Caroline is 3 months old


Dear Caroline,

You are three months old today, sweet girl! Here's what's been going on with you...

* The big news of the day is that you started sucking your thumb. That's right! I went to wake you from your nap, and there it was, popped right in there. You repeated this a few times today already. I hope to catch a picture of it soon.

* We changed your schedule at the beginning of the month, and you now go to bed at 7pm just like Kate. You sleep soundly until we come wake you for your 7am feeding. You were sleeping 12 hours a night by 8 or 9 weeks. Amazing!

* We hit a small bump in the road when you started breaking free of your swaddling every night. You are a big, strong girl! Even though we didn't wean Kate of her swaddle-love until she was almost 8 months old, we knew you were ready much earlier. We thought it would be a rough transition, but you didn't mind one bit! You slept right on as if it were any other night.  You are not to be underestimated!

* Your nap quality is inconsistent now that you don't get swaddled. You have good nap days and bad ones, which is perfectly normal.  If you would just be sure to sleep well from 12 to 1, though, I'd get my "mommy sanity hour." And I really need it. Thank you.

* You take 5 bottles a day of 5 to 6.5 ounces usually. To look at you, one would think that you just down every bottle in no time flat, but that's not the case. There are times it's really a struggle to feed you. At the beginning of the month you were gagging a lot during your feedings. Then you stopped doing that and started flailing around instead. I'm pretty sure you're having some reflux issues, and Dr. Weiser called you in a prescription that we'll start tomorrow. Hopefully we'll see an improvement in a week or so. The nurse said it won't help with the spitting up (bummer), but that the pain will be gone.

* Your favorite things to do: smile back at us, coo, chew your hands, look at your feet, blow spit bubbles, put weight on your legs, and sit up in your chair (the Prince Lionheart Bebe Pod/Bumbo wannabe chair). You still like to swing, but you'd rather not be left where you can't see what's going on. You fuss sometimes to let us know you'd like to be included (or held).

* Baths are not easy now. We're not really sure what happened. We think maybe you've learned that right after bath you eat, and you really want that last bottle of the day. It's the most we ever hear from you. Kate gets a really worried look on her face when you start screaming in the tub. She's very concerned about you when you cry! We've found that if we start your bath just a few minutes earlier that you stay calmer.

* You have the dreaded baby bald spot now where the hair has all rubbed off from being on your back so much. Kate never had one because she never had hair. Ha!

* There have been several times over the last couple of weeks that I thought maybe you laughed a tiny laugh, but I haven't heard a good giggle from you yet. It can't be far off!

* Although you are all grins when we smile at you, your default expression looks kind of scowl-ish. Maybe it's the weight of your cheeks pulling everything down! (Your cheeks are amazingly huge.) No worries... Kate will have you laughing and smiling constantly in no time!

You are such a great baby, and we are so thankful for you!

Love,
Mama and Daddy


(Unofficial) Stats:
weight: 15.2 pounds (WHOA.)
length: will add tomorrow
clothes: Mostly 3-6 month things
diaper size: size 2
sleep: 7pm-7am
naps: 8:30am-10, 11:30am-1pm, 2:30-4, 5-6 catnap
feedings: 7am, 10, 1pm, 4, 6:30ish







243/365

{so excited}
It's hard to explain... I want time to stand still, but I'm also so excited to see the relationship these girls will have in the future. I'm excited to see how they will play together, share laughter and secrets, and encourage and be there for each other. I pray for their relationship daily. What a sweet gift they have in each other!

241/365

{rise & shine, caroline}
What's missing from this picture? That's right - no more Miracle Blanket for this baby girl. The swaddle is dundies!
(That one's for you, Liz!) I could get the baby burrito wrapped SUPER tight, and she was always busted out by morning. We decided it was time. (Nevermind that her big sister loved being wrapped so much that we didn't stop swaddling until she was almost 8 months old.)

Moms on Call warned me it would be a rough night... that it would take a full 3 nights to adjust to the new routine. But this is Caroline we're talking about, though. One of the most laid-back babies ever.

She didn't make a peep until morning.


235/365 (plus extras)

{can't top this}
Some days I have a hard time coming up with a picture. Today I had the opposite problem... too many to pick from! Caroline sleeping in her daddy's arms is my fave for the day, though. I love her squishy little arm hanging over her daddy's.


Kate started out the day with bed head. BED HEAD! The girl has enough hair for bed head!!


I bought her a Tonka fire truck on our Costco trip today. It kept her very busy in the cart. She announced, "Truck!" and "Baby!" to everyone in the store.


Love Caroline's nervous expression here... like Kate might roll on her.


Baby girl is 12 weeks old today.


Worn out from a long day!