3 Month Letter

Annabellers and Sopher Gopher,

You are three months old today!

That blows my mind.  How could it be that three months and one day ago I had never met you? It doesn’t seem possible that I could have fallen so in love with you so quickly!  You are everything I always dreamed you would be and so much more.  When I was still pregnant, I would lie in bed, open my eyes, and imagine what it would be like to have one of you sleeping in your co-sleeper next to me.  Now, I get to lie in bed and put my hand on your little heads, and I no longer have to imagine—it is now my perfect reality!  I love every second with you both, and I love being a mom…your mom.

 

This has been a very eventful month for all of us.  You have had a lot of visitors, met a lot of new people and been a lot of places.  You are really starting to develop your own personalities, and that is so much fun!  Instead of sleeping all the time, you are starting to wake up more and spend more time interacting with me, dad, and all the other people who love you.

Both of you have really started smiling this month.  That’s not to say that you didn’t smile before, but it wasn’t nearly as often or easy.  Now, we are greeted each morning with great big smiles, especially from my Annie.  My little Sophie, you are a little bit harder to get smiles out of, but when you do start smiling, you go on and on for many minutes.  You are my more serious baby, and Annabel, you are my happy go-lucky smile at everything baby.  Both of you have the most hilarious pouty faces that I’ve ever seen.  It is the perfect warning that you are unhappy about something and that you are about to start whining or crying.  Your daddy says that you get that from me, but I have no idea what he is talking about. ;-)

 Along with the smiling, both of you have also started talking.  Okay, so maybe you’re not saying actual words, but you are trying to say something.  When you are talked to, you have started to respond with the cutest “ooohh” and “ahhh” noises.  Annabel, you always make these funny noises right after you sneeze, so I actually look forward to your little sneezes because they are always followed by a cute “ahh.”  Sophia, almost every night, you and daddy have quite the conversation.  You love to talk to him and stare at him (and everybody else), soaking in every feature of his face.  You don’t coo when you sneeze, but you make a LOT of sweet little noises, especially when you eat or sleep.  We think you are so taken with your dad because he would talk to you so much in the NICU.  One time while I was feeding Annabel in the NICU, daddy told you the story of “us” and it made me cry.  I’ll always remember that moment.

You have both started tracking toys and will occasionally grab at them and swat them, although you don’t hold onto toys yet (but you still grab my hair and necklaces).  You reach out to whoever is taking care of you (changing your diaper, talking to you, etc.).  When I’m nursing or feeding either of you, you will paw at me until you find a piece of hair, a piece of clothing, or a hand to hold on to.  Both of you love to move your arms and legs, and that has actually made it hard to get pictures of you both because you are always moving!  Neither of you like tummy time AT. ALL.  We have been trying really hard to get you some good tummy time in, but you just really hate it.  We have also started the Bumbo seat, but that’s another thing you don’t really enjoy yet.  You much prefer to do tummy time on our chests.

The only thing that’s slowing you down is the diagnosis of mild Hip Dysplasia for both of you.  You had hip ultrasounds, and you were so well behaved for them!  You sat there and let the techs do exactly what they needed to do.  Then, you saw another doctor who said you needed to have hip braces to make sure that you don’t have hip pain when you are older.  I had a really hard time with this because I worried that I wouldn’t be able to hold you like I wanted to, and I was so afraid that you would be uncomfortable.  You were uncomfortable for the first few days, but luckily dad was able to take some time off of work to help me while you adjusted.  You get held a ton because I never want you to be uncomfortable.  The braces are called “Rhino” braces, and that kind of makes me giggle.  You have definitely gotten used to them now, and we know the best ways to hold you and snuggle you so that you are comfortable.  Because of the braces, you can no longer be swaddled at night, which really worried me because you loved that.  We found a good solution, though, and swaddle your upper body and Grandma Sherry made you modified sleep sacks that accommodate your braces.  Daddy wraps a blanket around the bottom of your legs so that they aren’t flying in midair. 

We started a bedtime routine this month that I think you love (and daddy and I definitely love it).  About an hour before your 7 or 8pm bottle, we either bathe you are give you a little lotion rub down.  We have special nighttime lotion that we use everynight to give you a little clue that it’s time for “night-night.”  We bathe you every other day, and you just love it!  You are always wide awake and kicking around and smile.  You still don’t love getting out of the bath, but we have started putting your towels and sleepers in the dryer before we start your bath so it is nice and warm coming out, and that seems to have helped.  Annabel, you had a really funny habit for a few weeks this month… every time we would take you out of the bathtub, you would pee on us!  It cracked us up everytime.  (Mandy and Carlton also join us when we give you baths) After your bath, dad and I get into our bed, turn on quiet lullabies, and give you your bottles.  Then, we swaddle you up and one of us reads to you.  First, we read cute children’s books.  Then I told daddy that it was his turn to pick out books for you, and he came out with The Hobbit!  So, he has been reading The Hobbit out loud to you for the last week or so.  You (and I) usually fall asleep while he’s reading, then we put you in your co-sleeper.  We usually do a “dream feed” at 10 or 11.  We don’t wake you up or change you, but we do give you each a bottle.  Then, you usually sleep until 5:30-6:30.  It’s pretty impressive, girls, and we are very thankful for it!

Reading with dad

By the time you learn to read this, I’m sure you will know that dad is a silly guy.  Well, he loves to interact with both of you.  Recently he has started introducing you to new foods! Of course you are much too young to eat the food, so he always has you smell it.  Annie, you really liked the smell of M&Ms, and even opened your mouth like you wanted to eat it!  Speaking of food, last night I was making some “Knock you Naked Brownies” and peeling all of the wrappers off the caramels for the filling… daddy was helping me unwrap them, and he was stuffing all the wrappers into your brace, Sophie!  When I woke up the next morning and was snuggling you, I couldn’t figure out why on earth you smelled like caramels… then I realized!

Speaking of silly daddy, he has come up with two new nicknames for each of you.  Annabel, your new nickname is “Hell’s Bells.”  He calls you “Bell” a lot, but sometimes you can get pretty riled up and scream, so sometimes he calls you Hell’s Bells.  It makes me laugh!  Sophia, your nickname is funny, but it makes me a little bit sad.  This month you have really struggled with reflux, and you spit up after almost every feeding.  One day after a particularly bad bought of spit up, he declared you  to be “Mount Saint Sophia.” Tehehe.  Poor baby bear.

Annabel at HuHot

You went to a lot of new places this month!  We have become more active with you, and you are starting to enjoy going out more and more.  We took your first mall trip just yesterday, and you quite enjoyed it!  You got new winter hats and coats for next winter—you will quickly learn what a bargain shopper your mom is, and when it comes to the two of you, there are no exceptions!  We also went to Hobby Lobby, REI, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohls, and Costco.  You have eaten with us at Old Chicago, Colorado Mountain Brewery, HuHot, and Mimis.    We still get a lot of comments about you when we go out.  My favorites are the ones when people say “God blessed you” or “God bless those babies.”

You have had a lot of visitors this month!  You met Uncle John and Aunt Amy for the first time, as well as your papa.  They all loved you so much and enjoyed spending time with you.  Grandma Betty came to visit you for a couple days, and so did Grandma Sherry (You also spend a lot of time Skyping with Grandma Sherry).  You also went to your first party—the annual neighborhood Mardi Grad party. 

Mardi Gras!

On February 14, you had your first Valentine’s Day!  You wore your cute outfits all day long, then before dinner, you changed into your beautiful Valentine’s dresses.  It was on that day that I realized that I really, truly am a mom.  You were dressed beautifully in formal dresses while I scarfed down PF Changs take out while wearing mismatched pajamas.  Yep, I really am a mom! (And I love it).

Another huge milestone for me was that you no longer fit into your newborn clothes!  It was bittersweet for me, but I’ve had a great time collecting 0-3 outfits for you and putting you in them.  You seem to like them, too!  You also had to get bigger pads for your cloth diapers, but we really only use them for bed.

I know I say it every month, but I love you so incredibly much.  I could hold you and kiss you and snuggle you every single moment of every day.  I love you!

Love,

Mommy