Rice and Beans: Month Four

I wrote this a week before Amélie's four month birthday and never posted it because I never got around to adding pictures...she's over five months now. oops!

Dearest Amélie,

Every month of your life has brought forth many changes, yet this fourth month was full of the most dynamic changes we have seen. Therefore, I will characterize this month in one word: Change.

The most drastic of all the changes was me going back to work. You and I had been in our blissful "mommy and me" bubble; with days overlapping and the routines, smiles, playtimes, and kisses running one unto the other. I could have lived the rest of my life enjoying every second of every one of those days and I'm very thankful that I really took advantage of that time. No awake time was spent with me finishing laundry or washed dishes. Nope, you became the center of my universe and I absolutely loved it. I'm not sure your daddy loved taking on new duties, but he never seemed upset. I dreaded even the thought of returning to work and those feelings were quantified once I actually did start.

That first week was extremely hard for both of us. I was not and still am not getting enough sleep, I miss you soo much, and you had a difficult time with waking up earlier and not napping enough during the day. But, by the end of that week, you had adapted quite well, where, I, on the other hand, have still not gotten used to it. People say it gets easier, people say I'll get used to it...well, what if I don't want to? It's been a month and it's still not easier and I'm definitely not getting used to it. Work is work and it's really not that bad. But, I miss you every day and I would rather be with you a million times over being at work. I try not to think about all the little things you're doing while I'm not there and I hope that they will be as shiny and new to you when I see them for the first time. I'm taking the time we have together and putting those memories somewhere where I can bring them up when I feel like crying when I'm at work and I'll treasure the moments we have together in the later hours of each day and every weekend because  they are what get me through each work week.

You, little bird, have changed and grown so much. You've acquired some new blondie/brown growth on the crown of your head. As your daddy pointed out, this will probably be the only time that I will ever purposely make your hair stick up because I absolutely love the way it curls at the end and makes you just a little more unique. The rolls on your legs have also gotten a little bit bigger and those cheeks have filled out just a little bit more. You're love for the milky is undeniable and we're seeing it in your growth. Your eyes continue to change, one day they're true blue and other days they're green. My guess is they'll be similar to your daddy's with blue around the edges and green close to the center.

As I share what you are like with others and from the kinds words of people that have met you, we have decided you have a golden personality. You have the most beautiful gummy smile where you stick your tongue out just a bit and lift your shoulders as your whole body smiles too. You are not quick to make judgements on people, instead you observe and then provide smiles as your way of approval. Also, fussing, crying, and grouchy faces are not your style. You much prefer being a happy laid back baby and we love you so much and appreciate that since your daddy and I are in fact pretty laid back people as well. We see this in the way you're okay with just hanging out in your crib while I get things ready for you and as you laugh hearty giggles randomly and purposefully throughout the day.

Your keen observations extend beyond people. Color and movement attract your attention and you're taking it all in and learning. You're a perky little thing with a lot of interest and we hope these characteristics stay with you for the rest of your life.

Thank you, mi amor, for allowing us to be your mommy and daddy. You have been the best change in our lives.

Love,
mommy and daddy

Rice and Beans- Month Three

Dear Amélie,

Happy 3 month birthday sweet girl!

This month brought forth your exploring nature and many new learning opportunities. The world seems to have expanded many more times for you during this month because you spent every day with your eyes wide open looking at what it has to offer you.

Those smiles that were so rare and seemed almost accidental last month became much more purposeful and frequent. Your smile makes my heart flutter and my love for you just oozes from every pore in my body. You smile so often now, but every smile makes your daddy and I just so excited! You've even included giggles along with those adorable gummy smiles. Not only do you smile at us, but that baby in the mirror now also makes you smile instead of crying or showing us that protruding lower lip.

You have become fascinated by things that previously did not seem to affect you in any way. The little toys hanging from your swing now capture your attention and seem to make you enjoy the ride that much more. The rattling figures I've attached to your bouncer have now become punching bags for your little fists as it seems you have learned that every time you hit them, they make noise. You have also started exploring everything by using your mouth. Your hands, the blankets, your toys...whatever you can find will go in your mouth.

That once horrible experience of having to be on your tummy has now become somewhat more enjoyable. You hold your head up high exploring the area around you and when you're on your back you're just happy as a clam looking around and sometimes watching me as I move around your room. It surprised me the first time I realized you could actually see me from a distance and how your little head turned as I moved this way and that. Your tummy time practice this month allowed you to learn how to roll onto your back. You're daddy and I were just beaming with pride as we watched you roll over and over again, yet, I have a feeling you're not excited as we are since you often start to whine once you've rolled.

Along with learning how to roll, you also learned how to stand strong on your legs. Your daddy and I will hold you with our hands under your arms and your feet placed on the ground and you will keep yourself up with your strong rollie pollie legs. Sometimes you'll even dance while moving your arms around when we play music.

The most challenging learning experience this month has been learning how to sleep. During most of this month there were ups and downs in the realm of sleeping. You have still maintained your status as a good night sleeper, but you started waking up more often and your naps were still sporadic and a struggle. After a week of your mommy not getting very good sleep, days where you cried and fussed incessantly, and obvious feelings of tension in our home; your mommy decided it was time for a change. Your daddy and I read up and we changed the way we did somethings in relation to your sleeping. You've improved a lot, but we still have some more work to do. You're now falling asleep in your crib every time and most of the time it takes less than 10 minutes. The first night we started the training, one of the stretches you slept was a total of nine hours, then you woke up once to nurse and then slept an additional 5 hours! We realized you were not getting enough sleep and that night proved that you definitely needed to make it up.

My little girl, you continue to amaze us and make us incredibly happy every single day. Even the rough moments are forgotten immediately after they are over. We're just so lucky to have ended up with you as our daughter.

We love you more than you can imagine.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

p.s. This month you also grew hair!

Rice and Beans: Month Two

To my sweet Amélie,

It sounds so cliché, but the time really is flying by. On this particular day you are actually closer to three months, but the days are really moving by so quickly that I have not gotten a chance to write this. But I cannot allow myself to skip detailing your exciting second month of life. 

Although you started out as an itty bitty thing at just a little over 5 pounds, you spent your second month making up for it. You have created a very good relationship with your food source (your mama) and those once skinny legs have filled out and developed little rolls. Those kissable cheeks have gotten bigger and have received enough kisses from me to last you over a lifetime.  

You are my sweetest, my nena, chiquita, hermosa, preciosa, bonita, rubia. Over the last month, you and I have created a deeper understanding of what our roles mean. I am amazed every single day by you- your movements, your tiny nails, your fleeting smiles, those big blue eyes, the perfect shape of your lips, your adorable nose, your ability to identify us as your parents, and...I could go on. There have been silent moments during the night when I cannot get enough of your smell and your soft baby skin and instead of returning your to your crib, I sit rocking you, loving you, and eventually sneak you into bed with me because I cannot let you go. I have loved every second I have spent with you during your second month and I dread the idea of eventually going back to work. In my ideal world, my only job would be to be your mommy. 

This month introduced your refusal to sleep during the day and your little fighting spirit came out. You detested having to sleep although you very well, as we did, know that sleep was what you needed. By the end of the month, we came up with a happy medium to your naps. You started to learn it was okay to fall asleep and perhaps even sleep in your crib during the day. 

During this month you were able to meet your cousin Corbin, uncle Gabe, and auntie Amberly. You enjoyed their visit by sleeping almost the entire time they were here. When we compared Corbin to you, your small size was only emphasized. Although he's much larger than you now, by this time next year, we probably won't notice much difference between you two. It's exciting for your uncle and I to imagine you two kids growing up together and sharing your milestones with one another. We are looking forward to creating new traditions as well as continuing ones that we had growing up. 

Chiquita, you have taken after your mommy in many ways. One of those ways being your love for warm weather and cozy environments. Your second month welcomed some very HOT days. Not only did I get to put you in all those cute little summer outfits I never thought you'd wear, but you slept like the baby that you are. Those hot days spent walking around town were blissful for both of us!

Whenever I look at you I see a little bit more of me. Your first few days I thought you resembled your daddy in almost every feature, but you're now looking like a mini blondie baby version of me. You have very light brown hair that has a tint of red and it's slight wave is transformed into curls when it is moistened. I love looking at your eyes as you nurse and have noticed how those once invisible lashes have become darker and longer. I'm in love with the little crease at your wrists that has developed because of your cute chubbiness. I miss you when you're sleeping and I welcome every new day because it means getting to look at you longer, smelling your sweet scent, and enjoying every bit of your being.

It is truly amazing to see the way you change and develop every day. Your "fur"brothers even enjoy getting to see the new things you'll do each day.

The weekends are some of our favorite days of the week. The presence of your daddy makes our days complete. We all enjoy sleeping in together and your daddy and I love waking up to your wide eyes and "agoos." We've enjoyed lazy days and beautiful sunny days strolling around the city. You love being carried by your daddy in the ergo and will fall asleep almost simultaneously.  We may be a bit biased, but we think you are the cutest baby in the world. You are the first one we kiss every morning and you're the last thought in our minds as we fall asleep. 

My muñeca, you have gone from a tiny thing to a girl with a big personality this month. You have shown us what you want and that you expect it immediately. At the beginning you were unhappy with tummy time and now you hold your head up so strong and high. You won't accept the bathwater unless it's perfectly really warm; just like your mommy. You will let mommy take a shower but only if it means you get to play. Your nap time and eating schedule is exactly how you want it every single day.

Amélie, you have brought us so much joy. We have fallen even more in love with you this month and we're sure every month following this will only bring the same. You are the light of our lives and we are incredibly thankful for all 10 pounds of you!

We love you,

mommy and daddy

p.s. Here are her stats from her two month wellness visit. 

                 weight: 9 lbs. 13 1/2 ounces (4 lbs. and 2 1/2 ounces bigger!)

                 height: 21 3/4 inches (3 inches longer)

                 head circumference: 38 1/2 cm (up 4 cm from birth)

      Our little girl was in the 20th-30th percentiles for all of her measurements. We've got a chiquitita!

Rice and Beans: Month 1

Dearest Amélie,

What a month it has been! What started as a quick visit to the doctors turned out to be your birthday! Although you unexpectedly showed up a few weeks early, we couldn't be happier to have gotten to meet you. I'm especially happy because I get to spend a few extra weeks with you during my time off. Your daddy always said he'd hoped you would arrive a bit earlier because he thought I'd enjoy getting more time with you and he couldn't have been more right.  Since the moment we met you, your daddy and I have just been head over heals in love with you and I wish there were more hours in the day because I can't get enough of your sweetness.

Along with your arrival came a few other surprises. You did a very good job of fooling us all about your size, especially the doctors, who predicted that you would be well over seven pounds, but out you came only carrying 5 lbs. and 5 oz! You were so tiny that the clothes I hoped to bring you home in were much too big and the only thing that fit you were a pair of preemie pj's your Abuelita Cookie bought for you. You really looked so adorable in your ducky pj's!

Nena, you also played around in mommy's tummy and turned yourself around in the last few hours before we met, so that it made it quite difficult for me to get you out. That's why you came out all bruised and bumped on your little head; it took us all a little (okay, maybe a lot!) extra work to welcome you into the world. The combination of your itty bitty self and the bruises on your cutie head are part of your other surprise- jaundice. It wasn't a big deal, but we did get to spend a few extra days in the hospital so that you could experience the bili lights; which, you absolutely loved.

My girl, in the first two weeks of your life, your daddy really thought you were sleeping 23 out of the 24 hours of the day. Perhaps he was exaggerating a bit, but you really did sleep A LOT! Lucky for us, sleeping has not been much of a problem for you. I wondered if you were going to have a tough time differentiating between day and night, but if you did, I never noticed. Aside from two crazy days where all you wanted to do was fuss and eat, you've been really wonderful about keeping your schedule. Mommy and daddy really appreciate this!

Your daddy has been the most fabulous supporter to me and a wonderful daddy to you. I really loved watching the sweet way he held you in the first days of your life and the way he speaks to you is just so adorable. He's totally in love with his "Sugar." Since going back to work, we're definitely missing him, so we're trying to make sure you're awake in the evenings when he makes it home. Since you and I have spent so much time getting to know each other, you're daddy hasn't quite figured out how you like to be held and what makes you completely calm. But, he's got lots of patience and is trying his best to make you happy.

My heart has completely opened and is spilling with love for you, baby girl. I cannot put into words what I feel for you and how unbelievable it is to have you in my life. You are truly a miracle. I love the bond that we've created by spending time looking into each other's eyes, by breathing together, and by getting to know each other's scents. You definitely know it's me and I feel very special knowing that I have the ability to soothe you when no one else can and by providing what you need to live and thrive. Although you started out as somewhat of a daddy's girl, I believe you are most definitely a mommy's girl now. I look forward to every moment with you, mi amorcito, and I cannot wait to experience more of life with you.

Your first month has had many firsts. You had your first bath, which, you did not like. But, now you're a fan if the water is just the right temperature. Chiquita, you have "walked" around our neighborhood many times, the first being within the first hour of arriving home. You especially love going for a walk in your ergo. We love it too! You rode the bus for the first time, to go to our first "mommy and me" group. You went to your first yoga class with your little friend Sophie and her mommy Jen. We ventured out to downtown as a family on the muni train for your first city tour. You and I have also had many little shopping trips, mostly to our fave store Tarjay, to buy things you need.  Oh, baby girl, you also had your first photo shoot! You are quite the adventurous girl.

There's definitely been some hurdles, but many, many, many unforgettable happy memories to keep in our hearts during this first month together. I am so overjoyed. Us three, we're meant to be; just like rice and beans.

We love you Amélie Sophia.

-Mommy and Daddy