3 months!

Hi sweet baby A!

I can't believe that I'm a mom to a three month old! Hearing Me being called mom is still new to me and music to my ears. i love saying "my daughter". It still feels pretty surreal. Its been busy this month. Here's what was going on!

Highlights- you rolled over! daddy was watching you on your tommy and you rolled over! it was more like falling over. it still counts! you are so close to laughing! You keep going Hi and ah-ga. you have been playing with your voice and talking to us like you're responding to us. You are smiling daily which is awesome! We took you out of the bassinet! It seemed like you were cramped. So now you can stretch out more. You sleep with us in the bottom of the pack and play. 

Favorite moments- you smile in your sleep! Sometimes you'll cry in your sleep. So I come running in panicked to get you and you wake up smiling! You smile like nothing was wrong. It's funny. You always stretch when I pick you up. you stretch like me. its so cute. 

4th of July- look how cute you are in your 4th of July dress! You were so excited you couldn't hold still to take a picture. For the holiday, we kept it chill. we hung out with family and had BBQ. You got to see your cousins and auntie Tara. She got to hold you for a long time. She loved it. 

Nursing- i used the pump finally. We wanted to wait to make sure your latch was established before introducing the bottle. It's recommended to wait at least a month before trying the bottle. You didn't take it. You stucked on it as it fell out of your mouth. You had this digested look on your face. It was so funny. Its like you said- gross what is this?! Sometimes, I get tired of breast feeding and getting milk on me. But I know it won't last forever. You will be too big and ill miss the special time we had together. I really enjoy the bonding with you while nursing. Even afterwards, you give me this big smile and talk to me. I treasure those moments. 

Mastitis- ugh. I got this unexpectedly. Ive felt great after recovering from birth and over did it. I've been cleaning and cooking non stop. ive been going off of too little sleep and food. I haven't been resting and sleeping when you're sleeping like I should. It doesn't help that I have a oversupply. It really took me off my feet. i was in bed for a week! I've been nursing the infected side two to one. I'd express the healthy side if it was uncomfortable. It seems to be helping. La leche says-"Lots of fluids! Empty breast and lots rest!"

Al's wedding- you're first wedding! Your auntie al got married to your uncle scot. Your auntie looked gorgeous! She left a special present for you for your wedding someday! But ill leave what it is for a surprise!  it was so beautiful and so much fun! You were so good. you didn't cry or fuss much at all. Everyone complimented how beautiful you are and such a good girl! You wore a special dress that your grandma Lorene made for you. You were the flower girl and I walked you down the isle! It made me think that someday you will be a beautiful bride someday! I cant wait to see you walk down ther isle to marry a godly man! I pray for that kind of happiness for you regularly. i really enjoy showing you off to family. You got to meet your great aunt mary ellen and great great aunt Lela. It was so special for them to hold you. 

Development- you like to grab things! You have been grabbing my hair nonstop. You have been turning your head smoothly from one side to the other. It's pretty neat. You've been lifting your head higher and higher these days! A lot of times you are all to hold your head up while I carry you. It's still pretty wobbly but you can do it. I am so amazed at your new abilities! You are getting more curious and looking around more. Sometimes you will get scared and have this sad panic look on your face. It makes me sad for you and want to hold you to comfort you. 

Leap- During these weeks, Alex will make the third leap in her mental development, known as the 'world of smooth transitions'. During the first year, Alex will learn things that adults find so natural and simple that they no longer notice them. For Alex however, they are the most challenging things they can handle and therefore her "peak experiences". The perception and control of "patterns" is followed by the ability to perceive "smooth transitions." That enables Alex to move less stiff and robotic. That new ability is also reflected in the way she plays with her voice, and is the reason that babies love to play "airplane". This leap into the perceptual world of "smooth transitions" is age-linked and predictable, emerging at about 12 weeks. It sets in motion the development of a whole range of skills and activities. 

Challenges- i think the shots were very tough! It's a hard decision to make! It's definitely a hot topic right now. Many are choosing not to vaccinate their kids. The media featured a study that supposedly linked shots to autism. It was later found fraudulent and found untrue. the ingredient in question, thimersal was removed from pediatric vaccines. I got a copy of the ingredients before your shots. i definitely don't like the preservatives in the shots like formaldehyde, etc. For now, we for it. I'm having trouble with finding data not to vaccinate. I keep coming back to my philosophy- I'd rather have my child alive with autism then dead from preventable and highly contagious diseases. i'm not sure if ill vaccinate for non deadly diseases. Thankfully the chicken pox come later at a year. My instincts says to space them out. But there's nothing to prove that's any better. We are short on time. We have your aunts wedding to go to where you'll be exposed to family from Paris. I'm mostly afraid of you getting something from them especially since they don't vaccinate. I always get sick going across seas. It's the hardest decision we've made so far since you've born. We did decide against the hep b at birth since you'll get that soon. It is a hard decision. It's not one to base on fear but on truth. I have tried to use whatever knowledge we have available today to make the best decision for you. And pray that it was the best decision. It was so hard to watch you cry in pain at the docs office and be utterly helpless. I try to remember its better than the pain id see if you were to get paralezed because of my failure to act. I believe this is what's best for you. Everything else is in Gods hands. 

What I've learned as a mom- you have to make tough decisions! And sometimes decisions that are in grey areas that have no good outcomes or win win situations. You have to weight the risks and pick the less dangerous risky one. I pray that I make the right decisions that God wants me to. 

We love you so much. We are very proud of you and love showing you off! You amaze us every day. 

Mom

 

 

2 months!

Hey my little one!

Happy two months! You are so cute in all your little dresses! Having a girl is so fun! We like to play dress up already! Here's how our second month went-

Highlights-you fit into 3 month clothes! You are getting to big too fast! I had to put most of your infant clothes away. Your grammie gave you your first book called I kissed the baby! It's a sweet book with contrasting colors. You love to look at the pictures.

Favorite moments -I have a lot with you! You are smiling more often and bigger these days which is very exciting! You are making a kinds of noises now like Ahs and little Coos. they are all so cute and girly. You have these moments where you make a bunch of noises. You look at us like you're talking to us! Sometimes you'll even make noises responding to us. I love when you strech out your arms like you want a hug. It's so cute. Every time you do it I say- "hugies!"

Nursing- we are getting better and better each day! We quite pro at it actually! We are trying all kinds of new positions. Im even eating dinner when youre nursing! Theres been a few road blocks weve overcome this month- A few times you were choking, so I am nursing laying down or reclining. It seems to help. 

Father's Day- it was so special! This was your dads first fathers day! i could tell that he was happy to hear people congratulate him and wishing happy fathers day. he had a big smile on his face. Your daddy got to be with you all day! We gave him a homemade card with your picture on it. He was touched by it. I think I saw a little tear- not sure though. It's not like your dad to tear up. It was very special day since last year we were trying for you and you weren't here yet. I wanted you so bad and to wish your dad a happy Father's Day last June. But you decided to come later and it was well worth the wait!

Development- You are getting more and more eye lashes and eye brows. Everyone keeps telling me how you look like you're dad! You are getting strong. Now, You're lifting your head up high and pushing off with your legs! You can lift your whole body with the strength you have in your legs! So far you seem to love your tommy time! I'm told this helps you develop your muscles. Here in this pic you found your thumb again for the second time in your life!

Your stats-

Height 23 inches (75%)

Weight 10 lbs 4oz (48%)

Head 39 cm (65%)

Leap- During these weeks, Alex will make the second leap in her mental development, known as the 'world of patterns'. After having made this leap, Alex doesn't experience the world as a bowl of soup anymore, where everything is blended together. She begins to differentiate regular patterns. For example: she discovers her hands. She looks surprised and turns them around. Many of Alex 's automatic reflexes disappear, and she begins to do things purposefully. All the movements Alex makes will still look very stiff to the outside world, as if he was a puppet on a string.

Challenges- it's hard keeping the house clean. But I try to remember that there will always be house work. But you won't always be here. Eventually you'll grow up and I won't be able to get to hold you everyday like I can now. That's such a sad thought to me. I cherish every moment we have together. You'll never be this small again! Not a lot besides that, you do have cradle cap that were trying to get rid off. 

Sleep- what sleep? Jk, you are sleeping more and more at night. Mostly it's every three hours you wake to eat. On good nights, you'll wake once or twice to eat. Many times, we both fall asleep nursing. I think we sleep better when youre next to me after nursing.

What ive learned as a mom- Being a mom is a lot of trial and error. Just as soon as we find a solution, any other situation comes up. You just have to experiment until things work and not all advice will work for you and your baby. Your always in a continual state of learning and growing into a mom. Just as Solomon asked for wisdom, I ask God to give me wisdom on how to raise and take care of you the best I can. 

Every day I pray for you, your development, and your future. I am so privileged to be your mom. I love you so much. 

Always yours, 

Your mom