Gavin - Three Months

Even though I love love love newborn babies, we are rapidly approaching the part of baby-hood that I really LOVE. Personality is emerging, giggles are happening, you can almost see his little brain working as he grows and learns new things. So fun! Three months really feels like the beginning of such a great time, and I think everyone in our little family is excited to see what happens next. The interaction between the two boys is getting cuter every day, and I can tell Grayson is excited to have a brother that actually does something ;) Even though this next phase is sure to be so fun, it's going super duper fast and kind of freaking me out. I wouldn't mind if things slowed down, just a little!

My sweet Gavin,

Yet another super great month with you in the books. You are still just the best baby in the world, I'm quite convinced. Although you aren't 100% easy peasy like you have been before - mainly because you aren't sleeping 20 hours a day - you are still so super sweet and easy to please. 

The main thing that seems to be causing fussiness lately is the fact that you want to be UP at all times. Not just sitting up, but standing up. And if you aren't "standing" in our laps, you want us up moving around. You are so curious about everything that's going on, and are super studious, just like your brother was. Speaking of that guy, you study him more than anything else...which is slightly terrifying, because I feel like you're going to learn so much from him, including how to throw an epic tantrum ;)

You are all over the place with a "schedule", and I think that's probably because you are so go with the flow and kind of just adapt to whatever we have going on that day. Grayson is our alarm clock, and we usually are up between seven and eight. After that, you are awake for about an hour, smiling and happy the whole time, and then you abruptly get very sleepy and need a nap like immediately. After a relatively short nap, you're up again for a couple hours. Then you kind of nap off and on throughout the day. Some days I get a super long two hour or longer nap around lunchtime, some days you just take several short little thirty minute naps through the day. I just go off your cues, and you are definitely obvious when you get sleepy. You start to fuss and start rubbing your eyes like crazy. Since you're generally always smiley and happy, I know almost immediately that it's time for some sleep. Seriously, you're such an easy baby! 

This past month you've discovered your hands, and your really good at getting them to work for you. If you want something in your mouth, you make it happen. And you want something in your mouth ALL the time. Mainly your own hands, but if there's a burp cloth or stuffed animal in your hands, you maneuver it up there to soak it in drool real quick. We've put you in the jumper a few times, and you've figured out how to spin one of the little toys around with your hands, so you'll hang out there for several minutes spinning it over and over. I feel like this is pretty early for you to be doing all that, but I may just not be remembering when things happen correctly...and second time mamas are too busy to Google and find out haha!

You rolled over from tummy to back for the second time about a week and a half ago, and haven't done it again since. You are pretty great at getting your legs underneath you and scooting around on your mat during tummy time. You grab ahold of the mat in front of you, put your legs under you like you're going to crawl, and propel yourself all around in circles. You also love to pull up from laying on your back to sitting up, and almost always go straight from your back to standing on your feet. You get so excited when I grab your hands and say "you ready?!". Your eyes get all big and sometimes you squeal. So cute. You also laughed for the first time on 1/31. I had to do the most ridiculous cackle/laugh combined with throwing my head back super far - don't ask how I came to that - but it was so so so stinking cute! Baby giggles are one of the best things in the entire world, hands down. 

You're still a sporadic little eater. You eat quick, in less than five minutes most of the time, but you're growing like a little weed so I'm sure you're just a fast eater. You aren't really on any kind of regular schedule with this, and again I just go with your cues and feed you when you either start fussing or when you start turning your head toward me and opening your mouth wide haha...you aren't real subtle when you're hungry. 

I'm still not totally sure who you look like. At first you were Grayson's actual clone I'm pretty sure, but the older you get the more different the two of you look. People still say "He looks just like Grayson!" when they see you, but when you compare photos at the same age you don't look much alike at all. Your eyes are lighter, your hair is darker, and your body is longer and thinner than his was at this age. I think your nose is more like your daddy's, but your mouth looks a lot like Grayson's still. It's so funny to watch you growing, because we can't help but compare everything to Grayson, and I am so super curious how much alike or how different the two of you will be, in personality, looks, temperament, everything. 

Something I've figured out is that you like to be laid down when you're a little overstimulated. Where Grayson needed to be swaddled and cuddled when things got to be overwhelming for him, you're the exact opposite. If nothing is making you happy, I can typically lay you down on the bed with a paci and lay beside you, not touching you, and you cheer right up. This can take your mood from super mad to happy so quick. This is seriously fascinating to me because it makes the two of you so very different. 

One of my favorite times of day with you is first thing in the morning. Grayson always wakes up first, and many days I go and get him set up with breakfast before you're awake. I guess us being up and around wakes you up, and when I hear you stirring I go in and get you. Every day, without fail, the second you see me you break into the biggest smile and start kicking your legs and wiggling like you can't wait to get into my arms. Then I'll usually lay you on the bed and chat with you for a minute, and you are so happy and chatty. Even though you're a sweet natured, calm little guy, you are LOUD when you get to chatting. You also do a lot of squealing. So, so cute. 

Another of my favorite things is watching you watch Grayson. You are totally enamored with him, and I'm pretty sure he's going to be your favorite person in the world. You watch him so closely, and anytime he interacts with you seems to just make you the happiest little guy ever. You smile so big with your entire face, bring your hands up to your mouth, close your eyes and squeal so loud whenever you get excited, and you do this so much when Grayson is involved. His favorite thing right now is dancing for you, and I'll hold you up so you can see him and anytime he comes toward you it is SO exciting for you. Watching you two interact is seriously the cutest thing I've ever experienced, and it's giving me a tiny glimpse into your future relationship. I'm pretty sure my heart might actually explode I love you both so dang much. 

Right now some of your favorite things are:

* sitting/standing up and observing the world around you

* anytime anyone gives you attention - you love when people make eye contact, and they are guaranteed to be rewarded with a big huge smile if they do. I wonder if this means you're going to be a people person, because you seriously LOVE interacting with humans. 

* diaper changes. You get so mad when I lay you down, but as soon as you realize what's going on you get so happy and chatty. 

* I've started singing to you more, and for some reason you really love it. So does your brother, so I can only assume you both just love me so much that you overlook my terrible singing voice. 

The things you don't love so much:

* getting dressed. Really, having clothes put on your arms. Once we're past that part you're usually fine. I don't know what it is about me putting your arm through your onesies, but it's seriously one of the worst things we have to do. 

* sitting back/laying when you want to be up and moving. You've gotten really good at making it clear that anything other than sitting up or standing will not be tolerated. 

* car rides - but only at night. During the day you're always totally fine, but anytime we've been out at night lately has been pure torture. For a baby that rarely cries, you sure can scream - for insanely long periods of time - when you want out of your car seat. 

* being hungry. I go to put Grayson to bed around 8 pm every night, and even if I've just fed you, you always get hungry and ANGRY while I'm in there. Daddy tries everything he possibly can to calm you down, but the only thing you will accept is eating. And not from a bottle. It's like you know I'm here so you just won't tolerate anything but me feeding you. 

I have to say, I love you more every single day than I did the day before, which seems totally impossible because I'm basically obsessed with you. You are so sweet, and so happy, and so smiley, and I just cannot get over how much you can possibly love two kids at once. Every ounce of my heart is madly in love with you, and madly in love with your crazy brother. You are just the absolute perfect addition to our family, and I am so so so glad you are mine. I love you more than you will ever know, my sweet boy!