12

Oh my goodness sweet pea!

You are 12 weeks old today! How do I know you're getting older? Because you keep getting bigger! You're already wearing 6-9 month clothing (I wish I was joking), and your legs are so long I have a hard time keeping track of all of you while you're eating!

These past 12 weeks have kind of flown by, haven't they? A lot has happened. I've watched you grow and change a little bit everyday, and every little change has brought a smile to my face. You light up the entire room, and you have no idea you even do that yet! I'm so happy that your grandpa blessed you with a contagious personality, because it's already starting to show. Your grin is so cute, but the thing I love about you most is how you smile with your eyes. That happens a lot more than you smiling with your mouth. You're so determined (even though your fist never fits in your mouth, you never stop trying anyways) and you're so tough (Shots? No problem for you. You haven't cried once and you've had a few shots). And I promise that I'll love all of you everyday of your life.

I have to go back to work on Monday, and I'm dreading the thought of having to leave you. I know it will be nice to get back on a normal routine and get back to doing productive things during my day, but I will miss you so much and I know I'll be thinking about you every second of the day that I'm away from you.

I read an old post today, stating that meeting Kyle Beckerman for my 18th birthday was probably the greatest day of my life, and I am happy to tell you that you topped that day by like a gazillion! Holding you in my arms for the first time was the most amazing thing, and ever since then I haven't wanted to put you down. I just want to smell you all the time because I always lather you in lotion (it's a must that we smell good before we leave the house) and I'm wishing that you still fell asleep on my chest. Sometimes you let me rock you, but you're so content to just lay down in your crib and go to sleep by yourself. After you talk your head off for a while of course. I know that you have a lot to say, and I can't wait until you get to tell me all about it in a language that I can actually understand.

Here are some things that have happened in the past 12 weeks:

Your hair went from almost black to light brown. And it's getting lighter everyday. Yay!
You love music. You absolutely love it.
Everytime you eat you stick your thumbs inbetween your index and middle fingers and keep it there until you're finished.
You also try to help me hold your bottle, but you're so dang strong that most times you just push it out.
You talk in your sleep, and it is the dang cutest thing I've ever heard.
We've been on many lunch dates with lots of people, and you love to just lay in your car seat and stare at the world around you.
You love fans and clocks. Fans that are spinning seem to be a little better, but those two things are the first things you look for in any room.
You love to give wet and slobbery kisses with your mouth wide open. It almost looks like you're trying to eat the person.
Your fists have become your new favorite things to play with these past couple of weeks. You'll stare at them in wonder before you try shoving both of them in your mouth.
Listening to you suck on a binky always makes me laugh. It's loud, sounds like you're chewing it with no teeth, and you still haven't quite grasped the concept of what it's for.
You somehow always manage to pull the blanket over your head. That's one of your favorite ways to go to sleep.
You have changed my life so much, for the better, and all I can do to say thank you is love you with everything I have and make sure you know that.

You are the best baby and I'm so blessed to call you my daughter. I wake up everyday looking forward to whatever we're going to experience together. You are my life and without you things wouldn't be complete. Thank you for putting up with my craziness and flaws. I promise one dayI'll remember to do up your onsie before I put your pants back on.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mommy