TEAM Hardison: 3 Months!

As of yesterday, our precious baby girl is 3 months old! As in a 1/4 of the way to being 1 year old! These last couple weeks have been challenging. With a trip to the ER, Avery being put on a very strong antibiotic, her reflux coming back in full force, and as of Monday me starting back to work, this mommy was feeling the stress. I'm not going to sugar coat it... it has been rough. I knew it would be a big transition, but I definitely didn't think it would be this big of an adjustment. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that it's been better than I thought, or say things like, "I'm sure I will get used to it".   I have a crazy amount of mom guilt for leaving her. I don't know what I would have done without my mom being here this week. There are just some times in your life when you need your mom, and this was definitely one of those times! I know that I am neither the first nor the last mom who goes back to work, but it doesn't make it any less hard!

Anyway, on to happier things!

Avery, here are your stats at 3 months:

Weight: 11 pounds 14 ounces

Length: 24.5 inches

Sleep: Your sleep habits are sporadic at best! For 5 days straight 2 weeks ago, you were sleeping 10 plus hours a night. That of course stopped a few days before mommy was supposed to go back to work.. I knew it would :) 2 nights ago, you only went 4 hours at a time, but last night you went almost 8!   Most nights now, you go anywhere from 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours right after we first put you down. It's not too bad unless the 5 hour nights happen on the nights before mommy goes to work... Tuesday morning, you woke up at 3:40 and Mommy normally gets up at 5 to go to work... so I didn't get to go back to sleep. Neither did Daddy for that matter. Now that we are both working, Daddy now gets the nudge in the middle of the night when Mommy has trouble getting you back to sleep! :)

Likes: You love being talked and sung to, your paci, baby swing, being swaddled, and since we have gotten back from vacation, you LOVE taking naps with Mommy. Mommy doesn't mind it so much either :)

Dislikes: You have a love/hate relationship with bath time. If we put you in and you're remotely fussy, it sends you into a rage! If you are in a good mood when you get in, you actually seem to enjoy it! You also hate being put in your bumbo, and you still despise your tummy time.

Diaper Size: You are still wearing a size 1, but really it's only because we have a whole box of them left! I'm convinced you are really ready for a size 2!

Clothes Size: You have grown out of most of your 0-3 month clothes and are almost exclusively in 3 month clothing, but some of the 3-6 months stuff is too wide for your skinny frame. You are just SO long!

Feeding: You are still only getting breast milk whether it is in a bottle, or I am able to nurse you. Honey said you did great taking your bottles during the day when Mommy was at work. Since Mommy is working 3, 10 hour days, you are still able to nurse more than you are bottle-fed, thankfully.

Hair Color: Some days it still looks a little strawberry blonde, but I'm pretty sure the new hair growing in is either a very light brown or a dark blonde.

Eye Color: Beautiful dark blue!

Nicknames: Nug, Nugget, Love, Lovie, Aves, Aves McGaves, and AG

Milestones: You are talking/cooing up a STORM! You LOVE to hear your little voice. You have the sweetest little laugh I have ever heard. You have also rolled over! You have rolled from your tummy to your back numerous times, despite the fact that you hate your tummy time; it is apparently working! Daddy said the other morning after mommy had gone to work, you looked close to rolling from your back to your stomach. You've also discovered your hands and feet. You love to stick your hands in your mouth.

Avery Grace, you are the biggest blessing. I cannot get over how much I love you. It is so hard to leave you on days that I have to work, because you and I had gotten ourselves into a great little routine. I will always cherish those 3 months that we got to spend together at home.   I would not trade a single sleep-deprived moment. Daddy and I love you so much little Nug. But seriously, if you can make time slow down a bit, we would appreciate it!

My sweet girl.

Mommy and Daddy's friend Katherine Garman, KG, came to visit us, or really you, here in Houston! You were BIG fans of one another. She is already spoiling you rotten :)