3 Months

I remember the day my mom headed back to Texas after helping us with Stella for the first week or so. She was telling Stella that her parents had no idea just how much she would change in the next few months. And it was so true.

In those days, it was pretty much eat, sleep, need a diaper change. While those are still pretty major components of our days, Stella has a whole new repertoire of interests and sounds. She has a favorite toy, smiles, and notices the cats. She loves hands (mostly ours, but also her own), has started rolling onto her side, and even laughing in her sleep (about the cutest sound ever). She's so alert, taking the world in--she even likes to flirt with herself in the mirror, as you can kind of see below.


Stella and the mirror

And she's growing big! She's probably 15 pounds and stretches well beyond the length of my body. (Also, at three months, she's wearing 6-9 month clothes-crazy.) It's incredible to realize that I've helped this little person grow from nothing to the size she is now, just with my own body.


Stella was such a little girl in this outfit--very pink and she kept pulling up her skirt like little girls do.


Thanks to Jeanne and Tim for this cute outfit--9 months, supposedly, but it already fits. And we got a smile in the picture!


Apparently sometimes Tyler amuses himself during his time with Stella by taking photos.

Of course, the other big change this 3-month milestone brings is my return to work. So far it's been going well. Tyler is doing an amazing job watching her four mornings a week, and we've been really happy with the nanny who's coming three afternoons a week so Tyler can get his new business up and running. I've enjoyed the mental stimulation of being back at work among my colleagues and clients. However, it is an adjustment. Pumping milk three times a day is challenging and can start feeling monotonous, but I'm happy to be able to keep helping Stella grow in these early days.

On Valentine's Day, our friend Breanne came to do a photoshoot with Stella. Here are just a couple of the cute shots she got. Of course, we had to get at least a few naked baby bum shots, too!


Stella, almost three months


Mama and babe--and a preview of Stella's current fascination with hands


The happy family


Tummy time


Baby feet


Happy parents, naked baby--and no accidents, amazingly enough!

Just as we didn't know what lay ahead in the first few weeks, we still can't really imagine what she'll be like in another three months. But it's been an amazing adventure so far, and I can't wait to get to know Stella better in the days ahead.