3 months

Dear Amalia,
You are three months old, yesterday. (see?  I'm getting better at this!)  Yes, really. Though it feels like just last week that we first saw your precious face, it has, in fact, been three months.  In those three months, you have become a part of us, and completely altered our family forever.  And we are so grateful.

You are funny.  You smile and giggle and talk and talk and talk, almost like you are trying to get us to smile just as much as we are trying to get you to smile.  You get fantastic dimples on your cheeks when you smile, and your whole face scrunches us in complete joy.  Your chunky legs kick and your arms wiggle.  Your entire body is involved in your ever-joyful smile.  Your giggle is deep and from your belly.  You are ticklish under your chin  (when we can get under there!), on your chest, and on your feet.  You laugh also when your daddy laughs with you.  It is too adorable.

You are tolerant.  There are times, as the second child, where your face gets bopped by the stray sleeve of your sister's shirt, or Mommy has to lean over you to get to something else, or an entire host of other ways you are inconvenienced.  You don't seem to mind.  You watch us closely, and sit contentedly until the situation rights itself.  Then you coo at us some more.  It is awesome.

You are discovering your hands.  They can manipulate things.  They can manipulate themselves.  You can use them to put things into your mouth.  Or you can put them into your mouth!  Woot!  It is quite fun to extract your had from your mouth in order to feed you.

You are sleeping longer (thank goodness).  Just this week, you started sleeping 6 hour stretches.  It is fantastic.  Please to continue.

You have incredible lung power.  Your cry is not quiet, nor is your complaining.  When you are tired and ready for bed, or hungry and Mama is not feeding you instantly, you can get quite upset.  Though most of the time you are a very calm, quiet, relaxed little chica, there are times (most notably 7:30 pm, almost like clockwork) when you are not happy at all.  At those times, nobody can hear anything other than your cries.  They are quite loud.  You don't calm particularly easy when you get upset that way, and it is always a challenge to discover what will be the trick this day.  Daddy discovered you like to be held belly-down (sometimes).  Mommy figured out that bouncing on the trampoline will often calm you down.  Grandma found out that it sometimes works to hold you tight in our bed with a nuk and just wait.  Grandpa discovered that you prefer reggae-type songs sung right into your ear.

You love your sister.  Sofia loves to talk to you and cover you up and play with you like a little doll.  You eat up every minute.  You talk to her, you seek her out.  You smile at her.  It is precious.  She loves you, too, though she gets quite jealous when you get the attention.

You love your daddy.  You and your daddy have incredible conversations.  He holds you out in front of him, and the two of you chat and chat and chat.  You have quite the stories to tell.  You make all sorts of sounds and use inflection and everything.  It is pretty wonderful.

You love your mommy.  Nursing is still your favorite activity, and you definitely calm best with me.  We love to snuggle together and coo and talk and kiss and hug.  You are so sweet.  I love every minute.

Happy three months, Amalia Susan.  We all love you so very much, and really couldn't imagine our lives without you.  Was there ever a time when you weren't here?  I can hardly remember.

Loveyouforeverandalways,
Mama