Dear Isabella,
Today you are three months old. I can't help but think that three is a magic number when it comes to babies. While pregnant, each milestone of pregnancy is in three trimesters. And if the first three months of a babies life outside the womb are really considered to be known as the fourth trimester, then let me just say the real fun has begun at this three month mark.
Your personality is really starting to shine through and you have been so much fun this past month that I have completely forgotten how you kept me awake for days straight during your first few weeks of life.
This month you have started to giggle, mimic and have full conversations with daddy and I on a daily basis. You have developed a secret language of your own and love to tell us tales of places far, far away called "Ette Lah Rhrrr" and "Bow Irrr Kay". They sound simply magical to me and I can't wait to hear you discuss them each day.
You are very animated in your conversations too, engaging me in full eye contact and making sure you have my complete undivided attention so I don't miss a thing. And I don't. I will always be here to listen to anything you want to tell me. Always know this.
Something else you discovered this month is the grocery store. Oh, how you love the grocery store. It's now become a family outing with me carrying you peacefully and quietly on my shoulder while daddy pushes the cart so you can take in all there is to see: a smorgasbord of color, shapes, light, scent and sounds. Something about the store puts you instantly at ease and you are content to just be on my shoulder, silently taking it all in for hours. Our budding chef perhaps?
You have also discovered your reflection in the mirror. Many meltdowns have been successfully diverted due to this recent development. Having many mirrors scattered throughout our home has now proven to be a very good thing, rather than a very vain thing as we can spend up to 45 minutes at a time just singing and laughing at our reflections in the mirror.
You have also begun sleeping through the night in five to six, sometimes seven hour stretches. The first night you did this, however, I didn't sleep a wink because I woke up every two hours to see if you were still breathing. The next morning when you awoke all smiles and laughter I wanted to shout from the rooftops that my baby had slept. All night. Boo-Yah. Because of this mama can now get a good three-four stretch of sleep in at a time.
This pattern has continued I am happy to say. You fall asleep around 9:30 like clockwork each night and you will sleep a good six hour stretch, wake just long enough for a quick milk fix and will nod off again in my arms until long after the sun rises in the morning. You have no idea how happy this makes mama. Mama hearts sleep.
Another milestone we seem to have conquered this month is bathtime. In your early days you would scream everytime you touched the water as if us cruel beings were dipping your sweet toesies in liquid hot magma. This was breaking your daddy's heart because he is very much looking forward to showing you all that he loves about water someday, being the water baby he is, and the screaming at the sight of it wasn't very promising at first.
However, it's been ridiculously hot and humid as of late and now when we give you your evening bath you light up and smile and relax into it in a way that makes us light up and smile with you. I know after a long day of 185 degree weather, getting into a cool bath feels like dipping your toesies into pools of soft, sudsy bubble~filled love and cool, shimmering breezes. Baths may just be your favorite thing as these days stay heated so if you are really good girl, perhaps you will get two daily baths. And your own pony.
This month you had many visitors including your Grandma Linda, Auntie Sue, Auntie Eileen and Uncle Darwin, Kevin, Scotty and Marianne. In just a couple short weeks you will be meeting the entire extended family on your mama's side in Northern California ~ so be ready for some big fun and tons of lovin'. And if the weather is nice, be prepared to stay because mama might not want to come home to steamy, smoggy LA.
In addition to visitors, you also received a very heavy package in the mail this month that contained all of your wish rocks that your beautiful auntie mermaid made for you. While you were still in your mommy's belly, many members of your tribe came together in your auntie mcmermie's magical space to bring you wishes and not long after they arrived on our doorstep, I spent a few afternoons with you picking each one up, showing it to you, letting you hold the ones you reached out to grab and we had long conversations about each one. This is something that we will do for years to come I predict.
This week marks the first that I will be away from you for hours at a time as I am assisting a teen summer workshop as part of my job. As much as I enjoy seeing these kids and their creativity, the thought of leaving you four four days is making me a bit, well, insane.
I miss you when you take a nap, so it will be so hard to be away from you. Daddy is taking the week off of work to spend with you and I know you both need this time alone so this is the thought I will carry with me this first week I will spend without you, knowing you are happy and okay and that letting go is all part of the parenting process.
Still, I miss you already.
Love,
Mama
oh my goodness...how auntie boho enjoyed all these photos of her cuteness.
you sound truly deeply happy honey and this makes my heart swell.
so much love here that i can reach out and touch it.
xo
Posted by: boho girl | June 24, 2008 at 12:35 AM
simply beautiful. i always look forward to your letters to bella. they make my heart swell and my tears flow.
this is such a magical time, no?
Posted by: nikole | June 24, 2008 at 05:35 AM
oh my goodness her cuteness brings tears to my eyes.
What a sweet baby and mama.
love you
XOXOXO
Posted by: t | June 24, 2008 at 06:19 AM
What a beautiful letter. My favorite bit is where she sleeps all those hours, of course. So happy for you. xoxox
Posted by: Frida | June 24, 2008 at 07:54 AM
Oh, Stacie....I love all her cutie photos!
HAPPY 3 MONTHS Isabella!!! Your momma, your daddy & all your "aunties" love you lots. It was fun spending time with you recently since I got to see all the giggling up close & personal. Momma was right about the mirror, thing, too. I don't blame you -- you have such a precious face so I can totally understand why you would enjoy staring at it in the mirror. :) Love you lots!
Big hugs to Momma & baby! XOXO
Posted by: sueberry | June 24, 2008 at 08:55 AM
beautiful. congrats! i am so happy for you that you are getting sleep! it is a revolution!!!!!
Posted by: renee | June 24, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Oh, Isabella,
What a precious little one you are!
All your family up here in No. CA can't wait to see you and hold you! Know that we love you so much and love your mommy for letting us stay close to you through her writings.
See you in a few days!
Posted by: Great Auntie Denise | June 24, 2008 at 01:00 PM
:) so much beauty and gentleness and love ...
Posted by: darlene | June 24, 2008 at 03:19 PM
OMG! How yummy is your "organic baby"?!!! Stacie that daughter of yours gets cuter and cuter with every photograph! She is such a delicious joy to behold.
I'm happy for you both that you she is sleeping in longer stretches and that she is now enjoying bathtime. I'm only saddened by the fact that I haven't been able to spend much quality time with her myself. She's growing so fast and I'm missing out on so much! :(
My thoughts will be with you next week as I dread the moment I have to face the same reality. Thank goodness that she will be in such loving, capable hands. Happily, it's only one week and soon you two will be back to your happy routine. We love you all and couldn't be happier for you!
Hope to see you very soon. Much love always,
"Auntie Di"
Posted by: d. | June 24, 2008 at 08:57 PM
I'm still lurking out here - LOVE hearing stories of bella and can't wait to see her (and you and Jimmy) again v. soon. Your stories make me feel like things are right with the world and am savoring it. xoxoxo kb.
Posted by: kb | June 25, 2008 at 10:09 AM
dude you are an amazing photographer stacie-these pictures are to die for! of course your subject is mighty darn cute. she melts me. *sigh*
one of my goals this summer is to come visit you all for an afternoon and cuddle bella. :)
these letters are lovely, so lovely.
xoxo
auntie mcmermie
Posted by: mccabe | June 25, 2008 at 10:27 AM
sweet sweet letter to your daughter...and in that last picture --- she is "you".
Posted by: Leslie | June 27, 2008 at 06:40 AM
those little sausage legs...oh my goodness...she is so precious...an angel from above...big hugs to you, me
Posted by: jessica | June 27, 2008 at 06:49 AM
What wonderful letters you are writing to Isabella!
I'm hoping to get up there soon to see you!!
Posted by: Tina | June 27, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Baby Bella (AKA: Sunshine Sparkle Toes) -
Thank you so much for letting me spend some time with your Momma this week. She missed you so much every second that you were apart. You are a sweet little cosita and I am so happy I had a chance to hold you and smell you and see you smile.
You are so loved.
Auntie Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne | June 28, 2008 at 01:21 PM
had to come back to see how your wee one was going. what a little bundle of love and cuter than ever.
Posted by: collette | June 30, 2008 at 12:03 AM
beautiful beautiful bella...
:)
you warm my heart my dear
xoxo
Posted by: megan | June 30, 2008 at 01:20 PM