12 weeks

My Dear Evalyn,

You are 12 weeks old today!

You have done oh-so-much this month. Everyone told me that I would see dramatic changes in you between 2 and 3 months and they were right. They were really really right. You have transformed before my eyes from a itsy bitsy teeny weeny newborn into a big ol’ BABY.

Your attitude and personality shine through more and more each day (as you can clearly see in the following photos).

Here are some examples of how you’ve looked this month:

9 weeks                        10 weeks

11 weeks

12 weeks

You weigh somewhere around 13 1/2 pounds (estimate since we weighed you ourselves). You are still in some 3 month clothing, although a number of our favorite outfits have been packed away. You’re starting into some 3-6 and 6 month clothing.

You have moved from small diaper covers to medium diaper covers in your cloth diapers. You are wearing Size 1 disposables at night but judging from the few explosions we’ve had, I’d say it’s time to move ya on up to size two.

We are still exclusively breastfeeding and it is going so well. We really are quite the team! You go back and forth between sometimes being a really quick nurser and sometimes taking your time. Every once in a while you get really stubborn and decide you don’t want to nurse on the side I put you on. Girl, you’ve got a mind of your own!!

You have been sleeping pretty good this month. You slept through the night twice. Mommy was so happy! Unfortunately, the reason you slept through the night was because you have your very first cold and it has been making you extra sleepy.

You are still taking 4 naps most days. Usually you sleep for about 45 minutes to an hour in the morning, then you have a longer 2-2.5 hour nap in the early afternoon, then a short hour long nap in the late afternoon, and a quick 20 minute power nap in the evening. You go to bed between 7:30-8. We have a dreamfeed around 10 and then you usually sleep until 3 or 4. Most mornings, you get up at 7:30-8.

You still love your soosie when it’s time to go to sleep but during the day you have stopped wanting it as much. Now, you have decided that instead of your soosie, you just want to suck on someone’s shoulder. When Nana was visiting, you got her shirt completely soaked from sucking on her shoulder so much! I am pretty sure that if I didn’t have sleeves on when you were sucking on my shoulder, I’d end up with a hicky.

You have found your voice this month and love to talk and coo. You even said your first word.

You and Daddy think it’s pretty funny to make fake farting noises with your mouths back and forth to each other. Anytime he does it you get a big ol’ goofy grin and copy him. You seem pretty proud of yourself. You are also learning the old fake cough trick.

You are noticing everything around you. You watch the Christmas tree, your puppy, your Mommy and Daddy, your hands (sheesh – who knows where those things came from!) and you absolutely LOVE your dolly. Every time you see her, you smile and talk to her. In fact, you are very close to laughing and it happens most often when you are talking to Dolly. You are even more excited now that you’re starting to figure out how to reach out and grab her! You often take hold of the rings connected to her hand. When that happens, you kick your feet and giggle. You like your other toys, too, but for some reason, this dolly is your favourite.

You have started to get bored with your play mat and your bouncy seat because you really want to sit up and see the world! Be a baby for a while! You don’t have to sit up yet. Although, of course, Mama is always encouraging you to do so. Because you are always trying to pull yourself up when you are laying down, we decided it might be time to get out your high chair. You look like such a big girl hanging out in there.

Mommy had a night out with Nana this month. Daddy and Papa kept you at home while we went to watch Harry Potter. I enjoyed the movie but I was ready to come back to you!

We have spent this month getting things ready for Christmas. You love to stare at the Christmas tree and the fireplace. You’ve helped (ahem, watched) mommy wrap lots of presents. This month you also saw your very first snowfall and got to meet Santa.

We are so excited to make new memories with you during the holidays this year. You bring so much joy to our lives and we love you beyond words.