Dear Emmylou/Lulu/Emmy,

You are three months old today! I can't believe how fast the time has flown, and now we are counting your age by months rather than weeks, which is exciting but a little bittersweet. You have changed a lot this past month! You can now hold your head up really well so yesterday you and I took a walk down to the grocery store and coffee shop with you facing out in your Baby Bjorn for the first time. You had so much fun looking at everything around you-- I love watching your little eyes widen while you raise your eyebrows and take in each new color and shape. I wonder what your little brain must be thinking. A cloud! A leaf! A decaf soy latte!

You have gotten so much stronger and you're a little feisty these days but without being too cranky-- the perfect combination. I think you are already a headstrong but sweet little girl. You love to talk and smile with your daddy and me; those are definitely our favorite moments of the day. You also get so happy when I sing to you, strangely enough, and your favorites are "The Wheels on the Bus" (yes, with the hand motions) and "You Are My Sunshine."

This month you've also been obsessed with trying to suck your thumb. I keep rooting for you and while you've gotten it a couple of times, you usually end up with 10 knuckles in your mouth at once. This doesn't always bother you. You are starting to reach for toys and you love your light-up play gym-- it brings you pure joy and happiness and that makes me so happy. A few other things you can't live without right now include your Baby Mozart DVD, your Whoozit toy and your little ducky rattle-bracelet.

For the last few weeks you have been sleeping about 8 or 9 hours a night, so thank you, thank you! With all of that rest, you and I should have plenty of energy to keep exploring this new world of yours. I couldn't imagine a better task and I couldn't love you more.

Love,
Mama