Dear Hadley,
Today you turn three months old. That’s a quarter of a year. How is that even possible? A year always seems like such a long stretch of time, but we’ve blown through a fourth of it already! It’s been so much fun spending time with you. You are full of smiles and love to coo and squeal. We have some very entertaining “conversations” where I alternate talking to you and listening to you babble on in your own little baby language. I always love to hear what you have to say.

You are such a happy girl and are more than willing to just go with the flow. Our schedule is quiet full, and let’s be honest, a little hectic, but you are always mellow and happy to check out the myriad of entertaining places we go, whether it’s play dates with our friends, out to dinner, or just driving around running errands. I love looking back in the “baby mirror” in my car to see you gazing out the window, just enjoying the world around you.

Earlier in the month you developed a new “skill” of bringing your fist directly to your eye and then dragging it down your face to get it to your mouth. But now, in a matter of days after practicing that skill, you are now able to bring your hands straight to your mouth. Just like that. BAM. Hands to mouth? Mastered. It’s amazing how quickly you are able to figure things out. Now you are working on using your hands to bring other things to your mouth, such as your clothes, Ana’s hair, and just about anything else within your reach. Needless to say, I have to really be on top of trimming your nails because those little things are sharp and grow like you wouldn’t believe! So we have a standing manicure date every Monday to trim your nails. Anything I can do to make hitting those developmental milestones as painless as possible!

While I stay home with you during the day, there are often times when I need to leave you with your Dad at night so we have had to experiment with giving you a bottled of my (pumped) milk. The first time you were NOT a fan (and threw it up all over your poor Daddy). We understand there is often a learning curve to things like this, so we tried a few more times and the past couple times you have started to get the hang of it. But you still clearly prefer your milk directly from Mama… and that is just fine with me!

(Once you were better at taking a bottle we let Ana help feed you. She was SO excited to get to be involved in the feeding process.)

Bath time is easily your favorite time of day. We recently let you take a bath in the big bathtub with Ana. Sure, Daddy had to hold on to you the whole time (rather than letting you rest in your little baby hammock in the little tub) but you loved splashing in the water along with your big sister. In fact it was hard to tell who was enjoying sharing their bath more, you or Ana!

Well, my little sweet pea, it’s been another amazing month. I love watching you grow and can’t help but imagine the person you are going to become. You have your whole life ahead of you and I want to help you to have every opportunity you could ever want. I can’t wait to hold your hand along the way, stand behind you when you need someone to have your back, and be the first to hug you whenever you need me. Until then, I’m going to practice by holding your tiny hands in mine, soothe you by rubbing your back, and hugging you as much as possible.

All my love,
Mama

Dear Hadley,
Yesterday you turned two months old. You have been an amazingly well behaved and easy going baby. For that I am eternally grateful, and don’t think for a minute that I don’t truly appreciate it! It has made the transition to having two children a whole lot easier to handle. Your personality is pretty laid back, and allowing you the occasional scream session when you are strapped into your car seat but you would much rather be held (and who could blame you for THAT?!), you are incredibly portable. I can take you just about anywhere and you are happy to go with the flow. As long as you have a clean diaper and access to boob, you are one happy camper. So much in fact that we took you up to Mt. Hood for the first time today. You father and sister are obsessed with the snow and really wanted you to come along on the adventure. It was a nice quick trip and you did amazingly well. Even when we covered you in layers of fleece and made you pose for pictures in the snow.

Your sweet, mellow personality is very comforting. So much in fact, that everyone wants to be around you. Where ever you are, so are we. Your parents, your sister, even our pets. The dogs and cats have even taken to curling up in your room while you nap. The cats sleep on the rug or behind the chair and the dogs surround your crib. Two months old and you already have groupies.

The only thing about you that isn’t particularly easy or fun is when you throw up. The quantity that you are able to expel from your body is quite impressive. I wouldn’t believe it was possible if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. Quite frequently. The nice thing about it (if we must find a silver lining) is that it doesn’t seem to bother you in the slightest. You don’t fuss or cry. Or make any noise at all really. You just open your mouth and projectile vomit. Then look at us like, “Huh. So that’s why I was feeling a little weird.” Then calmly watch us while we frantically strip you (and often us) of the now soiled clothing and plop you straight in to the bath tub. And you loooove the bath. We joke that you just keep throwing up as an excuse to take another bath. If that is really the case, please know that I can give you a bath WITHOUT you puking first. I assure you.

The only one in our household not phased by the puking is Ana. (Probably because she has yet to be puked ON, but I digress…) I don’t think there is anything you could do for her to look at you with anything less than pure adoration. She loves you with every fiber of her being. Ana wants to be next to you, hugging you, kissing you, or tickling you at every waking moment. And you love it. You are constantly searching the room for your sister, offering up the smiles you save just for her. The bond between sisters is a special connection and I am so happy you have that with Ana.

It has been such an amazing month with you. You are smiling all the time now. You even smile with such enthusiasm and the cutest little gurgles that it almost, almost, could be considered giggling. I know you are going to be a talker because we are already having some intense “conversations” of coos and squeaks. I am trying not to look forward to all the things you WILL do, but enjoy the things you ARE doing. I know you will only be this small, this young, this innocent for a short time and I want to savor every minute of it. You have already changed so much in such a short time. Every day I wrap you in my arms, kiss the top of your head, breathe in your heavenly smell and tell you that I love you. So. Much. And I promise I will do that every day… for as long as you let me.

All my love,
Mama