3 weeks

Here is what is going on with Elisha this week according to babycenter.com;

Babies love and need to suck, so don't discourage it. In fact, you may have already discovered that a pacifier works wonders in helping your baby calm down. When the "binky" or your finger isn't available, your baby may even be able to find her thumb or fingers to soothe herself.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a pacifier at nap time and bedtime, based on evidence that using a pacifier may reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). That said, there's no need to reinsert the pacifier if it falls out once your baby's asleep.

Elisha is doing great!  He's slowly starting to spend a little more time awake with each passing week.  He seems to be naturally settling into a schedule and routine, with a little encouraged structure from us.  

He has completely shocked us by seemingly already starting to sleep through the night (he has done it the last 3 nights in a row!).  Noah didn't consistently sleep through the night until 8 weeks, so I am completely shocked, but not complaining at all.  He seems to be giving me a good solid 7 hour straight chunk of sleep each night, so I'm not feeling very tired at all these days and seem to be getting adequate amounts of sleep, although 4-4:30 is a tad early to be getting up for my taste.

We have been transitioning back into our normal rhythm and routine.  This week Elisha had several outings, including ladies Bible study, community group, and a couple of grocery store trips.  

We have noticed just how different things are with baby #2 verses baby #1.  When Noah was a baby everything seemed like a big deal.  I didn't feel like I could put him down and leave him to shower.  It seemed like a lot to bring him to the grocery store, so I would wait and go on the weekends when Jeremy could stay home with him.  These days we laugh at that.  Especially since I went to the grocery store 3 times this week with both boys.  In hindsight, I wonder just why everything seemed like such a big deal with a baby.  Babies are very portable and easily entertained/ cared for.  It's my 2 year old that is a little more difficult to occupy during grocery shopping trips.  So to us, baby #2 doesn't seem to have changed our life very dramatically... having a toddler seems to impact our decisions and what we do way more than having a second, or small child does.