Firsts, Firsts, Firsts in Month Three

Bryleigh Girl,

You bring so much joy and laughter to our lives every single day (including the day I nearly hurt myself running out of the bathroom to check on your daddy because I thought something was wrong...nope, he was just laughing at you). I'm really not sure how it's possible, but I love you more with each new day we have together.  There are days I really feel like my heart could burst because of how much I love you.  You amaze me each and every day with all that you can do.  It is so exciting to watch as you learn about the world around you and all that your body is capable of doing.

Your little personality is coming out more and more every day, and your smile absolutely melts my heart.  You have started to snuggle in to my neck and put your arm/hand on the other side of my neck, almost like a hug.  Sometimes you'll even play with my hair or rub on my shoulder and arm (this also includes when I'm burping you...when you aren't falling asleep on the job).  Snuggling with you is one of my absolute favorite things ever!

Asleep on the job!

I think one of my favorite changes that came with month two is how vocal you can be.  You LOVE talking to mommy and daddy, and you always have the biggest smile on your face while you are talking to us!  We do anything we can to make sure those little "conversations" last as long as possible.  And just so you know...your SMILE is different than your grin! ;) You smile with your whole face...those beautiful eyes included.  Your grin shows off your sweet little dimples.

Grin *VS* Smile

You have officially discovered your tongue, and it just might be the cutest thing ever. (And get used to it, because I'll probably be saying that with every new thing you do) You are constantly sticking it out in different ways, chewing on it, and making spit bubbles. Sometimes, if the timing is just right, I even get a little lick when I go in for a kiss!

You are ALL about that tongue!!

And on that note, you have FINALLY found your thumb...and fingers...and back of the hand...and wrist.  Basically, you will just suck on any part of your arm that is right in front of your face.  My favorite is when you are holding your hands together (which is also a new trick this month - you will spend hours a day playing with your hands and just staring at them) and you get BOTH hands in there!  Most of the time you work a lot harder and longer on getting your hands to your mouth than actually sucking on anything, but you are getting there!

You finally found your hands...and took them straight to your mouth!

I'm almost certain that you'll never be one of those babies that holds their bottles...and you might not ever even feed yourself, because when you are hungry your fist are tightly clenched and right up next to your face!  We'll work on that though! ;)  And while we are on that whole "hungry" topic...let's talk about how you decided to go BACK to a newborn schedule eating every TWO hours!!  This month I've tried to focus on your schedule, figure out when and how long you're sleeping, figure out when and how much you are eating, and my personal favorite - when and what to do at playtime (which still includes lots of tummy time and the play mat)!!  You've had some days where you will go 4 hours with out eating, but we are wrapping this month up back where we started...every two hours!  But you still like sleeping just as much as you did the day you were born.

You've learned lots of new things this month and we've had quite a few new "Firsts."  Along with noticing your hands, blowing your little bubbles, being able to suck on your thumb (fingers...hands...arms...), and still rolling over from your tummy to your back, you started to "scoot" just a few days after you turned 10 weeks old!  We're not talking crawling, thankfully, but you can certainly make some serious progress quickly when you are on your tummy, so we have had to move your pallets from the bed or the couch to the floor.

  
You also moved from our room at night in your bassinet to your very own crib in your very own room when you were 12 weeks old! We started with you afternoon naps, and I thought you were going to end up in the bed with us because a) you have outgrown your basinet and b) you would sleep (at most) 1 hour in your crib.  (And that's all I'm gonna say about that because I'm really NOT a fan of all this "growing" up stuff!  But you were  a champ - You don't fuss at all when I lay you down, and you sleep great until about 5:30 in the morning when you just get flat out restless and we move you in to bed with us...my favorite part!)

I'll wrap it up with one more of my favorite things, that comes shortly after one of my least favorite things.  There are times when you cry...that unconsolable cry.  It's gotten better over the weeks because I've learned what you are crying for, but sometimes you just get so tired and won't give in, that all you do is cry.  That's one of my least favorite things.  But what happens RIGHT after that, when you finally give in, cuddle up close to my neck, and fall asleep, you start to hum your little song (as I like to call it) while you fall asleep.  It's the sweetest little noise and so comforting after all the crying.  

Third Month Stats:

Wearing: Size 1 diapers...but we'll be moving up to size 2's as soon as our supply runs out (which is any day now!) and still in 0-3 months clothing
Eating: That depends on how Bryleigh is feeling at any given moment - we go any where from 2 to 4 hours and 4 or 6 ounces (depending on how long it's been), but we are working on getting a good, set eating and sleeping schedule.
Sleeping:  Right now, Bryleigh wakes up, has a bottle and needs a nap exactly one hour later.  I'm not sure how sleeping and breakfast can be so exhausting, but apparently it is!!  She takes two or three good naps during the day after that, and then sleeps just as good as she always has - most of the time that's 10:30 to 5:30, and then 5:30 to about 8:30 in bed with us...we're working on that last part! ;)

3 month Non-Doctor Appointment Stats (Since we don't have an appointment this month, these are unofficial): 14 lbs 4 oz and 24 inches long!

Third Month Highlights:

We kicked off month 3 with Bryleigh by celebrating 2 of my favorite days with a whole lot of my (second) favorite color...St Patty's Day and Brad's birthday!  Bryleigh and I tackled our first "Mommy and Me Solo" outing by running some errands on the 17th and ended the day with dinner at Pluckers with DeDe, Poppa B, and Aunt Erin to celebrate Daddy's birthday!

We celebrated Daddy's birthday with Bryleigh Girl's first tutu, a card for Daddy that included a "My Daughter is #1" pin, and dinner at FreeBirds!

We've gotten MUCH better at bath time, and I might actually say that you kind of even like it!!  For the first month or so of your life, I loved brushing B's hair after bath time, but after "towel drying" her hair after the 2 month doctor visit, I realized something fantastic...it's CURLY!!  It always straightens out once it's dry, but it sure is cute before that happens!

Every new week brings new adventures with our sweet girl and new "firsts" for all of us.  One of those first came during Bryleigh's 9th week when we ventured out and purchased her very first Disney movie - FROZEN!! I'm a lover of all things princesses and fairytales, and hope that my baby girl grows up knowing and believing the same.  Not that she'll be whisked away by some prince to the perfect life and live happily ever after, but that the impossible can happen, that there is magic in the world, and that she is worthy to be treated like a princess!  Her daddy and I will fight to show her that every day of her life.

You make us happy, too, sweet girl!

What is just as fun as watching princess movies together??  Sharing our love of sports with our baby girl.  We had fun with March Madness, watching LOTS of basketball and cheering on the Baylor Bears Men's and Women's teams.  And we can't forget about Rangers spring training games and the fun of Opening Day...daddy LOVES his Rangers (and baseball in general), and it's so fun rooting for them with him!

Of course month three had some time in Sulphur Springs!!  This month took us there for Bryleigh's first baby shower, and we were so excited to spend time with some of our very favorites - Sister, Gigi, and Buffey - celebrating Sister's twin babies that will be here NEXT MONTH!!

Another "first" this month was Bryleigh's first time going to church at Fielder...and mommy's first time to leave her!! We both did great and are so thankful for the ministry that Bryleigh will be involved in there.  They certainly love those babies!

Bryleigh and I got to meet up with on of my best friends for lunch in Grapevine, and Bryleigh got to meet her two sweet boys!! Ethan and Samuel are just precious...I tell Kim that she has to have more babies since she makes them so cute. ;)  She brought a present for Miss B and we wore it to church the very next day.  It was perfect for the chilly April weather.

Let's pause for a moment of silence on this one.  Bryleigh wore her very first pair of shoes, and they were FABULOUS ones, too!  Pink...fuzzy...boots...animal print...and did I mention PINK!? ;)  She did not fuss one bit when I put them on, either - which obviously means she is going to be a shoe lover too!

We had lots of fun dates with DeDe, Poppa B, and Aunt Erin over the past month too! We love meeting them for lunch or dinner, and we enjoy spending time at both of our houses and just watching Bryleigh be Bryleigh!  There are always lots of laughs :)  This month, DeDe went on a little shopping trip for Miss B and got her some fabulous "jams," as we call them around our house.

We wrapped up Bryleigh's third month with a fast, furious, and fun 24 hours with Alan's crew.  Alan and Candice had tickets to the Rangers game, so the kiddos slumber partied at our house!! Mimi and Pappy came down for reinforcements, and we enjoyed an easter egg hunt and some family time on Saturday.  We went out to eat as a party of 9 for the very first time...and survived! :)

Bryleigh's final day as a 2 month old was lots of fun with three other new firsts: We read her first book (Chicka Chicka Boom Boom), took pictures with the Bluebonnets, and she sucked her thumb! (She's been working at that one for a while, but officially got it while we were at dinner on the 16th!) It was a very fun day to end a very fun month with LOTS of special memories.

Cities Bryleigh Visited in Month 3: Paris, TX