Dear Silvia: 3 Months

Dear Silvia,

This post is a little late, but I will not skimp on content...I promise!

Well, this month I started back at work part-time (hence the delayed post!) and it's gone pretty well so far....thanks to both of your Grandmas who have been coming over to watch you on the days I have to work. Next month, I'm back full-time and you'll start at daycare. I'm sure you'll have much fun with your new daycare friends!

We've said it before and we'll say it again...you're a mover and shaker and you like to be where all the action is! You now officially roll from front to back and back to front...though, its not happening consistently. When playing during tummy time, you also move your legs up and down on the ground (like mountain climbers) or stiffen your legs up (like a plank)...I think you're wanting to get your little body moving. I wonder how long before you start crawling...yikes!

You coo and "talk" so much! You're constantly blowing bubbles and you now also give us deep, belly laughs. It's so cute! You've also started to grasp toys and move them around, knowing that they'll make a noise when you do so. When laying down, you've started to tuck your chin to your chest and attempt to sit yourself up. When we go in to give you a smooch, you open your mouth...nothing like a big, wet open-mouth kiss!

You're liking bath time more and more and you now splash around while in your little tub. We moved  you to your crib and you're doing great in there....though, you still like to get up and party 1-3 times a night. You squawk in your crib until someone comes to get you and when they do you immediately stop what you're doing and give a HUGE smile. It's hard to be grouchy (even at 1, 2, 3am) when you're greeted by such a nice, gummy smile!

We've moved you entirely into your 3 month clothing, but you're on the verge of being too long for some of your sleepers. I guess its time to starting pulling out some of your 6 months clothes too....already?!?!  Your little cheeks are filling out nicely and you also have started to have little chubber rolls on your inner thighs.

You love being read to and will sit so nicely the whole time. The hair you had lost is now coming back slowly, but you still have your cute little mullet (so stylish!). Your eyes are still blue...though I still think that will eventually change.

Overall, you are a pretty happy little girl. You smile all the time, even at strangers or when you're mad.

You were last weighed a couple weeks ago (at almost 12 weeks) and you were 12lbs. 10oz. I'm guessing you're around 13lbs. now as your size 1 diapers are getting pretty snug. Your next dr. appt. will be at 4 months, so I'll have more accurate height/weight info in next month's post.

You've had a lot of other firsts this past month, too:
- You've now been to a movie at the theater twice! You slept/ate throughout the first movie "What to expect when you're expecting" and were wide awake during "Spiderman"....both times you were a good little girl and kept quiet.
- You went to the MN Science Museum. Truth be told, it was a dud of an exhibit...but you, your Dad and I still managed to have a good time.
- You went to your first Church Festival at St. Patrick's. It was hot and you were pooped by the end. In fact, you napped on a picnic table at one point in the day!
- You went to your first bridal shower, baby shower (for you!) and birthday party...so much fun!
- You and I went to Mom and Baby yoga a few times. It was so much fun...you loved seeing all the other babies and being moved up, down and all around.
- You went to your first Twins game...sadly, they lost.
- You've now met ALL three of your Great Grandmas. We recently took a trip to Altoona, WI so you could meet your Great Grandma McNamara. She loved holding you and talking to you and you smiled the whole time.
- Now, that I think about it....that was your first out-of-state trip too! Woohoo Wisconsin!
- You were baptized! Father George, the priest who married your Dad & I, baptized you at St. Anne's Catholic Church in LeSueur, MN. It was such a beautiful day with (almost) all of our family.

How was that for an eventful month?!?! We had so much fun and are looking forward to the next!

We love you so much,
Mama and Dad

Dear Silvia: 2 Months

Dear Silvia,

This past month has flown by! I started clearing out your newborn clothes and washing/putting away your new 3 month outfits...so bittersweet. You're growing SO fast!

You've learned lots of new "tricks" this month. You babble and coo and "talk" away, especially when you're on the dresser getting your diaper changed. You tell stories to your Dad and I as we lean over and get right in your face. You also like talking to your "little friend" in the mirror! She's such a nice little girl, isn't she? ;)

You now take baths in your baby bathtub (rather than the smaller washtub we used to use). You enjoy it much more and smile away!

As mentioned above, you're a smiling machine...especially when you first wake up. Those fresh morning smiles are the best. Your Dad and I fight over them!

You've been able to meet many of your new cousins and even a couple of your Great Grandmas this month. We still need to get out to Wisconsin to see Great Grandma McNamara...hopefully sometime this next month.

You absolutely love being around other kids. You'll lay contently on a blanket on the floor and stare as they play around you. This makes me feel better when I think about sending you off to daycare.

I had begun to brag about how well you were sleeping when WHAM!...you decided to change that up. For a week or so, you were up many times each night. You and I spent a lot of time "visiting" in the wee hours of the morning that week. It was...fun! :)  Just lately you've again started to sleep better. Last night you slept 6 hours in a row. I felt like a whole new woman when you woke me up for your 3am feeding. Thanks for that.

You went on quite a growing streak recently, gaining almost a pound last week...YIKES! I think that explains all the late night/early morning feedings you were needing. This is also why we washed up all your 3 month clothes. Girl, you're almost 11lbs. now...goodbye newborn outfits!

Your pretty red hair is starting to rub off and now you just have a nice, long tuft in the back. It's very stylish! :)

Last week you discovered your thumb. We heard you sucking away through the baby monitor and when we went into your room, you had that thumb in your mouth and were as happy as a clam! You had been searching your fist for weeks to find that thumb, though we haven't seen you with it in your mouth since. So, I guess you still aren't "officially" a thumbsucker but man, you're working hard to get there by sucking on your fists whenever you can. Both your Dad and I were thumbsuckers, too, so we "get" it.

We took you in for your 2 month appointment last week, which included shots. Your Dad was able to take the day off to join us. What can I say? It wasn't that enjoyable for any of us...all three of us cried. You were a trouper, sporting your Tweety Bird bandaids, and bounced back to your smiley self later that day and even took a 3 hour nap afterward! At your appointment, you weighed in at 10lbs. 4oz. (40%), measured 23" long (80%) and your head was 15" around (40%).

You and I started taking a New Mama class with a bunch of other first-time moms. It's been so much fun! You're a model student, staring and talking to our instructor the whole time. She often stops class and says, "Well, hello Silvia. I see you have something to say too." It's adorable. There are twin baby girls in our class who were born at the same hospital as you, on the same day just hours after you were born!

The three of us have been trying out new things this past month to keep the summer lively. One day we visited your Dad's work and then afterward went downtown to have lunch outside from the food trucks. You and I (partially) walked around Lake Calhoun. It started to look overcast-y, so I turned the stroller around and ran back to the car...and then it never ended up raining. :( We also went and visited my work and have met up with many friends for lunch, coffee, dinner, etc. Basically, we try to get out and about each day for some fun. This summer has been very different from any other but so much fun!

We celebrated the 4th of July with some friends and although you didn't get to go swimming, you did try out your new swimsuits! It's been a hot summer. If you were a bit older, we'd be spending most days at the Splash Pad.

This month went far too fast and I'm sure that trend will continue. I'm sad to say that you and I only have 1 more month together before I have to start transitioning back to work. I'm confident you'll do great at daycare..but know I'll miss these days together so much when I go back to work. Ok, enough of that...here's to another fun month!

We love you little girl,

Mama & Dad

Dear Silvia: 1 Month

A high school friend (and fellow blogger) has made a tradition of writing monthly blog "letters" to her 2 boys to help document their many milestones. I love reading these posts and think its such a neat idea, so I'm going to copy her! :)

Dear Silvia,

You've officially been in our lives for over a month! Your Dad and I cannot even imagine or remember what our lives were like without you. 

You are such a good little lady! You started smiling at around 2.5 weeks and I know that people say that it must just be gas, but we strongly disagree! One of the first times you smiled was when your Dad and I sang "Silvie Lou" (to the tune of  "Peggy Sue") to you. You LOVED it and gifted us with many big,  gummy smiles which is why we continue to sing that song around the house all the time!

You are extremely active and alert. Again, all parents say it about their babies but little girl, you are advanced! When you are awake, you are WIDE awake (and have been since we brought you home). You love to be held facing out and will scan the room and follow the action. Your neck is pretty darn strong and you lift your head proudly when doing "tummy time". When held, you "stand up" by pushing off with your skinny little legs. As Nana always tells you, "Go ahead and be a baby, Silvie. You don't have to stand like a big girl just yet." It's true. Although we're so proud of your new tricks, we really don't want you to grow up too fast!

You're a good eater (no surprise) and have been since day one. The first couple weeks you gained weight slowly and it scared your Mama, but since then you've been an overachiever in that department. The last two weeks you've gained 9 ounces and 10 ounces, respectively. At 4.5 weeks, you weighed in at 8 pounds 13 ounces (just under the 50th percentile). Not bad!

You're pretty good to your Mama and Dad when it comes to bed time. Your nights start at odd times, but you give us anywhere from 3-5 hours of sleep at a time (and we thank you for that!). You definitely get all your sleep in stretches, as you're awake for much of the day with only cat naps throughout.

During our days together, we like to go out and about. You're pretty adaptable to new people and settings, but really don't like car rides...which makes it hard to go out and about! We've learned to pack you up while you're napping and "trick" you into sleeping the whole car ride. We're figuring this whole parenthood thing out slowly each day!

Bathtime is hit or miss...sometimes you love soaking in your little "hot tub" and sometimes you act like its the worst thing ever. Regardless, we continue to bathe you ever couple/few days of course!

On Father's Day, you had your first bottle and your Dad was thrilled to be the one to give it to you. You took it like a champ!

You and I definitely have a bond. I never stop kissing you and you love to be in my arms. I can't complain and you're a smart girl (you know who feeds you 99% of the time)! Your Dad sings to you and tells you all kinds of stories and you sit so nicely on his lap to listen when he gets home from work. We send Dad a million texts and picture messages each day to help his work days go faster, so he can rush home to us. He simply adores you and I love watching it. You're pretty lucky to have such a great Dad, Silvie!

Nearly everyone says you look like your Dad and I'm ok with that. I think he's cute...that's why I married him! I absolutely love that you have his reddish hair and long eyelashes. I do hear that you have my eyes, but we'll see what color they end up being before we know for sure. Because you're so long, many people comment on how lean you look, but we can see your cheeks filling out and know that soon enough you'll have a round belly to match!

Ok, I sure rambled on, but a lot of exciting things have happened in the last month. We look forward to seeing what next month holds!

We love you more than we ever knew possible,

Mama & Dad 

Introducing...

Silvia Louise Rasmusson

Our little princess was born Friday, May 18th at 2:48am. She weighed in at 7 pounds 5 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Sorry we're a week late in posting this, but we've been enjoying this time with our little girl way too much and simply forgot!

 Long and lean!

 So tiny!

Pretty girl!

Paul and I couldn't be happier! More updates to come...

P+K+S

2 weeks (or so) to go!

So many of the last posts have included only photos of me and Baby...so I thought I'd post a picture with the man who made it all possible! :)

This picture was taken at our baby shower a couple weeks ago. Thanks to all our friends and family who were able to make it!

I finished my last week of grad school last week (insert sigh of relief) and now all eyes are on the prize (Baby)! We're just 2 weeks from our due date and very much looking forward to meeting our

"Little Ras-cal"!

Stay tuned,

K+P+Baby