15 Weeks!

I cannot even begin to explain how different Aryn has become the last week or so. It's like she's a totally different child. She has gone from a whiny, hard-to-please-mama's-girl to a smiley, cooing, giggling, gurgling, easy-to-please-mama's-girl. This kid gives out smiles like they're free balloons. She will smile at anyone, anytime. She kicks, punches, and today - I SWEAR - I even got an actual GIGGLE.

Can I tell you how much I LOVED hearing that giggle?????

It was by far the cutest sound I've ever heard!!!!!!

Aryn didn't gain any weight for about 3 weeks in December and both nurse and doctor told me they were a "little concerned." Upon measuring her, we discovered that the reason for the lack of weight gain is due to the fact that she grew a little over 2 inches. In 3 weeks.

*Insert jaw-dropping-shocked smiley here*

So now Aryn is a little over 25 pounds, she's 13 pounds, 15.75 ounces, and she is a rolling freak! Example: the other day I put her on the floor in our bedroom so I could go have a quick shower. I come out - no Aryn. I run down the 3 small stairs in our bedroom to discover her near the door. How did she get there? Did she crawl? Did she hitch a ride on Bauer?

She rolled.

She has mastered rolling from her back to her stomach (you can't keep the kid on her back anymore!) and is still figuring out the back-to-stomach roll but she has done it a few times and I'm certain by the end of her 3rd month she'll have it figured out.

And when Red Thunder is on the move... WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!

What else has happened...

New Years was pretty uneventful. We spent New Year's at the farm, so that consisted of us driving back to the farm. Aryn is a pro traveler and I'm proud of her for that! On New Year's Eve we went to Lethbridge for the day, went bowling, then to the mall, then to the Keg for supper. Aryn was passed around to everyone at bowling, kicked and laughed when we got back to Auntie Karrie's after the mall, played on the floor at the Keg and then proceeded to have a bit of a meltdown in the bathroom at the Keg. I mean, an actual temper-tantrum meltdown. From a 3-month old. It was funny. 2 strangers in the bathroom tried to help me calm her down, to no avail. I think we just pissed her off even more. Finally, Ryan and I left the restaurant, put her in the vehicle, and after about 30 seconds of driving - OUT like a light.

Speaking of sleep, this has become quite an issue for us the past few weeks. Now, I worry that sometimes it sounds like I'm complaining that she doesn't sleep. And when we were trying to conceive I HATED it when people with kids complained because, really, all I wanted was for a baby - sleep deprivation or not. So please, understand that I am NOT complaining.

Aryn... when you read this in a few years, I hope you don't feel bad, but... you are an awful sleeper. During the day, you nap (lately, instead of napping for 45 minutes after every 1 hour of being awake, you've been going down at about 2 hours, and napping for about 30-45 minutes - NOT swaddled!). But at night... you fall asleep at about 8pm or so, then wake up at 1:30am or so, for no particular reason, I either feed you or just give you back your soother. Then you're up at 2:30, then at 4:30, then maybe at 5:30, which is when I feed you again assuming you're hungry, then you wake up again at 8:30am. Last night you woke up every.forty.five.minutes.

I've tried the Woombie. I've tried the tight swaddle. I've tried swaddling you with TWO blankets. I've tried the kiddopotamus wraps. I've tried NOT swaddling. I've tried swaddling just your feet. I've tried just swaddling your arms. I've tried tying your hands together. I've tried putting you on your tummy. Your back. EVERYTHING.

You + me + sleep = a very tired, and sometimes very grumpy mommy.

But even at my most frustrated time, I go into your room after you've woken up and there you are, with the BIGGEST, most beautiful smile I've ever seen. And honey..... you are going to get away with sooooo much with that beautiful, beautiful smile.

See her sucking on those fingers?? That's her new thing. Super cute, but super frustrating haha

I want time to stand still. Sleep deprivation or not, I don't care. You are changing too fast. The first 3 months, I was actually excited for things to change - for you to smile more, to be more happy, to go to other people. Now that it's here... I want to stop time. I want to soak it all in, cherish it, and not let a single second escape me.

But I know I can't do that. But ohhh baby I want to!!!