Baker Bea | 3 Months

Go ahead and officially call me the worst blogger ever! This post is, again, a month behind (seriously, she was 4 MONTHS on 11/8) but I’m having the hardest time adjusting to being a working mom and still finding time to do things like blog or shower regularly.

#motherhood

But, I really want to remember these days so I’m composing this post from the notes I’ve jotted down in my phone the past few weeks. Also, Cory is chiming in today because this mama needed some help!

Three.
Three whole months with our gal! Month three was such a bittersweet month. We slowly saw our newborn baby fading away and a smiley, more alert baby take her place. Her personality (which is laid back to the core!) really started to surface the past couple of weeks. I really, really enjoyed the newborn stage and while I know I will enjoy each new stage as they come, my time home with Baker was such a sweet, sweet time for us both. From the peaceful feedings to snuggly naps, I feel like I tried my best to soak up every single second I had while on maternity leave.

OUR THREE MONTH GAL STATS

Weight: 15 lbs
Birth: 8 lbs 6 oz

Baker didn’t have another doctor’s appointment this month, but according to our scale at home, she’s 15 lbs. She’s in 3-6 month clothes (and a few 0-3 month still) and we moved her up to size 2 diapers. The rolls, ya’ll. I can’t even! She’s even got them on her wrist.

Rolls just make her more snuggly. Like my rolls. 

…right?

–Cory

It was just a few weeks a month and a half ago that we were making fools of ourselves doing everything we could think of to get a smile from this girl–but now? Now she smiles all the time. All you have to do is say something in a sweet voice to her and that gummy smile appears. During month 3, Daddy and Nanny Opal (Cory’s grandmother) were the only ones to hear a chuckle and it drove me insane to not be able to hear her laugh!

I was deathly afraid that I would have a super serious kid, but Baker has not disappointed me. In fact I think we may have the opposite. We may have what the medical community refers to as a “silly goose”.

–Cory

Just like last month, her hair has continued to grow longer and continues to stick straight out! I thought once it got a little longer it would start laying down some, but nope!

LOVES Chewing on that fist, her owl on her car seat (Cory insists on referring to the owl as her “Hoo Hoo”, just to get a kick out of people thinking he’s talking about…um…something else; and then chastising them if they mention it. Lord help.) Other loves: staring at cell phones and watching Snapchat (I know, that’s bad!)

HATES She really doesn’t hate much but she’s not too fond of waking up hungry, tummy time or getting out of her bath.

And by “not too fond”, she means “it’s a good thing she can’t walk or wield weapons because she would kill”.

–Cory

SLEEP
We moved Baker to her crib the week I went back to work and she sleeps much better there than in the bassinet. She has been a great sleeper from very early on and other than a few 4:30am feedings or having to put her paci back in her mouth, she makes it all night!

While I understand that getting her to sleep in there is best for everyone and vital to her development, it makes me immensely sad that I can’t just reach over and pick her up or hear her little snores at night anymore. Laying her down at bedtime is so much harder than I ever anticipated.

–Cory

Sometimes, especially on Saturday mornings, we let her snuggle back up in our bed after her first bottle. If she can get on her side, she will snooooze!

EAT
4oz seems to be the magic number for Baker but the time between feedings is all over the place! Sometimes, she’ll fall asleep and last 4-4.5 hours and others, she can’t make it 2.5. She has started to move much more during feedings and normally, her feet are just a’going as she eats.

After everyone’s comments about her rolls, she’s probably trying to burn some calories.

–Cory

PLAY
My Mom bought Baker this musical piano and she loves laying in her pack-n-play, kicking away at it. She also has this doll filled with cellophane that my sister gave her and she gets a kick out of crinkling it!

She rolled from her belly to back one time and of course, Mama missed it.

A FEW FIRSTS DURING MONTH 3

Baker went on her first road trip to Conway and while we were so near to the coast, we headed down to the beach one afternoon.

We were in Conway because my grandmother was in the hospital so we headed down to visit with her a few days, where Baker also had her first hotel stay.

Those little legs and that belly!

My parents were also down there and stayed in the room next to us. One night, my mom took Baker so we could get some rest. It was the first night she spent “away” from us even though she was in the next room. Ol’ Dad struggled with that.

We were worried how she would do being away from home but she was a trooper! She did great in the hotel, on the ride there and back. We are so blessed with an easy baby!

She perfected her pout during month 3 but I still can’t help to think she is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

I prepared to go back to work and the anticipation of it was absolutely horrible. Most of my last few days were spent snuggling Baker and crying. There were a lot of tears!

I went back to work on Friday, September 23rd (and at first, I thought going back on a Friday was an awful idea but it worked out really nicely). The anticipation of the day was MUCH worse than the actual day. Once I got out the door and in the car, I was good!

…and I came home to this!

Cory was able to watch Baker the first two days I was back at work and his mom kept her the rest of the first full week, which made my transition easier!

Yes, I number our Daddy/Daughter Days. I put lots of zeroes in front because I am optimistic.

–Cory

Baker started at the sitter’s on October 4th. Mom and Dad are excited! Everyone is trying to be happy instead of crying!

And yet clearly all of this was less interesting than the stripes on my shirt.

Just for fun, thinking maybe if we dried it and brushed it down it might lay down better, we decided to try drying Baker’s hair…this was the result.

I believe our child suffers from a rare syndrome known as follicleitis erectus, commonly known as Sticky-Uppy Hair. Thoughts and prayers appreciated.

–Cory

Baker participated in her first Barnabas X fundraiser- a huge yard sale! Apparently, “yard saling” wears a sister out!

It’s so hard to believe that this smiley little chunk with her crazy hair and silly personality is the same person that came home with us back in July. It’s moving so fast, and every stage, every day, every minute even is so precious. Blink and she’s learned something new. Work an extra hour and you’ve missed a new development. It’s cliche to say that everything changes when you have a kid, and I always took that to mean that I would lose my free time, or be broke all the time, or something negative like that. What I didn’t expect was for Baker to change me, deep within, so that there was a fundamental reordering of my priorities and values. My world is a different color, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

All I can say is I’m ready for Month 4, and Month 5, and Month 579.

–Cory

Can I really say anything more or anything sweeter than what her daddy thinks? You have rocked our world, Baker Bea and we love you more than you’ll ever know! We thank God for giving us you, the best blessing of all.