3 Months

Eli is 3 months old today! After a first attempt at our monthly photo shoot, we had to try again once Eli had a full belly. There would be no pictures until he had eaten! That is one thing I have learned about my little guy: he is quite unreasonable when he is hungry. His cry hits a whole new decibel, and his arms and legs shake in protest! After I nursed him and with the help of Grammy, we were able to coax some of the precious smiles that we are seeing more and more of these days. He has a smile much like his sister's; his eyes light up as the grin spreads across his face. He likes when Daddy tickles him under his chin or when I talk to him in a high voice. Because of all of the time we are spending together right now, he is becoming quite a momma's boy. His eyes follow me around the room, and if I leave his sight for even a few seconds, he will usually start to whimper. He doesn't like to be left alone. 

Our long string bean is just under 11 pounds, wearing 3-month clothes and size 1 diapers. He is feeding every 3 hours when he is awake, and he is settling into a routine with his naps: a morning nap around 10AM, an afternoon nap around 1PM, and then an evening nap around dinnertime. This dinnertime nap is helpful because I can then show Emmy some attention after her day at school. 7PM to 8PM still tends to be a tricky time frame, with both kids awake and having different needs. Things settle down again after Emmy is asleep (usually by 8PM), and then I feed Eli one final time before putting him in his crib around 9PM. This last feeding includes nursing and a few extra ounces from the bottle. If Boomer is home, he will give Eli the bottle; I think they both enjoy this bonding time. Eli will then sleep until anytime between 3:30AM and 5:30AM. After feeding again, he will go back to sleep for a few more hours before fully starting his day around 8AM. 

Eli's newest trick is rolling over from his belly to his back. He did it for the first time on Sunday, and Boomer was the first to see him do it. I was giving Emmy a bath, and he called me over to the nursery to watch Eli do it two more times. When I pulled out my phone to capture his flip on camera, Eli must have decided that he was done showing off. Luckily, he cooperated today for Grammy and Grandpa, and we were able to catch it on film. Eli is very strong and has a tight grip.  He has started to be more interactive with his rainforest playmat and the hanging rings at Grammy's house. He has realized that pulling down on the rings makes the music play, and he can entertain himself for several minutes moving his arms and legs around. He has discovered his fingers over the last few weeks, and he will often suck on his middle and ring finger together, forming a funny Spiderman symbol with his hand. We have not introduced a pacifier, and he hasn't found his thumb just yet.

This milestone is a little bittersweet because I will soon be returning to work. I love seeing the way that Eli is growing, and I will be sad to miss these everyday moments with him. Thank you for your prayers as I go back to work next week!