three months old
Well Bean, yesterday you finally turned 3 months old.
Wow. Three months, huh? It seems like I was waiting so long for this day to come. All those sleepless nights and fussy days, I would read about how it would all, for the most part, miraculously come to an end around 3 months. That’s when the newborn stage is finally over and the “real” baby stage begins, they would say. That’s when it just starts getting good.
Well, three months has passed in a flash and I am already beginning to long for those sweet newborn days to come back to us, if only for a moment.
It’s true, you are getting much less fussy and sleeping pretty well, although you were never really a bad sleeper. And you are doing all sorts of new, fun things every day that throw us for a loop (like when you randomly tried, unsuccessfully, to roll over on Friday. Where did THAT come from?). But sometimes, it just all seems like too much, and I want to grab it and suspend it in time. I just want one more day where you lay on me, all snuggly-like, while we nap the day away together and you only wake up to eat and make cute little kitty-cat noises before drifting off again. But sadly, I’m afraid those days are already long-gone.
These days however, are filled with a whole new set of adventures. Snuggling and sleeping all day long have been replaced with playing, kicking, reaching and grabbing. Little kitty-cat noises have been replaced with small squeals and random laughter. And the sound of your laughter is the most wonderful music my ears have ever heard. There is no better sound in the world.
It’s funny how I thought one month ago you had lost that newborn look, because I look back at those pictures now and still see a newborn. These days you really do look like a “real” baby…such a big girl. Your face is much more expressive every day. The smiles are bigger and goofier, the lower-lip sticks out a little further when you are mad about something and your eyes are more alert and constantly searching for…well, anything. You are always on the lookout for something new.
Because of this newfound curiosity, your naps seem to have taken a backseat. It seems like you never want to close your eyes just in case you may miss something. This is especially true when there are visitors, which is never a good thing, especially when you start to get tired later on in the day. You are not a happy camper when you are tired. You must get that from your dad.
But when you are awake and fed, you are one happy little girl. You smile a lot these days, especially if I look you right in the eyes, smile real big and say something in an obnoxiously high-pitched voice. It cracks you up every time. And just this past week you started with the laughter. At first, it almost sounded like you were coughing and squealing at the same time, but then I finally figured out what you were doing. It’s so wonderful. I like to pretend you think I am totally hilarious, and that’s why you laugh so much with me. But I’m sure you are just laughing at me. I’ll try and get use to it now. Because when you are 14 years old, I’m positive you will be laughing at me.
This past week, I have gone back to work full-time and your daddy has been staying home with you. It’s been going really well so far even though I miss you terribly when I am gone and never get to spend enough time with you after work. But the two of you are doing great together during the day, even if Daddy looks a little tired when I get home. It’s amazing to me though how much closer the two of you have gotten just in the past week of spending this time together. And I’m so happy you both will have this time to bond.
You’re still a bit finicky and some of the things you loved last month, you are just sort of “meh” about this now - the main thing being your bouncy chair. It just doesn’t do it for you like it did a few weeks ago. These days you are much more content to just lay on a blanket on the floor with Sophie the Giraffe and have a drooling, gurgling conversation with the ceiling fan.
You have however, finally taken a liking to your swing ever since we moved it into the sunroom, which has been wonderful. Now, we can set you in there, and you swing to your heart’s content (which is usually about an hour) while the summer breeze blows in through the windows. And if we are really lucky, you will even take a nap in it. Those are good days.
Other things you are loving lately: drooling like a maniac, blowing bubbles, grabbing onto your shirt or onesie with a death-grip, “talking” much louder, making funny faces, staring in total amazement at Freddie the Firefly who is attached to your car seat, when I blow in your face, hanging out on the bed with me when I blow dry my hair, hanging out on the changing table while we play (you have always loved this), sucking on your forearm so hard it gives you little arm-hickeys, being held over my shoulder or turned out facing forward, kicking your legs up in the air at an astounding speed, your Baby Loves Jazz CD (or maybe that’s me and your dad who love that one), being swaddled (still), standing up while we hold onto your hands to steady you (your legs are freakishly strong), playing in the bathtub and being totally cute.
Seriously. I know all moms say this about their kids, but you are without a doubt, the cutest baby I have ever seen. You just get cuter and cuter every day. I think it’s getting daddy a little worried about the future.
Things you still aren’t loving so much: tummy-time (more like hate with a passion, we are such slackers about making you do this, but you HATE it SO much), staying up past 7pm (it’s gets real ugly, real quick), being hot in the summer weather, being held in a cradle hold.
Things you couldn’t care less about right now: Sitting in a dirty diaper (seriously, this doesn’t bother you??), most of your toys (unless you can stick it in your mouth, you really don’t care), books (I still read them to you anyway).
Random oddities: The weird, alien-like, slimy pukes you were having last week when we started giving you a bottle regularly (giving less at each feeding helped this), your giant bald spot on the back of your head that accentuates your baby-mullet (which is a result of so little tummy-time, I’m sure), having one eye at half-mast when you get sleepy, and all this new squirming while you’re nursing. Seriously, cut it out!
All-in-all, it’s been an amazing month. I think so far, this one has been my favorite just because I see you actually becoming your own little person. Your unique personality is finally starting to shine through. And I love every gesture, every smirk, every noise and every nuance that makes you - you.
Happy birthday Bean.
