three months

Dear Noah,
You are now 3 months and 5 days old. You are truly a golden child-- surrounded by love and affection-- you are cherubic and glowing. You smile and coo and crinkle your nose. You have a perfect dimple, creamy skin, yummy rolls, and big bright eyes. You are sweet and easy-going and a terrific sleeper (thank you!). This past month you discovered your hands. First, they simply started to slow down. Rather than watching them randomly flying by your face, one day there seemed to be some deliberateness to their movement. One day when you were nursing, your hand rested on my arm-- fingers splayed open and relaxed instead of balled up in a fist like a brand-newborn-- and it struck me so tenderly. Then I watched as you clasped your hands together in front of your face and really noticed them for the first time. And then of course you began chewing on them. Ahh, simple pleasures. :) You’ve moved on to actually sucking on your fingers and thumbs and knuckles, then purposely touching your feet. And today for the first time you grabbed your feet while I changed your diaper (though if I were timely, that should technically be in next month’s letter). You’re simply amazing. And we love watching all these milestones.

It’s been an action packed month, with two plane trips, back to school, and the end of my maternity leave. The first trip was to Michigan to see Great Gramma Lea in the hospital. She was very sick, but so happy to meet you. She said you were a beautiful baby. While we were there, we also saw Great Grampa Walt, Papa Bill and Gramma Lois, and you got to meet a lot of cousins and get your feet dipped in Gun Lake (I said that made you officially a “Hooker baby”). The day after we got home Levi started 2nd grade and Mariah started preschool at Trillium, and you and I went back to my office so that I could start treating patients again. It has been awesome having you there with me while I work! You hang out with Amber while I’m in the treatment room, and in between patients I can cuddle and nurse you. What a treat. I’m so grateful that you just roll with whatever comes along. We also had a trip to Ohio for the ACA Pediatrics Council annual symposium. I wore you the whole time and you were just perfect. At three months old you’ve already been in five states! This last weekend we all went out to the coast for my birthday-- your second trip to the beach. You were a little bit crabby and very drooly that day-- is it possible that you might be getting a tooth?

You continue to amaze us with your strength. Now you sit up really strong in our laps and we don’t even need to hold you around the ribs with both hands while we watch your head bobble around like a few weeks ago-- now you hold your head high and still and sit up with almost no support. And I can carry you easily with one arm around your ribcage and you facing out into the world. You are strong and solid. Yesterday at the office you weighed 17.2 pounds! (with a diaper and sleeper on) Your eyes are still blue and people think they may stay that way-- and have I told you about the little heart in your right eye? It’s your special little mark.

Oh Bubbi, these words just can’t do justice to what’s in my heart for you. Thank you for coming into our lives. We love you more than you’ll ever know.

Always,
Mama