Dear Liam :: 3 Months

Happy 3 months, Liam! We don't have any stats for you this month because there was no doctors appointment but we do know that you are a growing boy! We are estimating that you are now probably close to 14 or 15 pounds. This month more than ever I think we have been able to notice how much you are changing and growing daily. You are looking more and more like a little boy and growing out of the baby phase...so bittersweet!

:: Feeding :: 

You still love to eat and definitely let me know when you're hungry! We were still able to do every 3 hours and nursing on one side until you hit another growth spurt towards the end of month 3. During the growth spurt you started wanting to nurse every 2 - 2 1/2 hours on both sides, which you have never done before, so you must have been working hard at plumping up!

:: Sleeping :: 

So this month has been a little different. The end of last month you were sleeping consistently through the night and you continued to do so until our trip to Holden Beach for Easter. Unfortunately, your Aunt Laney got to experience what having a newborn was like when she had to sleep in the same room as our little family and you decided to do something you've never done before. You woke up every hour on the hour starting at about 2 AM. Your little funk combined with your dad's lion like snoring made for no sleep for you, mom or Laney. We think it was a combo of tons of stimulation and the pack-n-play. We were going to move you to the crib when we got home but because you were a little off we decided to keep you in the bassinet so you would hopefully go back to your angel like sleeping self.

Well, when we got home, that 3 month growth spurt we had been warned about hit. You still did ok, just went back to waking up at about 3am to eat and then went back to sleep until around 7 or 8am. I think we're almost done with the growth spurt though! Lets get back to those 10 hour nights! :)

Naps are going really well! You definitely know your schedule and get tired about an hour to an hour and a half after eating and nap most of the time in your bassinet. I've been doing my best to follow Baby Wise's advice and put you down while you're still awake so you can learn to soothe yourself to sleep and it seems to be working!

:: Fun Things ::  

-You are still constantly doing hilarious poses with your hands - folding them together on your belly, one fist under your chin, both fists in the air etc. This month you've definitely started investigating them more and you've figured out you LOVE sucking on your fists.

-You have loved your play mat! You could sit there forever swatting and grabbing the toys and looking at yourself in the mirror.

-You are definitely a talker! When people talk to you or make noises, you try to mimic them and get a reallllly serious look on your face like its the most important gurgle you've ever made.

-You are SO close to rolling over. You haven't quite figured it out yet but you are getting stronger and stronger. You have great head and neck support and can push up on your arms really well during tummy time. You've also figured out how to get your knees under you for a quick second...don't even think about trying to go anywhere anytime soon!

 -This month has been your most social month yet! You are so fortunate to have so many people who love you in your life!

Meeting baby Smith - who was not that into it

Play date with Sam

Loving Aunt Sarah

Congratulating Smith on becoming a daddy!

Play date with Wrenn

So excited about Aunt Kate being in town! 

Saturday mornings at Jubala are our favorites. 

-The last week of this month, you let out your first sweet LAUGH! It happened of course on your changing table because of some belly kisses from mom :) We can't wait to hear more of it!

-You are a ladies man and you know it...you flirty little devil. When women/girls talk to you, you smile at them and then bury your face in my shoulder and then turn back to give them a little peek and grin. Gets them every time ;)

-The very end of this month you've started showing some signs of separation anxiety which is an interesting new phase...but it's ok, I'm fine with you being a mama's boy for the rest of your life!

these are the days : babies

Last year while most of my friends were applying for grad school, looking for their dream job, moving to a cool big city, and going on dates, I was celebrating my second year of marriage and had just found out a baby was brewing! I always hoped I would be pregnant with my close friends but unfortunately (or probably fortunately) I can't control everyones circumstances. 

One thing Ben and I prayed for like crazy when we were moving back to Raleigh from Burlington were friendships with people in the same phase of life. Our hearts were aching for friends we could develop community with and God answered our prayers beyond anything we could imagine! Three of our closest "couple friends" all just had babies!! Surviving and appreciating pregnancy would not have been the same without these friends and now figuring out how to be parents has been so much sweeter with them going through it with us. 

Ben and I are so thankful for you 6! Thank you for indulging in disgusting amounts of french fries, milkshakes, and doughnuts. Thank you for admitting when things aren't perfect and for praying with us for our kids (ahh so weird we all have babies!). We love y'all!! 

Ryan, Christina, and Carson 

Matt, Lindsay, and Wrenn

Smith, Julianne, and baby Smith 

Roadtrippin

So when everyone talks about how much is involved in traveling with a baby, they're not being dramatic, it takes a LOT of planning and packing everything you own to make it happen. Our new family of 3 - sorry dogs didn't make the cut - successfully made it through our first two road trips. 

:: Brevard, NC :: 

Ben and I couldn't wait to take Liam to Brevard, so pretty much right after he was born Megan and I started planning a weekend for us to come hang out, experience being moms together, and introduce Liam to more family! When Liam was 8 weeks old, we were able to take a long weekend and left Raleigh after Ben got off work on a Thursday. I had no idea how long it would take to pack all of us and it definitely wouldn't have happened if my mom hadn't come over to entertain Liam while I scrambled and made list after list checking off things we needed to bring with us. We somehow made it happen and Liam was perfect the entire trip - I was shocked at how well he did on that long of a car ride. To make things go a little quicker I pumped and fed him a bottle while we stopped and ate dinner which worked out great. 

When we finally arrived late Thursday night, sweet Grandmerle was waiting up for us and got to meet her great grandson for the first time!

Friday, Megan and I got to have a mom day - just us and the kids :) It was so fun to spend time together  catching up and talking about our lives in the midst of the chaos of our 3 kids! 

The best part may have been getting to see Sullivan and Eli meet and interact with their new cousin!

Saturday, Ben's parents joined us and we had a FULL day. We packed in all of our favorites - Grandmerle's big breakfast, girls shopping trip, and a family hike to Triple Falls. 

That night Robert and Ann babysat for all the grandkids so we could go on a double date with Megan and EJ. It was such a gift to be able to spend time with each other as couples, not just as moms and dads. Even though we came home to a crying baby who I know had to have driven his grandparents insane, it was a wonderful day and the best first trip as a family of 3 we could have asked for!

:: Holden Beach :: 

Our second trip with Liam was to Holden Beach with the Wrights for Easter. I got a little cocky and didn't make my lists for this trip, which was dumb because I forgot a few pretty essential things - like my pump and ALL toiletries - but you know, we survived. Liam was awesome in the car once again and since the beach is only 3 hours away, we didn't have to stop to feed him!

Easter weekend was unfortunately really really cold, but we had fun introducing Liam to the beach for the first time even if we were rocking hoodies on the beach.

Liam got so much love in his Easter best:

Ben, Austin, Graham, and Laney had to leave Sunday to get back for work but I was able to stay with everyone else through Thursday - love my new job :). Even though it never did really warm up, we tried our best to get outside for walks on the beach and bike rides. I can't wait to get back to Holden with the whole family this summer when it's warm and I have a mobile baby!