Three months

Someone special is THREE MONTHS OLD today! Happy birthday Lela! It's hard to believe that three months have already passed. Lela is such a big girl now!

Her recent developments: According to our bathroom scale, Lela now weighs in at about 10 pounds! She now eats about 4 ounces (120 ml) - or more! - at each meal. This is a long way from the 4 ml she started with in the NICU. She loves to roll over from her tummy to her back - quite a feat for such a little one. (Part monkey, perhaps?) She just started smiling this week and her smiles are such a joy for Babak and me. The first time she smiled and cooed at Babak when he came home from work was priceless - it looks like Lela has already wrapped her daddy around her little tiny finger. And, our little princess has already started sleeping through the night - well, that's what the books call it when a baby sleeps for 5-6 hours. Personally, I'll call it "sleeping through the night" when mommy gets to sleep for 8 straight hours without interruptions! To sum up, Lela is a complete joy and she just gets cuter and more wonderful each day.


I've learned a lot over the last three months, too:

1. I can survive on 4 hours of sleep. Or less.

2. One does not need both hands to perform the majority of daily tasks.

3. It is hard work providing daily sustenance for a growing baby.

4. Dairy cows have a rough life. (refer to No. 3)

5. The size of the baby is disproportionate to the size of the drool/poo/vomit/burp that comes out of her.

6. Leaving the house with a baby takes about 6 times longer than you think it will take. I will never be on time to an appointment ever again.

7. I used to have a cute figure - a life affirmation I only recognized once that body abandoned me.

8. I am perfectly happy to buy my baby tiny clothes that will fit her for all of a month and a half, while at the same time running around town in my old yoga pants and sweatshirt - the only pre-pregnancy clothes that still fit me comfortably.

9. And on the same topic: Just because a shirt was spit up on doesn't mean it's not still wearable.

10. There are a million different ways to parent, and most of them are based in love. Don't judge.

11. Baby gear will take over the house. Resistance is futile. Succumb.

12. It is very easy to take thousands of photos of a single subject.

13. It is possible to love a little person more than you've ever loved anything in your life (Of course, I love you, too, Babak).

14. It is possible to love that same little person even more each day.

15. I am so incredibly lucky to have a wonderful family, wonderful in-laws, a loving awesome husband who, as it turns out (no surprise) is a great father, and the most delicious little daughter.

Lela, you will light up my life always.