Monday, January 17, 2011

Happy Three Month Birthday, Isobel!


Here are a few recent photos of Isobel which show just what a joy she is to us and how she completely beguiles us with her smiles.







I can't believe it has been such a long time since I posted. I hang out on all your blogs all day via my I Phone and comment when I can, but it's almost impossible to get time to type on a computer with both hands these days.

Now I have about 5 weeks of thoughts all jumbled up in my head and I am wondering what to write.

First of all, I am so happy that Isobel is three months! I don't want to wish the time away  fast but at the same time I really like the fact that she is growing and changing and getting bigger and stronger. She weighs about 11 lbs and a few ounces now and is about 22 inches long. She has learnt to suck on her fingers, to sit up and "dance" - which is really her rocking and rolling while sitting on our laps. In the last few weeks she started cooing and having all sorts of cute things to say. We took her to the church where Susan is doing her internship yesterday and she was a big hit. Especially when she started talking and then hiccuping very loudly during some deep quiet moment. I had to leave the sanctuary for a while with her and while we were gone, the minister prayed for Isobel's hiccups to go away. We got to sit at the front of the church for the children's moment - all these aremilestones which seem so surreal and exciting all at once.

She is pretty happy go lucky - which is a huge complement from yours truly. She is fun and likes to be out and about and experience new things and people. She does not like sleeping by herself and she  is definitely attached to Susan and me. She is not one of those babies that wants to hang by themselves a lot - if there are such babies! She likes to hang on her activity mat and chill for about ten minutes at a time and is starting to play with the toys that are dangling for short periods of time; she is not crazy about her bouncy chair; we spend a lot of time holding her which is of course the best. This week we hope to get a swing to vary her scenery a bit. I am still not able to put her in the moby wrap or Ergo with the infant insert. She hates it and I get upset and take her out immediately when she starts to cry.

We are so happy to see her smile and giggle and watch her eyes light up when she is feeling happy. Susan is the master ( or mistress) of gas relief and has some funny rhymes that she says while she is bouncing Isobel on her lap. The worst times for Isobel are around 5pm onwards when her gas seems to be really bad and she can't relax very much. She has got a really good pair of lungs!

Susan went back to work at the beginning of January after two months plus of blissful family leave and it's now just me and Isobel at home Monday to Friday during the day. We started going to a baby  and me group at a local child development center and I have been feverishly joining Meet Up groups and signing up for play-dates so we have something to do every day or so outside the house. So far we have one play date this week and I am working on some more. We also signed up for Infant Massage class and Baby Sign Language for next month. Apparently being a stay at home mother with an infant is not just about staying at home! Now I am getting to be a pro at driving with Isobel in my car and lugging her seat around I have a new appreciation for the whole drive through idea. I now know where the drive through Starbucks which is a big help to this decaf latte drinking mama.

I am going to close now and try to come back this week for short posts about things I actually think about and cogitate over, rather than this rather run of the mill list of what we are doing. I do actually have deep thoughts about life and mommyhood, it's just they are escaping me now.

17 comments:

cindyhoo2 said...

What a precious little face and smile! Loved the update. Isn't it amazing how they change so fast!? One day a loveable lump and the next day a cooing, interactive person! I am in agreement with you. I dont want them to grow up too fast but the 3 month mark is freakin awesome. And our boys weigh 13'3 and 12'8 so it seems all 3 babies are close.

Oh how we love our Moby at our house. Sometimes the boys fuss initially then calm and snuggle in. Just saying, sometimes a mom wants to eat with both hands!

And I am sure the church enjoyed isobel's impromptu hicups and prayer! :)

Journey Girl said...

Oh, she is just gorgeous and it is wonderful to see you back!! I found getting time to blog in the first three months tough but now am a bit more back in the swing of things!! Congrats on all of your milestones - it is just wonderful!!

CJ said...

She is just beautiful!!

Alison said...

She's so beautiful! Thanks for the update!

Carrie and MJ said...

Isn't it amazing how they all of a sudden become little beings with personality? The smiles and coos are enough to melt a Mom's heart every time! She's adorable!

Schroedinger said...

wonderful to hear from you! glad everything is going so well. she is beautiful!

Victoria said...

I chuckled a bit when I saw her stats as my son was 22 inches at birth!. When I picked him up from school another mom had him stand back to back with her son (who is just over 5 and my son will be 4 in March) and my son was taller. It's always amazing to me how big he was and continues to be.

So great to see her and know that you are coming along. As much as I wanted the newborn stage to last and last, there were many benefits to getting beyond the 4th trimester.

Anonymous said...

Awww, so happy to see things are going well! Love the pics, she is a little doll!
Farty never liked the infant carrier idea either, until he got to be about 8-8 months old and I bought a hip carrier. He'd tolerate that for a little while, but by then he was over 25lbs and my hip didn't tolerate it very well!

K said...

*sigh* She is just so beautiful, and so alert. Thanks for the update. It is great to hear how well you all are getting along!

Kairos said...

What a cutie.
I am trying to get back to my blog as well. We'll see if I manage.

Fran said...

She is stunning!! Stunning my friend.

Fantastic update, I am also looking for things to do when mom will go back home in 10 days or so...dreading being on my own, house-bound (can't drive for 3 more weeks) and still a bit teary!

Anonymous said...

No need for deep cogitating when you have a sweet little girl to chat about! I loved hearing about all the things she is doing and the pictures are sooo adorable! And YOU sound wonderful too.

Anonymous said...

I'm happy you're doing so well with your new (busy) routine!

I love the pictures!

MAJ Bryen said...

She is absolutely gorgeous! I'm so glad to hear about how fantastic she is

kate said...

She is *gorgeous*!! What a charmer! Those smiles are to die for.

I remember three months being the point at which things started to get easier. Toys start becoming sort of interesting, other people become interesting-- it gets a little easier to put them down for a minute or two to run to the bathroom or grab a sandwich or whatever.

And yes, most babies definitely prefer being right up next to their parents! Maybe she'll grow in to the Ergo (though ours wouldn't get in it with the infant insert thingy. They *hated* it. So, we just positioned them froggy-style, squatting, inside the carrier and made sure they weren't going to fall out the sides, and wore them that way. Might be worth a try, if it looks like it can be done safely...). For your sake, if you've got an attached baby, I hope she does grow in to a carrier of some kind- it's so much easier to get things done when you can put them in a pack and just move around with both hands free.

Unknown said...

She's beautiful! Sounds like you are doing great as a SAHM - I know I'm still figuring it out. Getting out everyday really does help, though!

Billy said...

She's gorgeous!