Lyla: 3 months

Little Lyla,
You are 3 months old and changing so much and so fast.  Yesterday we had your 3 month pictures taken.  You were really good, but it was outdoors and you didn't want to open your eyes.  Your sister on the other hand was a little ham and thought it was all about her.  For the first time in awhile we probably got some good pictures of you, her, and the 2 of you together.  She loves you so much! She will love on you all day if we ask her too.  If the photographer was trying to take a picture of just you Irelyn was sure to get in there.  It was pretty funny.
So, at 3 months you fit into 0-3 month and 3-6 month clothes, but growing fast so mainly putting you all in 3-6's now.  Plus we have a lot of cute ones to get to in that size!  You where a size 1 diaper.  You have the biggest smile and it is so easy to get you to smile.  You can sit up!  It's brief and you lean pretty far forward, but you can do it long enough for Mommy to snap a picture at least.   You love to be held in a sitting position though and you pull up on our hands to sit and stand as well.  You are not a fan of being on your tummy.  You roll to your side and almost are rolling from your back to your stomach.  You get close and then probably remember that you don't like being on your tummy ;). 
On your 3 month birthday you slept through the night for the first time.  You sleep pretty well, but you go to bed pretty early (between 7 and 8) so you normally eat around 2 and wake up at 6.  We are trying to move all this back.  Last night you slept 9-5 and then ate and fell back to sleep till 7.  This I like.  Keep it up! 
For your 12 week birthday and right before Mommy went back to work you got your ears pierced.  You were already having a rough week with your teeth (oh yeah you must be getting some teeth and suck on your hands all the time) so I figured it was as good as time as any.  You actually did really well and after the initial piercing you had no problem with them and you seem to be doing better with your teething. 

We have had lots of outings and fun especially before Mommy went back to work.  Mommy misses you lots when I am at work and can't wait to see you!  I'll tell you again, DON"T GROW UP TOO FAST PLEASE!  Love you tons!

The End

* I wrote this yesterday 6.6.12, the day before returning to work.

Well, Lyla is now 12 weeks old and it's time for me to return to work.  It is bittersweet.  I feel more ready this time around.  I think working 4 days a week really helps with that.  I was pretty emotional when I went back after Irelyn was born and remember counting how many hours she would be at day care and how many she would be with me and worrying that she wouldn't know that I am her mommy.  Well she proved she definitely knows and clings to that knowledge at times ;).  I can also tell that Lyla knows who mommy is.  I will miss them dearly, but I look forward to getting "back to normal", working, and having adult conversations more often.
Today is my last day home so in honor of that and because timing wise it worked out we went to Lark Toys today.  The Grandmas accompanied the girls and me.  We had a great time.  Irelyn road the carousel 4 times.  The first 3 times she rode and a stationary cart on the carousel and it wasn't until the final time that she allowed us to put her on an animal (fish) that moved up and down.  Of course she loved it and didn't want to go.  We enjoyed playing in the toy store.  Irelyn showed off her amazing imagination making tea and hot dogs and who knows what else with the play toys.  I want the girls to have more wooden, timeless toys so we picked out a few things from the toy store as I promised to buy her one thing. Grandma Shari bought her some new things for her play kitchen as well. 
We enjoyed lunch and ice cream and headed back for home for naps.  On the hour car ride home Irelyn showed us all what fun, toys, and sugar will do to a 2 year old.  She was pretty funny singing, reading, and playing with a water can.
Again, it's bittersweet for this time to end and I can't believe Lyla has reached 12 weeks old. It helps knowing I will have my 1 day a week to continue to do these kinds of things with the girls and the grandmas in addition to the weekends.  If you can notice in any of the pictures Lyla got something special for her 12 week birthday as well ;).