Dear Rose - Three Months Old

Dear Rose,
You are now 3 months old! Your schedule is a little more predictable - Mama can tell when you are sleepy and ready for a nap. Dad and I are "working on" your bedtime routine. We are trying to help you go to sleep earlier in the evening, but you just don't seem to care. And that's okay. We just love you so much. Not that I'm keeping count, but for the last 90 days Dad and Mama have woken up at least once a night to change you and feed you. And we realize we will be doing this for many, many more nights! I don't think you will understand this amount of love we have for you until you have your own babies!

What happened this month? We had a Dedication service for you at Church, which was wonderful. Your new cousin Jake was born! You went to your first Wild game with Dad and I. We also have taken trips to Como Zoo and Conservatory, to St. Paul to visit Aunt Sarah, and to Lonsdale to have a photo shoot.

You had your Red Egg and Ginger party! We held it at Jun-Bo and ordered a gorgeous cake (with an ox and a tiger on it) from Piece of Cake. Lots and lots of friends came to meet you and celebrate you! We ate pork and pineapple buns, egg tarts, beef chow fun, shrimp and pan-fried noodles, fish, tofu and vegetables, buddha's delight, beef and chinese broccoli, roast pork, walnut shrimp - it was all so good! You should always remember how much you are loved, Rose, and that there is a whole world of people who adore you and will look out for you!

People keep commenting on how peaceful and sweet your spirit it. Perhaps that is one of your gifts to this world, Rose - to just share your peacefulness and help others find calm.


Mama has to go back to work next week, Rose and my heart is broken about it. I want to be with you through these magical days as you grow and learn. But I know that going to the Montessori will be a wonderful experience for you. You will learn lots of new things, you will meet new people, and this is just a part of life. As much I want to hold you close all the time, Mama has two responsibilities to you: to give you roots and give you wings. This part is about the wings.

(This photo is you trying to figure out how to roll over! Mama and Dad are making plans on how to keep you safe so you don't roll off of things!)
The other important thing that has happened this month is that Mama finally understands and loves our "new normal." Life is very very different with you, Rose, and it is absolutely wonderful. It is a big change from how life used to be before you and these first few months have taken some time to get used to. A few weekends ago we were driving to Minneapolis to order your cake and Mama knew it just felt right - the three of us as a new family.

All my love, Mama

Dear Rose - Two Months Old

Dear Rose,

This is Mama. Tomorrow you are 2 whole months old! This month has been filled with amazing events. You hold your head up. You smile lots now, big beautiful smiles that light up your entire face. Mama and Dad can coax smiles out of you, too by blowing raspberries and wagging our tongue at you. You have giggled for us. One Sunday afternoon, Dad came running out of your nursery with you and he announced, "She laughed! I was swinging her and she laughed!" He was so delighted. Whenever you do something new for us, like how you swatted at your toy octopus from the activity gym, the one that has a rattle attached to one tentacle and a little plastic square on another, Dad and I get very excited and we cheer! Hurray! Go Peanut! Go Rose! Get that octopus!

You now weigh 10 lbs., 5 oz. and are 21.75 inches long! You are moving out of your newborn clothes and into the 0-3 month size. Mama thinks that you will be moving out of this size quickly too!

Your timing/routine has gotten "better" this month. We are no longer up all night long with you - only one or two times. You are definitely sleeping in longer stretches. Dad and I were "laughing" about how now 4 or 5 hour stretches of sleep are now luxurious! Haha! It's amazing how much our lives have changed in the last two months. We talk about poop, we worry about how much you are drooling, we get all giggly and overwhelmed with joy when you coo and smile. We are still deliriously happy and so very much in love with you. Or perhaps, we are more accustomed to this new life as your parents. One thing is true, I never appreciated my own Mama like I do now.

You went to your first storytime and the Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul and I was so surprised by how engaged you were at 6 weeks old. We sang songs, read a few quick books, and just enjoyed the show. You flapped your arms and wiggled and were very enthralled. I hope that you will enjoy reading your entire life. It can be a wonderful escape and a doorway to a new world.



You had lots of new visitors again this month. So many people love and adore you. Uncle Luther came from Washington DC to see you. He was smitten the moment he got into the car and heard you. We spent a weekend with him - he held you and talked with you. That was the weekend we went to storytime. On Sunday, we went to Uncle Joe's and Aunt Katie's for brunch. Aunt Katie's parents were in town and they were dying to meet you! Cathy and Gary held you and cooed over you. Gary even danced with you. Other visitors were friends Jim and Liz and Paul. The neighbors have enjoyed meeting you, too. We've been taking weekly trips to Dad's office. His partner Jeff and his wife Cindy also love to see you. One morning, Cindy held you for a long time while she did some work at the front desk. She proudly introduced you to everyone who came in the door! I want you to know how happy it makes people to hold you and talk with you. You are truly loved.

We've been attending a weekly ECFE class, you and I. There are other moms and babies there and we sit and talk and listen to each other's questions and stories. Mama is fascinated by how other Moms parent their babies and is sometimes horrified/amused/curious about what they do. (Dad is also taking you to a Dad and Me class too - he's learning lots of songs to sing to you! And exercises to do with you.) The best lesson that Mama has learned from this group is to listen to her heart/gut/instincts and do what is right for you and her and Dad. One of my wishes for you is that you have the confidence to listen to your own heart and do what is always right for you. Sometimes in life we have a hard time hearing our hearts when there is other noise around us. Don't worry if you don't learn this right away - it is one of those "lifelong lessons."

Other exciting news from this month - you had 2 new friends join the world! Beck was born to Koshiki and Ben at the end of February and Eva was born to Elisabeth and Evan on March 14. We are excited for you to meet them and hope you will have lots of friends to play with and learn from as you grow. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of your new cousin at the end of March and Mariah and Patrick's baby to arrive around the same time. There seems to be a baby boom going on around here and Mama and Dad are very happy they got in on it too!

Life is wonderful with you, Rose. And it keeps getting better.
All my love,
Mama

Dear Rose - One Month Old

Dear Rose,

This is Mama. Tomorrow you are one month old, already. How did this time go by so fast? Your dad and I are completely exhausted. We are also very much in love with you - with your wiggles, your perfect toes, your noisy sleeping, with everything you do.

I wanted to tell you about your birthday, too, before this memory fades. We went to the hospital on the Sunday morning before you were born, as I was feeling lots of strong contractions. I had dilated a bit more than I had been at the OB visit earlier that week, so we were excited. We spent the entire morning walking the halls of the hospital, trying to keep the contractions coming on strong. While they were still there, I wasn't making any progress, so they sent us home, to labor. At home, the contractions would come and go. That night, though, holy cow! The contractions were incredibly strong, very intense. They would wake me up, and I would have to get out of bed and hold onto the wall to get through them! However, they didn't come in any regular pattern, and on Monday morning, they really slowed down. Dad and I were confused, so we went over to the clinic that morning for a non-stress test, which showed that you were just fine and that the contractions were pretty strong. We went home and had a relatively quiet day, until that evening when the contractions really started to pick up. I started to have some short sharp pains with some of the contractions, and so we called the hospital about 1:15 am. They told us to come in to get checked out. And we made the trip - again - to the hospital.

This time, when they checked mama, I had dilated quite a bit more. They wanted to keep me, at least until the morning, and they gave me some medicine to help me sleep in between the contractions. That really helped! At about 7 am, we made the decision to rupture the bag of waters and the doctor wanted to start me on some pitocin to keep the contractions coming on strong. At one point, the nurse looked at me, as she was starting the medication, and she said, "Today is the day you are having your baby" and I was so happy and nervous at the same time. The contractions were really strong and regular at this time and continued. We had called for a volunteer doula to come help us through this process and she showed up that morning. Her energy was a welcome support, at just the right time - both dad and I were exhausted from the last two days.

Nancy, the doula, helped Mama and Dad get through the labor. It was hard work, but everyone was encouraging and kept reminding me that you were coming! Aunt Sarah came to help too, and she was really supportive. About 11 AM, the nurse checked me and said that I could start pushing. She said that for most first time moms, it took about 2 hours of pushing usually. Mama worked hard at pushing and I honestly don't remember too much from that part, except that the contractions slowed down a bit, so I could catch my breath and ask a few questions. I told Dad that I was so happy for him, and looking forward to watching him be a wonderful daddy to you.

Just around 12 noon, I could feel you making your way down the birth canal, and I looked at Dad and said, "She's coming! I feel her!" The nurse checked me again, and said that we had about 1 inch left to go. They had called the doctor, and she would be arriving in about 15 minutes. I pushed again, one more time, and I felt you slide out of me, and land on the bed. I looked at Dad again, and said, "She's here!" Dad said, "Uh-huh." I looked at the doula, Nancy, and the nurse, and again said, "She's here!" They were a little confused, but lifted the sheet that they had draped over my legs and THERE YOU WERE! They jumped into action! The nurse lifted you up, and started to wipe you off and lifted you onto my tummy. She realized that your cord was a little short, and was worried that it had gotten caught, so she quickly clamped it and cut it and they took you over to check you out. You were just fine - amazing and perfect, really - and they bundled you up and gave you to Dad. The look on his face was overwhelming.

The doctor came in shortly after and realized that she had missed your arrival! Everyone on the maternity ward was so impressed with how quickly you had arrived (until I mentioned that it took you about three days to get here!) We spent the next few days in the hospital, learning how to breastfeed, how to take care of you, and just feeling so happy and overwhelmed.

You have had several visitors this month - your Aunt Sarah, Aunt Katie, Uncle Joe, Aunt Katy, Grandma Jan, Grandpa Dewey, Grandpa Barry, Grandma Michelle, Jeff and Cindy, Steve and Jacqueline, Evan and Elisabeth, Mariah, Jen, Matt and Benjamin, Nick, and Sarah. Everyone has mentioned how beautiful you are and how wonderful you are to hold. Other people cannot wait to meet you and we are so proud to introduce you to other people.

Your curiosity grows each day, and even this past week, you have become more vocal and talkative with us. Dad and I love to snuggle with you, and we delight in your bright eyes looking at us, and taking in the world.

You are putting on weight and starting to get big. You developed a double chin too! We went to an ECFE class this week and you had put on 20 oz in just two weeks! Mama was so happy to know that all of your eating is paying off!

Dad and I love you very much and we are so glad you came to join us here.
You complete us, and I have never been so happy as I am now.
All my love,
Mama