re still going strong on the diapers and wipes that were purchased last month, so $0 on those for month three. Yippee! While we were on our trip to visit family, in a moment of desperation, I bought a $5 pack of two pacifiers, as well as a $3 packet of pacifier wipes. We’d lost the one pacifier I’d packed for the trip, and we needed something (anything!!) to keep her from screaming in the car. So our grand total for month three comes to $54.
And now, here are a few pictures of our happy, little three-month-old:
So parents with two kids, I have to know — is your second child more chill than the first? Does birth order really have that much influence?
15 Comments
Our second kid was much less chill than the first. She was a little colic-y…. Now that she just turned one and started to walk we can tell she is going to be much more trouble that her brother. She enjoys getting into things more than he did. He is pretty much a ruler follower and she is a bit more of a rebel.
Well, every family needs a rebel! I wonder if it’s just that the first two are always opposites, the second one feeling the need to fill whatever gaps the first left behind.
A real little cutie just like her older sister, I see. Well Joanna, having had 2 kiddos, same ages apart as your two (except we have an older daughter and a younger son, 2 years apart in age), I’d have to say that yours are acting pretty much as ours did at that age. Lots of pictures and attention spent with the older one (when she was a baby and we were rookie parents) and most things pretty laid back with the younger one at birth (when we had graduated to seasoned parenthood status).
As to the issues with car travel, we had not much drama there in that we were able to sit my wife in the car back seat with both kids while I played the role of chauffeur in the front. My wife was able to read to them, play games, etc and generally amuse both of them. Coming home in the evenings with them, they both usually quickly fell fast asleep and so it was usually even easier than during the day.
I’m sure that you guys will work it out eventually.
Thanks, Rob! I’m sure us being more laid back has a lot to do with thinking Winnie is more laid back!
I wish I could sit in the back of the car and entertain our girls, but I get horrible motion sickness! Poor Johnny has realized we’ll probably never go on a cruise together because of it!
Oh, so sorry to read about that, Joanna. Well, I guess you and the girls later going on bumping car rides at the amusement park is out too, eh? 🙂
2nd more chill than the first? Nope! #1 was mr. content; happy to hang out and watch the world go by. #2 may be more smiley but also much more prone to throw a fit.
Very interesting. You guys got spoiled with #1! Our first has been high maintenance since day one, so I’m hoping we’re not just imagining that our second is more laid back!
My oldest was a handful, but I just didn’t know it. I thought she was what babies were supposed to be like. I carried her around with me every where. She hated to be alone especially at night (didn’t sleep through the night until she was 3!)
Our second was so laid back. Went to sleep awake on his own! So different. We thought we’d become fabulous parents, ha! Potty trained easily at 3. Calm, easy going (kinda like his daddy!)
Then number 3 was born and she was the direct center of the older two. Humbled us a bit! Seemed like the average type baby. We were blessed that none of our children had colic.
My friend has three children too. Very similar to mine in temperament, personality and birth order. Although my younger two’s genders are switched, the personality and temperaments are more similar in gender than in birth order.
Shay
Wynn is adorable! Thanks for sharing some financial thoughts and ideas. Great post!
Thanks, Lauren!
In my case, I was a much more chill mom the second time around. With the first baby, if I dropped the pacifier on the floor, it got washed in really hot water and air dried. With the second baby, I would pick it up, drag it across my shirt and stick it in the kid’s mouth. I didn’t sweat the small stuff the second time around. I had boy first and then girl. Boy was easy, laid back, docile. Girl was a firecracker from a year old on. They are now 22 and 25 and fabulous young adults. I didn’t think I would make it but I did!
So true! Great point… I wonder if our second is the exact same as our first, but because we’re more laid back, we think she is, too!
I don’t have two but Maria HATED the car as a baby. It was honestly hell every time we had to go somewhere until (if) she fell asleep…this was especially hard when I was alone with her. She eventually got over it maybe around 6-9 months she got better but we didn’t go ANYWHERE without a soother and my nursing cover to stop and nurse. Good luck!
Wynn is so cute!! I love these posts because it confirms the notion that kids aren’t super expensive. You just have to be thoughtful about what’s really important.
Wynn is ADORABLE!! Two beautiful little ladies. 🙂