3 Months!

We've made it through the forth trimester, as I've heard it called (and concur).  Our baby has become alive.  He's happiest in the mornings.  Waking up in our bed, we go in to scoop him up as he stirs.  We say "good morning love," while he greets us with the biggest smile across his face.  The smiles are interrupted by coo's and stories about his dreams.

His bedtime falls about 8pm.  He begins to get fussy around 7.  I pump the last bottle for him and we settle in on the couch for his bedtime snack.  Once he's out, i lay him in the pack and play in our room.  He typically sleeps until 3 or 4am, nurses and falls back asleep with us in our bed until 6-ish.  He nurses and dozes back off until typically 9am.  I continue to pump after this feed and get ready for my day.  He then eat about every two hours during the day, 3-4 ounces.  I pump exclusively during the day and it has really helped my supply and making sure he gets enough.  We were supplementing in an ounce or two of formula a day, when my supply was down.  But man, that stuff makes him super gassy and uncomfortable.  So now that I'm working on building my supply up, we barely have to give him any formula now.  I'm so glad we have the option of alternate food for him, but I'm also thrilled that i have made it 3 months breastfeeding him.  

He has begun to enjoy books.  He sits through all of our board books, and now we've mixed in some bigger books.  He loves to be sang to, read to.  He loves standing on our laps and talking to us.  The bumbo is another favorite.  While we cook or clean the kitchen he sits happily and chats with us.  The newborn inserts were tucked away from his car seat and Ergo.  We took our first hike in the woods on a warm (32*) January day.  Charlie was thrilled to be in the woods with his mama again.  Liam slept happily in the Ergo the whole time.  My dreams are alive, being with this boy and watching him grow.

I always thought i would dread my baby moving out of the newborn phase.  As sweet and small and precious (and extremely hard and tiring) that phase is, I'm in such awe watching him grow.   I love love love 3 months.  I love him interacting with us and toys.  He loves his taggy blanket, his blue ball and his horsie.  He loves when daddy makes the horse gallop around him.  He loves sitting on daddy's lap while we eat.  We let him sniff what we're eating.  He bursts out laughing as i start singing the ABC's.  He blows bubbles and still loves bath time.

But oh, this boy.  He has our hearts.  At just a short three months in, we can't imagine what we did and who we were without him.