As we approach 3 months things are getting easier and easier. Probably the best advice there is for new parents is the phrase "it only gets easier", which as it turns out, is true. Collin has nearly outgrown his fussiness, except for some small bouts at the witching hour (aka 7 O'clock pm). He hands out smiles now with the fervor of a door-to-door solicitor. All the time we see that cute little face just light up, and honestly, we can't get enough. Smiles really do make a world of difference when parenting. It gives you the sense that you are doing things right, and when you are a new parent the power of positive reinforcement should not be underestimated.
In the world of milestones and development, Collin has also almost figured out neck control. He picks his head up frequently and only once in awhile bobbles so much that he gets 'stuck' with his head tilted back or forward. We've been trying out the Bumbo (with some trepidation), but he seems to really like sitting up and can nearly sit in it himself, with only occasional help from Drew or I.
As he's hitting all these milestone he sure has been voicing his opinion about things too. He's definitely found his voice and loves to coo and goo, sometimes giggle and narrate his interactions. We love hearing the different sounds he makes and try to gather what his voice will sound like when he starts actually talking.
And, while this isn't exactly a milestone, Collin is aging in the 'receding hairline' sense- he's loosing his hair and every day looking more and more like a tiny little old man who's hair is inching further and further back on his scalp. Its cute and ridiculous all at the same time.
As for the summer, we've been making the most of the little bits of it that we have left, and Collin is enjoying exploring his surroundings as we take him to different places. Even at home he is much more interested in looking in mirrors and facing outward when someone is holding him. He even moved up in the world of Baby Bjorn and can now face outward to see what is going on.
This past week Aunt Susie came to stay with us so she can complete the radiology (sp?) portion of her residency here at the U. While she's here to look at x-rays and MRIs, Collin thinks she's here to be one more person in his entertainment entourage. Aunt Susie was able to entertain him enough to have some holding sessions that were cry-free. Yippee! (likely, attributed to Collin's lack of fussiness as he grows!)
Collin also attended his first baseball game, a Saint Paul Saints game to help my friend Kim's favorite charity,(Friends of the Orphans)Neustros Pequenos. When she lived in Mexico she worked for an orphanage that helps hundreds of children and still remains committed to raising money for their cause. Some of the profits from the game went to the Orphanage, so we were happy to attend and help. However, it was a sweltering day and the sun was raging down on us in the bright aluminum (read hot cookie-sheet fashion) bleachers, so we only stayed for an hour or so, for fear of cooking Collin. He's too small for sunblock still so we had to keep him all covered up. For some of the game he slept, but for the other portion he was so slippery with sweat that he was hard to hold on to. Like a little slippery piglet, which was fitting, since the Saints seem to have a soft spot for swine, as we saw one running around the baseball field. Also, there mascot, Mud-donna, is some sort of pig mutant...we're not really sure whats going on with it, but you can see it in one of the photos from the game. Nevertheless, we had a good time and look forward to more baseball games in the future.
Sadly, my time at home alone with Collin is also coming to a close, just as I was getting the hang of it :) I go back to work part time beginning in September, which will be a hard transition for me, but we are happy to welcome Amanda, our new nanny into our home to help with Collin. Collin will be well cared for and hopefully things will become more routine. One thing we are still struggling with is napping in the crib. We're hoping the interaction with Amanda will help solidify sleeping in his crib. Maybe its wishful thinking, but we're running with it until he proves us otherwise.
Parenting, overall, has been such a blessing for us. As Collin gets happier and happier the more he wants to cuddle and explore the world from the crook of my arm, which I absolutely love. I realize before I know it he'll be wanting to do things all himself, so I am enjoying every minute of the sweet cuddle time I get with him.
As we look back at the past three months its amazing to see how far we've come. I can't imagine our lives without Collin and it seems impossible to think that merely three months ago he hadn't even arrived yet. We often try to capture each piece of his happiness with a photo or memory as he grows, for fear of missing some little critical piece that will make the difference when he is older, but the truth of the matter is no matter how hard we try to capture our love for him we'll never be able to keep up, its simply overwhelming, and that, among all of the blessings he brings may be the one we are most thankful for. When the blessing of a baby allows you to open your heart so much that you can't even imagine loving him more, it has to be as close as you can get to a piece of heaven.
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