Our Life With A 3 Month Old

Wide Awake, Dreaming

Twelve weeks is a fairly big number in a baby’s life. A line of communication and expectation is now established between child and parents. At 3 months, things have settled into some routine, and everyone has started to know what to expect.

Our daughter speaks to us in coos, giggles, screams and tears. She seems to know that she will be fed, though she has no problem letting us know her displeasure if arrives a few minutes late. She knows from where and from whom it comes. She seems to know that mama is nurture and food and ultimate comfort. From papa she gets another comfort, protection, and a warmth, and a calming hug when nothing is going right in her day.

She knows where her bed is, and she enjoys it. She sleeps well now, wakes herself at night when she is hungry and after feeding, returns to sleep easily. The concept of naps, however, she has yet to master. She seems to avoid them at all costs for 2 days or more, then she goes down for a heroic 3 hour nap 2x per day. This leaves us something to work on in her 4th month.

She also has come to enjoy her changing table, and giggles and kicks her legs when she gets a new diaper on. She knows that mom and dad will take care of her, and that dad will take out the diaper pail before it gets too stinky.

She likes her stroller well enough. She likes her grandparents a lot. She likes her few little toys which light up and sing songs. She likes to look up at the trees and the sky.

The 12th week also means mom has to return to work. Incredibly, Meg’s maternity leave is finished on Wednesday. She is going back half days for a stretch and then returning to full time. Luckily, we have found excellent daycare with good friends. But still, like most folks, we have to leave our child with someone else while we earn a living. And it seems a little backwards.

Our life with a 3 month old is rich and varied. We live moment by moment most days. Mom has worked hard to establish routines, to let this little creature know we love and cherish her, and to create a happy little family. Our daughter is healthy, putting on her baby pounds, and most of the time pretty happy. In 3 months we are all getting to know one another. It turns out we like one another. A lot.

And each day our love for one another expands beyond what was possible the day before.

Child & Mother Gently Sleep