3 Months!

Dear Linnea,

You are three months old, sweet girl! And what a month you've had! You are growing by leaps and bounds, and we can hardly believe that the big, alert, active little girl in our arms is the same one that we nervously brought home from the hospital just 3 months earlier. We can't imagine life without you now!! We've had such a great month. Here are just some of the highlights:

You were baptized...
What a special day!! We have been looking forward to your baptism day for a long time! We actually started planning it before you were born. When we told Grandma and Grandpa that you were on your way, we took out the calendar to see when you might be baptized. Much to our joyful surprise, we found that Grandma's birthday was on a Sunday this year...and on a Sunday that there would be baptisms! Awesome! When you were born, the plan was finalized...Grandma would baptize you on November 13th - her birthday and your 3-month birthday! In addition, you got to wear the baptismal dress that I (Mom) wore, Grandma wore, and your angel Auntie Beth wore. How cool!! I (Mom) was worried that you would be fussy during the service, but you were perfect! You fell asleep right before the baptism. You startled when Grandma poured the water on your head, but didn't wake up. The service was pretty emotional. Grandma and Mom both cried. I think there were lots of tears in the congregation too!

You woke up when Grandma showed you around to the congregation, but you were quiet. You looked around happily at all your new brothers and sisters in Christ. You were pretty happy for the rest of the service. You looked so cute in your dress with your damp little head. We had a party at church after the service. So many people joined us for the celebration! You are so loved, my dear! Guests included: all your grandparents, your Great-Grandma Broste, and Great-Grandpa and Grandma Carlson, some aunts and uncles, your WOWZaunties, our Faith Group friends, and your godparents, T.J. and Sarah and their girls (there were even more guests, but too many to list here).

You started sleeping through the night...
You slowly but surely started moving yourself to earlier bed times. Starting the middle or so of October, you started pretty consistently going to bed around 7:00. This was really weird for us! We were used to having you up until closer to 10:00. We hardly knew what to do with ourselves when you were down for the night around 7:00. Shortly after earlier bedtimes, it was clear it was time for you to move to your own room. You were outgrowing the cradle you had been sleeping in since you were born. We moved you down the last weekend of October. The second night you were in your room you slept from 7:30-6:45! WOW! You have been consistently sleeping for 10-12 hours each night in your crib for about 3 weeks now. We've just had a couple nights where you've woken up in the middle of the night...and those times have been just to eat quick, and then go back to bed. You are such an awesome little sleeper!

You started daycare...
The beginning of November marked Mom's return to work, and your start of daycare. You go to Magna's house Mondays-Thursdays, and then are with Grandma and Grandpa on Fridays. You've been doing really well! I (Mom) have had a hard time letting go of being in charge all the time, but you seem to be doing really great with Magna. Daddy brings you there every morning but Thursdays (I take you those days because I work late), and picks you up each day. You get to have some good daddy-daughter time until I get home at 5:30. We've started a notebook with Magna that goes back and forth each day. We love reading Magna's notes about how you are doing. Typically you eat three times at daycare (5 oz. each time). You're napping pretty well for her, and starting to nap for longer stretches, and then be awake for longer stretches. Magna does tummy time with you - although reports you don't like it much! We find the same, but we're working on it. I'm still getting used to not getting to spend all my days with you, but it's getting a little easier. We soak up our time with you during the weekends!! We are super excited to watch all that you learn, and how much you grow in Magna's care.

You took part in our new hobby...
During your 2nd month, Daddy and I got into a new hobby... geocaching! It's a fun, worldwide scavenger hunt that you do by using a GPS. Your Great-Uncle Jeff got us into it. It took a while for us to get the hang of it, but once we did we were hooked! We have loved taking you with us! You ride along in your stroller or in your Baby Bjorn. You love being outside, and we do too! We've really loved how it has helped get us outside, active, and having fun as a family of three! Unfortunately, with daylight savings time, and colder weather, we have had to take a break for the most part. Come Spring we will definitely be back out again. You even have a nice new stroller that we'll be able to break in. We look forward to the day when you're a little older and can help find the caches. We think you'll really get into it! Until then, you seem to really like coming along for the ride with Mom and Dad. :-)

You celebrated your first holiday...Halloween!
We had a great Halloween with you! Grammy and Grampy found an adorable little "Sweet Pea" costume for you - how fitting! We had Faith Group on the 30th, and all the kids dressed up! Then, on Halloween we gathered with our Amma friends to have a little party as well. There's not much cuter than a cute baby in costume! You looked adorable. You were pretty much sleeping by the time trick or treaters came around. It won't be long before you're out there too! We are so looking forward to the rest of the holidays with you this year...Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming soon!!

You've grown and changed a lot too...
We can't believe how much you've changed. You are so alert, strong, and interactive. People oftentimes think you are older than you are. I think it's because you love to sit up, you are strong, and you are so attentive.

We haven't had you weighed or measured since your 2 month appointment. I'm guessing you are 14 pounds or so...and definitely a lot longer! Clothes fit one day, and then are too small the next!

There are very few 0-3 month clothes you are wearing. There are a good handful of 3 month clothes you wear, but also some 3-6 month, and even some 6 month clothes! You are teetering on the edge of size 1 and size 2 diapers. It won't be long I'm sure until you are firmly in size 2.

You have found your hands, and love to have them in your mouth. You have also started to drool A LOT, which makes for wet hands, clothes, face, Mommy and Daddy's shoulders, etc. :-) You smile a ton, coo, and have started to make a funny squawk sound too. Daddy teases that you are calling the storks back. You love to move and shimmy, and "smile with your whole body" as Grandma says. You have become quite the content girl...mostly just crying for a reason, and then settling back down.

What a wonderful month we've had!! We love you so much, Sweet Pea!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Back to Work...

I always knew the time would come eventually, but it came so much quicker than I thought it would! Those 12 weeks just flew, and before I knew it, it was time to go back to work.

Originally, I had been planning to go back on Monday, November 7th. However, those plans needed to be adjusted because our daycare lady was on vacation. I'm really glad this happened, because it helped Jeromy and I reassess our plans, and make them better.

The new plan consisted of me working Thursday afternoon and Friday morning of the week prior. My parents were super helpful in offering to take care of Linnea both days (thanks, Mom and Dad!). Those days were pretty easy. I was happy to know that Linnea was spending her time with family, and the time at work really flew by. Both days were filled with going through e-mails, catching up on changes at work (of which there were many!), and catching up a bit with co-workers. Before I knew it, it was time to leave, and then before I knew it the weekend was here. I don't know that I've ever enjoyed leaving the office or a weekend more. I savored every bit of time with my family, and focused less on the stress of trying to "get everything done." I hope this trend continues. I'm a person so driven by the "to dos" in life, that relaxing from that a bit would be a nice change of pace!

On Monday the 7th I was home with Linnea. She had an awful day! She was fussy, tired, and hungry all day...growth spurt, perhaps? I had to work hard to convince myself that she wasn't aware that I was going back to work, and that she wasn't mad at me for abandoning her.

On Tuesday I headed back to work full-time, and Linnea started daycare. Thankfully, Jeromy is in charge of dropping off and picking up, so he was the one to leave her (I think that would have been really hard for me). Again, work was okay. I stayed busy with catching up, and getting used to being back on the phones. I was thinking about Linnea all day...wondering how she was doing at daycare, wondering if she was having a good day, if she was eating and napping okay, etc. 5:00 rolled around and I headed out, eager to get home to my sweet girl.

I came home to a fussy little one...dinner time for her. I fed her, savoring each moment with her in my arms. By the time she was done eating, I got about 15 minutes of happy Linnea, until she got fussy for bed. By 7:00 she was fast asleep, and I was bawling. I couldn't believe how fast the time went with her. I get home at 5:30, so I only got an hour and a half with her. Jeromy helped by reminding me that we get weekends...holidays...vacations...and really the rest of our lives to spend with Linnea. We need to work to be able to have a family, so that's what we need to do.

Each day got a little bit easier. We fell into more of a routine. The regular night goes something like this: I get home at 5:30. Within about 15 minutes of coming home, Linnea is hungry. I nurse her, and chat with Jeromy about our days, how she did at daycare, etc. When I'm done, we play with Linnea. She gets time on her play mat, has some story time, or just some snuggle and song time. If she needs a bath, we squeeze that in as well. We watch her carefully during this time to see her sleepy signs. She has become a big time eye and face rubber, so she makes it pretty obvious when she's sleepy. Usually about 6:30, she's ready to start the bed time routine. We change her diaper, get her into her pajamas, give her her vitamins, swaddle her, and bless her together. By 6:45 or so, she's set for bed. I usually rock her for 5 minutes, and then set her down. We are so lucky that she's gotten really good at self soothing. More often than not I put her into bed when she's still awake. Within 5 minutes she's asleep, and a lot of times it's without crying!

Work continues to go okay. Pumping during the day is one of the bigger challenges. I can't believe how much time it takes! Unfortunately, I sit in a cubicle, so pumping quick at my desk is not an option. Luckily, there are "wellness rooms" on every floor. I reserve the room through Outlook, so I have a place to pump every day at the same times. My boss has been great in allowing me to do what I need to do. It's hard not to feel a little guilty taking time away like that, but I remind myself that it's for such important work! I've been pumping three times per day: 9:00, 12:30 (during my lunch break), and 3:00. Thankfully, I have not seen any decline in my milk production. I consistently pump around 18 oz. per day during work, which is 3 oz. more than Linnea usually takes at daycare. I also pump before I go to bed, which means I usually get about 2 bottles worth of milk each day, in addition to what Linnea would need for a day at daycare. I hope this continues!

A big help has been learning what to do the night before. I find that the more I can get ready at night, the easier things go in the morning. This includes packing my lunch, packing the diaper bag for daycare, getting my pump stuff ready, and thinking about clothes for both me and Linnea. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it's surprising how it eat away the night!

Anyways...I'm getting a little rambly. All is well. The transition has been...well...a transition. I have good days and bad days, and it's still a work in progress. It DEFINITELY has helped me savor my time with Linnea and Jeromy, and helped keep my priorities straight, and work-life balance in check. It's not an ideal situation (having to be away from Linnea so much), but it's what we have to do now in order to have her. And for her, anything is worth it.