Nico: 3 months

 You happy little boy, you make every day a joy.  This first picture is so like you - relaxed, happy and enjoying life.  This has been a full and fun month with you.

Some growing milestones:

Every minute you are awake, it is like we have taken you to an amusement park for you first time.  Everything makes you smile: when we stick our tongues out, when we make noises, people walking by...I hope life continues to be so amazing and wonderful for you.

Like the loving boy you are, at 12 weeks you waited until I, Daddy and Kai were all watching to roll over from your tummy to your back for your first time (and ironically, last time for much longer).

Experimenting - the world and everything in it is a toy.  You stick your tongue out and twist it like no one has ever done it before. Being able to lift your legs up now, you train like you are heading to the Olympics.  People, television in the background, moving objects...like the are the best thing you have ever seen, each one.

You are beginning to have some hand control, which is perfect timing to help yourself learn how to put yourself back to sleep, but you are sucking on your fist and thumb now for soothing too.  The other side of hand control is grabbing - you find my hair fascinating and Oma bought you a rattle that you shake and chew on all the time.

Sleep training:  You love to sleep...on me mostly, as it happens.  Since the beginning, you have taken to cuddling up on me in the carrier or on the couch and when I am with you, it is the only place you will sleep.  When Daddy took the 'night shift' so I could sleep, for some reason you would sleep in the bassinette for a few hours at a time, but as soon as I entered the feeding/sleeping cycle, day or night, it was on me you preferred.  As much as I loved the sweet smell, warmth and feel of you curled again me and totally surrendered, my back was less enthusiastic.  So we decided it was time for some sleep training.  As with everything, you took to it like a dream.  Yes, we had a few days of you being confused and upset on and off, but the routine suited you and you began to sleep in your crib, getting up less and less during the night.  After a few weeks, you were routinely sleeping through the night to everyone's surprise and excitement.

FAMILY

You are blessed, our wee one, to be surrounded by family so often, but December is an especially busy, exciting time of traditions and visits with both sides of the family.  Before the actual day of Christmas (as we will include that in your 4 month post), we had a tree decorating party and family photos at Uncle Jason, Auntie Lisa and Lizzie's new house in Langley; we went to the Christmas train; we had a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's and watched your brother toboggan one evening with his good friend Ben and his family.  This is one of my favourite times of year, and I am so glad this is the beginning of sharing it with you.  You are so loved, Nico, and share your love openly in return.  We too are blessed.

A Quiet Moment

Snow falling

good book in hand

baby sleeping

hot mug of chai

exhale...

Winter Joy Calendar

Yes, I know.  It is just like me to try to schedule in joy.  However, I love this season so much that there are things I want to make sure to do and to experience.  In fact, maybe I will try to do this kind of list for every season.  Will we get to them all?  Probably not.  I do value calm and downtime as much as (or maybe often more than) the next person, but I like to have options.  So here are some activities I will put on my list in no particular order.

Giving

1. Donate pyjamas to Dr. Janelle's yearly Pyjama Drive in coordination with the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.  To read more about it, go to http://www.mainstchiropractic.ca/pyjama-drive


2. Put together a Christmas gift basket to a family in need through Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House.

3.  Make cookies/treats to take to the people who work Christmas Eve to help people in need.  For example, the hospital emergency room, the fire hall, the ambulance hall or the police station.

Making

1.  Make baking in a jar gifts.  For example, this year we are making Cowboy Cookies in a Jar.  You can find some great ideas here: http://theartofsimple.net/17-last-minute-gift-ideas-from-your-pantry/

2.  Participate in our yearly cookie exchange the first weekend in December.


3.  Create our yearly Christmas tree ornament.  I hope to begin a new tradition this year with the kids making an ornament every year that will then go in a box for them to take when they move away from home.

Having Fun

1.  Toboganning at Cypress Mountain with friends and family.

2. Weekly Friday night movie nights.  We will start tomorrow night with the Polar Express.  In the future I hope to watch this the Friday before we...

3.  Go on the Polar Express in Squamish.  I didn't hear about this until too late this year, so will try to book earlier next year.

4.  Continue our yearly family tradition of Bright Nights in Stanley Park.

5.  Snowshoeing.

Learning

1.  Even though I am not religious, I would like Santa Claus to have a little more meaning that someone who brings presents.  So I think I will incorporate St. Nicholas on December 6th next year.  See this blog for more information: http://theartofsimple.net/st-nicholas-the-real-santa-claus/

Any winter fun you have that we may love too?

To My Sweet Boy in Times of Trouble

My sweet boy,

Underneath that crazy, fun-loving exterior, you have a kind and sensitive heart.  I love that you embrace both sides of yourself and are not afraid to share either.  These past three months for you have been a struggle.  So much change in a short time for such a young guy that I know it must be overwhelming and confusing at times.  Until recently you were our only little boy and you have been showered with love in so many ways and from so many people that it must be hard to have to share us with your little brother.  We understand, little one, that it must seem as if you have to be a big boy all of a sudden.  You have to help out more, become more independent, learn all about school and make new friends all while trying to figure out your place in the world.  We know.  We are doing everything we can to make it easier for you.  It takes some adjustments on all our parts.  Know that we love you with all our hearts and always will.

This year you have also been trying to understand what dying means.  It started in March when we visited your Great-Papa's grave.  You were so sad and could not understand why someone we love was under the ground.  You were concerned that he did not want to be there.  I did my best to explain it to you, but some days I do not even know what I believe to be true.  A few weeks ago, my Nanny's partner Harry died and she came to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for the week.  We went and visited her and when your teacher asked, you told her, "Nanny is sad because Harry died."  Simple, but not. 

You have been having trouble with so many things lately that I am sure you are just figuring out how to process everything.  You cling to me when I leave you at kindergarten.  You take many self-chosen breaks in the coat room at school.  You have started using so many more comfort items again, including stuffies and your old blankie.  In the day, you are so emotional and at night you need me to lay with you as you fall asleep.  You are scared of everything these days as well.  Perhaps it is your imagination growing or maybe it is an excuse to take me with you wherever go you.  Whatever it is, know I am here to walk through it with you.

As we are sure you are aware, your Opa is very sick and will not be with us much longer.  I do not yet know what to tell you.  You understand dying means that we will not see Opa anymore and we can explain the scientific reasons why people die, but I do not know how to explain how to heal your heart or feel better.  It is sad to have to lose a loved one so young.  What I do know is that when you are surrounded by people who love you so much, as you are, we will do everything we can to bring you peace.

My sweet boy, you are going through a lot right now, but know that whenever you go through times of trouble, we are here for you.  We are here to listen, and to hold you, and to love you with all our hearts. 

A Moment in Time

The fog hangs over the quiet street

As we remain in our pyjamas

and play with a stuffie family

using hushed voices

while baby lay sleeping

Our Nico at Three Months: Smiling and Learning

To our happy boy,

This has been a big month for you.  You are really continuing to develop your own personality and you are so amazing.  If I could describe you in one word it would be smiling.  You are in love with the world and we are all in love with you.  What makes you smile?  Pretty much everything.  You love to observe the world around you and especially the people.  You are definitely a people person...so easygoing and adaptable, there are very few things that make you unhappy.  You love it when people play with you and make faces at you, which is what your big brother is best at, so you can't get enough of him.  You like to play with your tongue often, curling it up, and Kai gets a big kick out of it when you copy him by sticking it out.

You also have found the pleasure of making noise.  You have begun to 'chat' with us and we have spent a lot of time with you resting back on my knees and getting to know one another.  It is one of my favourite things to do with you.  That said, you have started using your voice to share your dislikes as well, such as when I leave you in your chair to go grab something from the kitchen and you lose sight of me.

This month you have been on a learning journey as well.  You have learned to suck on your fists to soothe yourself, to hold a rattle (although you aren't sure what to do with it yet), to lift your legs up high when on your back and your head up high when on your tummy and you even rolled over onto your back once on your 12 week birthday.  Thank you for waiting until Daddy, Kai and I were all close by and could cheer you on!  The hardest learning for all of us was when we did sleep training, and even there you took it easy on us.  The first two days and nights were a bit rough, but you didn't want us in the room with you (in fact, that made you more frustrated) and only a few days into practicing putting yourself to sleep you slept 6, 8, 9 and even 12 hours straight once in the night!  And no matter how long you had been crying, you always went straight back to smiling once you were up.  In fact, that was probably the trickiest part to learning about your sleep needs - you seem to be happy all the time so it was hard to tell when was the right time to go down for a nap!

So now you sleep amazingly, peacefully drifting off with rarely a sound more times than not, and continue to be a happy guy both awake and asleep.  Like your Mommy, you seem to thrive with some routine and predictability, but you are still easygoing when I have to wake you up early or putting you down late as we work with Kai's school schedule as well.  Thank you for being so easy, love.

This month we also went to visit your Great Nanny at Gramma and Grampa's house for a few nights and you were a dream.  You charmed your way into Nanny's heart and were an amazing little traveler.  You have and will continue to spend a lot of time with our big family, so it is wonderful to know that you will be happy no matter where you are or who is holding you.

It has been a big month for you, sweet Nico, and we are so proud of you and in love with you.

Love always,
your Mama

Bless his heart...

Peace is kisses.  Melt his Mama's heart. 

Among so many other things, Kai has a sweetness and innocence I hope he keeps forever.

After seeing this art outside his classroom door, I got a note from his teacher that said:

"Aside from the enrichment Kai gets from home, I really think he is just a super motivated learner!  He is full of joy when he reads!"

That's our boy...so full of joy.  We love you, buddy.