The Harrild Happenstance: The Stats at Two Months

Andrew had his two month appointment on Wednesday... We were not excited about it very much at all. So many horror stories about all the bad experiences people have had with their children. We had envisioned a whaling baby Andrew for a day and a night and a day.

Andrew's doctor had told us to get some children's Tylenol to ease some of the discomfort, which we did. Andrew really seemed to enjoy the taste of it and downed the dose we gave before going. Being a little tired and fussy, he was not happy to be in his car seat.

Once we arrived, he started to fall asleep which was nice, but he was woken up for all the torturous tests they perform on babies. His weight was 11lbs 3 oz which put him in the 40th percentile for weight. Height was 23 inches and 70th percentile for height. His head was 16.5 inches and the 85th percentile. He seems destined to be a basketball player or some sort of genius with all that noggin space.

There never really was much of a fuss when he received his immunity shots. He cried out a little at each shot, but didn't wail and gnash his teeth, erm I mean gums... Georgette fed him right afterwards too, so that helped. I was quite suprised at how well it went for him. His legs were a little sore the next day, but we moved them and he started moving them on his own.

This is the time when all the work and effort that Georgette and I did is starting to see some payoff. He is smiling more and more each day and also is attempting to laugh now. There is nothing in this world that makes your heart melt than to see your child smile up at you and attempt to laugh. It sure eases all the times when he screams his head off for hours and there seems to be nothing you can do to ease his discomfort, or whatever is causing him to cry.

The doctor said that Andrew is really healthy and there's nothing really to be concerned about. Which his a huge relief to both of us. Gabe, Aaron and Amber's baby, is a whopping 13.5 pounds and 5 days younger. Xander is a little over 12 pounds and has doubled his weight since birth. We both thought that there was something going on with Georgette's milk supply or that she just wasn't feeding him enough. Turns out that he is healthy, albeit a little skinny for now. I can see why with all the wiggling around he does. It's as if he wants to run a marathon now. He can stand up on his own two legs apart from a little issue called balance. He can whip his head around like it's nobody's buisness and even hold it up too!

Some of the funniest things he's done thus far is his snorting while he cries. His serious starvation mode feeding where he gulps so loudly. He will also wiggle and squirm so much, he deprives himself of the food he wants most and then starts to cry like it was a vicious trick to pry him from his food. You can also put a binky in his mouth while he is going nuclear and he will suck on it and make some of the funniest sounds while he is sucking. I've tried to capture it with the camera, but it's to no avail. It's like trying to capture footage of bigfoot or something.

Anyway, being married is something altogether new and challenging, but nothing like having a child. You take a little being that has no experience at life with a body, take away communication except for crying. Which crying seems to wreak havoc in the heartstrings of their parents at the thought of it's discomfort, pain, hunger or whatever ails the child and the many attempts to sooth whatever is causing the crying go unsuccessful.

After time though, you start to pick up on the little cues that prevent the absolute meltdowns known thus far and makes for a much smoother ride. Then there are those moments of reprise, where the child is asleep and the only noise you hear is the popcorn as you sit and type on a computer, or the silence apart from the turn of a piece of paper as you read a book, or whatever is done while the wee one is alseep. You pause whatever you are doing to look down at a peaceful face and relaxed body of one of the most beautiful things to ever look upon as sleep consumes such a little body. Every once in a while there is a smile, a twitch or a lurch, but just as fast as it came, it's gone in the little dreams that babies dream.

I wonder if sleep is a way for our Father in Heaven to have a little reprise from his spirit children living a mortal existance. If there is some other reason, it is beyond me and my finite understanding. I often relfect on the comparison that I make with Georgette and I being mortal parents to a loving Heavenly Father and the lessons I've learned in life. The goals and desires I have for Andrew to experience in life and the happieness I desire for him. I ache at the heartache that seems to be so inescapable in this moment of existence. The troubles and choices that will cause him grief. I look forward to the enthusiasm that little children have and wonder where I lost mine.

I cannot imagine how much love and longsuffering our Father in Heaven has for His children. I think of all the rash decisions I've made, all the poor choices I've made in my life and the consequences that coincide with them. I marvel that He still loves me dearly. Enough to send His beloved Son down to pay the price by my ignorance, pride, and emotional choices that seperate myself from Him and cause grief.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Here are some pictures of Andrew.

But they're cousins! Almost identical cousins! They sort of walk alike and talk alike... and sometimes even... hmmm perhaps this song isn't the right thing for them.