you are three months old {dear beautiful little lady}

dear beautiful little lady

It feels like yet another month has flown by, but this past month you seem to have changed quite a bit. It feels like you really aren't a newborn anymore; you have a personality which seems to be coming out more and more with each passing day. It feels like I really know you now, in fact I've said to Daddy that I just feel so close to you - so in tune with you - that I know what you want before you want it. It's a magical thing. And I just love our bond; how nobody else has quite the effect on you that I do, and how I just feel so much happier and more relaxed with you in my arms.

One of the things that's become very apparent lately is that you are a total home bird. You like being at home, you like sleeping in your own bed, you really don't like playing pass the baby, you like your own space sometimes. We were very conscious of this going into the craziness of Christmas; with all the family parties and time away from home that that can entail. We just made sure that we gave you plenty of time out from the intensity of family gatherings, and spent the rest of the Christmas break hibernating at home where you're happiest.

But you did really enjoy your first Christmas. You loved watching the twinkling lights on the tree, you loved the crinkle of wrapping paper, you loved us singing Jingle Bells to you, and you loved watching your big brother and sister totally giddy with excitement. On Christmas Day we put you in clothes for the very first time; no babygrow for one day, in favour of a pretty yellow dress instead. You looked very cute, although I was glad to see you back in your sleepsuit at bedtime. 

I know it sounds silly, but I am so determined to keep you in cosy, comfy sleepsuits for a while yet. Your older siblings were wearing "proper clothes" practically from the very beginning, but you live in your jimjams. Honestly I think it's easier when you spend half your time asleep anyway, it's comfier for you, and for me it just makes me feel like you're a baby for longer. So while I was a little sad to pack away your 0-3 month clothes recently, I'm going to be keeping you in comfy, cosy babygrows for a while yet; with maybe the odd dress thrown in.

You're still sleeping like a pro, and we just can't really believe how lucky we are. I was adamant that we would follow a fourth trimester approach with you for your first three months, and just go with the flow and not worry about routines. It's been working really well for us, and you seem to be stumbling into a pattern of your own anyway. Throughout the day you feed two to three hourly, after your feed you'll be awake to play for 45 minutes to an hour, before you get sleepy and I scoop you up for a cuddle and then put you down for a nap. This pattern continues on repeat through the day. Then nights go one of two ways, you either go to bed at 7ish and then sleep through until about 5:30am when you'll have a quick feed and go straight back to sleep til 8-8:30ish. Or you'll stay up a little later in the evening, enjoying cuddles with us until 9:30ish and will then skip the 5:30 feed and go right through until about 7:30-8ish. There are perks to both so we just go with you and just feel stupidly thankful to be getting so much sleep with a teeny baby. You still like to sleep swaddled up cosy, and absolutely love your peanut swaddles. You get the happiest look in your face when you realise you're being wrapped into it.

You smile all the time now, and laugh nearly as much. Nothing melts my heart quite as much as when you lay eyes on me and your whole face lights up with a smile. And light up it does. You seem to watch every single move that I make just waiting for the moment I make eye contact with you and then it's like in that single moment I've totally made your day. You have a pretty high opinion of Daddy too, he has worked out your tickle spots perfectly and can always get a giggle out of you. You also give big smiles to some of your toys now, especially the flower garden toy that Nanny and Pops' got you for Christmas, it lights up and sings when you move it and you completely love it. 

Your big brother and sister continue to be your biggest sources of entertainment though, and you to them. You watch them with big eyes, taking it all in and waiting for the day you can join in too I have no doubt. They both have special songs that they like to sing to you; he sings "You Are My Sunshine" and she sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and you beam at them when they do. It amazes me how much you just take all their noise and craziness in your stride, you don't even seem to mind the big cuddles that look half like wrestles. You have such a gift in them, and I know they will want to teach you so much... including stuff that we'd probably prefer they didn't. You are so like both of them. You look quite a lot like your big sis, but your temperament seems much more like your big bro, and you pull a lot of his facial expressions too. At the same time, you are so totally you... a 'part of the set' with your siblings, but definitely different in your own ways too. And we are loving getting to see those similarities and differences more and more as you grow. 

We still feel like we have to pinch ourselves regularly that you are as happy, smiley and content as you are. You've fitted into our family with such ease. It's so clear that you were always meant to be a part of our family, and we can't imagine life without you in it. You are just the perfect baby, and the perfect fit in every single way.

We love you so much. You are the apple of all our eyes.

mummy xxx

You can read her first month and second month letters here. It's already crazy how much she's changed.

A third month in photos...