Happy THREE months, precious Claire!

These past few weeks have been filled with adventure. In fact, we just returned from a four-day trip to Delaware for Jason and Sara Eberle’s wedding in Rehoboth Beach! You were the star of the show (minus the bride, of course!) and enjoyed meeting lots of family.

We were especially blown away by how well you handled more than 20 hours in the car! I’d been dreading the drive for months, but you were a little rockstar and we couldn’t have asked for a better trip. (And a BIG thanks to Nana Beth for coming along and making it all possible!)

Of course, the brightest part of our day is watching you. You’ve hit a glorious stage, sweet pea, and we absolutely adore how you’re learning and growing and changing. You are SUCH a good baby, and we can’t praise God enough for blessing us with you!

Weight: We don’t visit the pediatrician again til 4 months, but our at-home scale says you’re weighing in at 15 adorable pounds. Length: Long and squirmy!

Eating: You’ve finally decided to take a bottle…sometimes! We purchased a set of Avent bottles about a week ago (after TONS of recommendations). Daddy found an ideal position with you on your side, and you took down 4 ounces of freshly pumped milk while Mommy was out running! The next night you did it again…and again and again. The big test was our huge trip to Delaware — and you were a perfect angel, drinking fresh bottles from Nana Beth all the way home. Unfortunately you changed your tune a bit when we returned home, putting up a fight for Daddy once again. We’re not backing down, though. Nursing is still going really well and Mommy loves our bonding time…but it sure is nice to have the bottle option for travel and evenings out.

Speaking of nursing, we’ve been attending  monthly La Leche League meetings, which offer a fabulous support group of other breastfeeding mommies. You have a little buddy in the group, Isaac, who was born the same day as you. Typically you suck on your hands, make eyes at other babies, or nap through the meetings, but Mommy enjoys the adult interaction, as well as the tips and tricks we pass around. My goal is to nurse you for a year — and I’m so grateful that you’ve obliged thus far!

You’re also a big fan of your hands, and spend a good portion of your day sucking and chewing on them. Dr. Little and the gals at LLL say you may already be teething — but it’ll probably be a while before we spot that first tooth. Mommy was a thumb-sucker, but you seem to prefer your middle two fingers. Funny!

Sleeping: I am SO proud to report that you’ve been sleeping 8 to 10 hours per night in your room for more than two weeks! Hallelujah! I have to admit I absolutely dreaded this transition and most certainly delayed it as long as possible. The weekend before you turned 11 weeks, though, Daddy and I decided to give it a go.

We performed our normal bedtime routine at 8:30 p.m.: bath-jammies-swaddle-nurse-sleep…except this time you went right to bed in your crib. Daddy had the video monitor set up, but I stood outside your door with big ole tears in my eyes for quite some time. I even texted Nana Beth that I felt I’d dropped you off at college! You see, for the past 11.5 months you’ve either been in my belly or right beside me at night, little Claire. Leaving you alone in your room felt like such a huge step…but sweetie, it turns out it was good for you and good for us.

I know we’ll need to drop the swaddle soon, and I’ve read that there is often a sleep regression at four months — but for now, I can’t help but delight in how easy this major change was for Daddy and me. Thank you, thank you!

Following your first night of sleep in your own room!

Playing: My goodness you’re a busy girl! When you’re awake, you’re moving — kicking and punching and grabbing and watching. It’s clear you’re already learning so much about this wonderful world, and it’s fun to watch you discover new things. Daddy likes to take you on “Pinot Safaris” to find your pretty kitty, but your favorite game is Airplane, and you’ll let him fly you through the house for as long as his biceps can stand it! Mommy’s favorite thing these days is Babygarten, a fabulous free class for babies 0-18 months taught at the nearby United Methodist church on Monday mornings. There we sing songs, read books, and even make a take-home craft. You’re the youngest baby in the class, but you’ve become Teacher’s Pet and we aren’t one bit surprised.

Your best buddy right now is Gee, a jolly giraffe with a mirror on his belly. You’re also mighty fond of Flutter (a butterfly car seat attachment). We love watching your face light up when you see your bright-colored friends. Your activity mat is getting lots of action these days, too, and you’ll spend a good portion of time entertaining yourself as you grab, pull, and kick the zoo animals.

The highlight, though, is your little voice. You’ve started to be quite chatty, giving us “ah-goo” and “hiiii” and the most amazing laugh. Uncle Michael wins the prize for longest “conversation” so far — you sure had lots to tell him!

We’re still waiting for you to roll…but we know it isn’t far away. You throw your legs and spend lots of time on your side, so surely it’s coming soon. No rush, little one. You’re already growing so fast!

Visiting Daddy at Vanguard

We love you more than words! Always, Mommy and Daddy