I am stealing an idea from another blog I read. The blogger wrote a newsletter to her daughter every month for the first 4 years of her life. I thought it was a fantastic idea and plan to do it for Sarah, although I can't guarantee I'm disciplined enough to do it for that long. We'll see if I even get to month six! Because I didn't do this from the beginning, I'm incorporating the first 3 months into one. I plan to print these out and keep them in a book so Sarah can read them someday. Here goes!
Dear Sarah,
Today you are 3 months old. It's hard to believe that much time has passed already. It seems like just yesterday your father and I brought you home and looked at each other and said, "What are we supposed to do now?" Luckily we've figured a few things out and you've been very patient with us while we muddle our way through this parenting thing.
I could tell you all about the day you were born, but I think I'd like to keep that in reserve for when you are older and I want to make you feel guilty about something. I'll just say that at 10:18pm it became the greatest day of my life. I remember holding you for the first time. The nurse brought you in and put you in my arms, your eyes were closed and I said very softly, "Hello Sarah." You instantly opened your eyes and looked right at me. I can't explain the feeling of that moment to you. It was so special and powerful for me that I'm tearing up just writing about it.
Those first few days in the hospital, you were completely mellow and calm, like you didn't have a care in the world and nothing bothered you. I almost asked for a test to make sure you were really MY CHILD. I felt sure they'd brought me the wrong one and mine was really that kid in the nursery screaming and carrying on about every little thing. Except for one thing - - you looked EXACTLY like your father. He couldn't deny you if he wanted to! In fact, your Gramma showed me some pictures of your daddy when he was a newborn and the resemblance was scary. You are his little mini-me. He thinks it upsets me that you don't resemble me more, but it honestly doesn't. There is something very special about seeing him reflected in you. Now, if you grow up to act just like him, then we have issues!
Every since those first few days, our lives have been a whirlwind. I got 8 weeks of maternity leave with you and even though they were sometimes exhausting, those 8 weeks were also completely wonderful. We spent lots of time together cuddling, talking, eating, playing and shopping. Sarah, I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you are such a good little shopper! In fact, there were many times over that 8 week period where you would seem a little cranky, so I'd pack you up and take you to the mall. The mall always soothed you. The mall is your happy place. I couldn't be more proud. Your father couldn't be more terrified.
We've also spent a lot of time visiting your grandparents. Mamaw, Papaw and Gramma are completely over the moon for you kiddo. I'm pretty sure there is not much any of them wouldn't do for you. Especially if you flashed them one of your big toothless grins!
The big toothless grin is a new development over last 6 weeks or so. You'd smiled before then, but I'm talking about the BIG ear-to-ear grin. It is by far my favorite thing right now and I can't get enough of them. You are especially generous with them in the mornings as you are quite the morning person. Yet another trait you did NOT inherit from me! My favorite thing to do right now is to get you out of your crib in the morning. You'll lay there until one of us comes to get you and then the minute you see us standing over your crib, you give one of those BIG grins. I secretly hate it when your father gets there before I do. After we get you up we always spend a little time in the morning talking and playing with you while you are in your bouncy seat. You love that bouncy seat and will sit there kicking your legs, waving your arms, oohing and ahhing, and grinning at us. I love having that time in the morning before I head off to work.
Speaking of work, after those 8 weeks, I had to return to my job, which means you had to start daycare. That was by far one of THE HARDEST things I have ever had to do. I spent the last week before returning being a little selfish with you, cuddling and snuggling every chance I got. Every day closer, I cried a little more. I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to do it. You see, I had wanted you for so long and now I had you. We had spent every day together not just for those 8 weeks, but for the 9 months before that. Now I was supposed to turn you over to someone else every day? Not an easy task. But, I sucked it up and dropped you off at daycare and I have to say, you have adjusted beautifully! It eases my mind so much to see how much everybody there LOVES you. You are the hit of your school Sarah! You really seem to like it there too. You always seem happy and content whenever we pick you up or drop you off.
In fact, you seem to be a generally happy baby most of the time. You rarely cry unless something is genuinely wrong. You have cranky periods like most babies, but even those aren't that bad and you are soothed pretty easily. You've only thrown one real temper tantrum and that was when we were trying to have your pictures made. I won't go into the details of the whole photo shoot experience except to say that at a certain point you were done! Done. Done as in....IF YOU TAKE ONE MORE PICTURE OF ME, I WILL CUT YOU! I'll be honest and say I was a little afraid of you that day. Other than that, you have been a pretty easy baby. The biggest battle we've had besides getting you to sleep well, is getting you to stop sucking your thumb. It's a test of wills between you and I right now and I'll be honest, I intend to win this one.
You seem to be adjusting well to a routine, especially in the evenings. We spend some time playing, followed by a bath, then a bottle, then a book and then bed. By far, your favorite part of these is your bath. You have always seemed to like your bath from day one. It's not that you get in the tub and go crazy, you just get in there and chill. I almost expect you to go "ahhhh" one night when I put you in there. Which I can understand, being an infant is hard, exhausting work and you need to be able to relax a little in the evenings! You've just recently started to enjoy reading books at night too. We've read to you pretty regularly since the day we brought you home, but you could really take it or leave it, but lately you seem to enjoy it. You even fell asleep last night while we were reading and then proceeded to sleep for 7 straight hours! That is another accomplishment you've achieved lately, sleeping most of the night! You've even made it all the way through a couple of times! Thank you for that!
Sarah, I can't seem to find the words to express how perfectly you fit into our family. Your father and I can't imagine what our life would be like without you now. It's even hard to remember what our life was like before. Someday I'll tell you the story of how you came to be here, but it wasn't an easy road. There were many heartaches and struggles and while I couldn't see it at the time, I now know why. We had to go through those to get to you. YOU are the one. YOU are the one we were supposed to have. You have made every single heartbreak, every single struggle and every single tear SO WORTH IT!! I love you more than you'll ever know and I think God every single day for blessing us with you.
Love, Mama
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