Dear Jessa (month 3)

Baby Girl,

It's been awhile since I have had a chance to sit down and think about how big you are getting. You are 13 weeks and 2 days old today. You were swaddled up in your swing today and when I unswaddled you I was shocked, you looked like you grew 2 inches in the 2 hours you were sleeping!!! I'm not sure how much you weigh these days but I'm guessing somewhere around 13 pounds. Probably more, but we'll just say 13 for now ;)

You have changed so much in these short 13 weeks of your life. I'm both sad and grateful that those times are over for us. You were definitely a hand full, and because of that I feel like I missed out of such a sweet stage of your life. I know you are still itty bitty compared to what you will grow up to be, but it's becoming more and more rare for you to sleep on my chest which is something that I will greatly miss!

You are mostly on a schedule... well it's more like a routine. You are sleeping SOO SOO good at night and I can't thank you enough for those 7-11 hours I get each and every night! Once you get up you eat, play for an hour 1/2 and then go back to sleep for about an hour. Once bedtime comes, daddy and I give you a bath (which you LOVE!!!) we turn the lights out and the fan on and you eat in the dark, burp, get swaddled and fall fast asleep. I love this routine with you. Mainly I love finally knowing why you cry during the day. You haven't cried for more than 10 mins. at a time in almost a month. IT IS WONDERFUL! 99% of the time I can make you stop crying, and the other 1% I'm either busy or your just whinnying so I let you cry.. sorry? You have changed so much from the child I took home from the hospital.

You have been holding you head up strong for a while now. The other day I got your jumping toy (the frog) out and put it together for you. Your feet come about 3 inches from touching the ground and your body gets swallowed up in the seat, but you love just hanging out and looking at the world. You now eat dinner with us sitting in your bumbo at the table with us. That is fun! Recently I found a cow (the ugliest thing I have ever seen)in a pile of stuff that was given to you. Its is suppose to hide an air freshener but I believe it might become your new favorite toy. You love to sit in your bumbo and have conversations with it.

I'm having a hard time taking my eyes off you these days. Not because I'm scared for you, or because you are getting into anything but because I love you so much. Watching you is my most favorite activity I have ever done. I love watching you learn, listening to you try and talk, and watching your silly facial expressions when something happens. You are such an amazement to me!

These are some of your favorite things at the moment:
-You have to be swaddled to fall into a deep sleep
-You will sleep in your swing for hours upon hours if swaddled and the heartbeat sound is playing.
-You love sitting up and looking around
-You love music of all kinds. During the day the radio is always on!
-YOU LOVE BATHS! I will put you in the tub and you will just look at me and smile for like 5 mins. straight. After that you get so excited and kick and coo and make all kind of funny faces. This is my favorite time with you!
-You love when dad carry's you around the house. He will just walk/pace the house and you have the most content look on your face.
-You usually always respond to a smile with a smile now. It makes my heart melt.

I hope by these letters to you, I can look back and remember how sweet of a time this was. I love you more and more each day, it's kind of ridiculous. Just when I think I couldn't possibly love you more, you go and do something to steal more of my heat. You are by far the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Thank you for finally settling down, and allowing me to love you. I am enjoying these days with you more than I ever thought possible.

I love you Jessalynn Jean Taube!
Love, Mommy!