Month 1

Dear Reese,

Our whole lives have changed. Nothing can ever prepare you for parenthood. We have mastered the art of diaper changing and swaddling. We are also learning what each of your cries mean. Your days consist of diaper changes, eating, sleeping, repeat. You sure can eat! As soon as you wake up, you are ready for another meal. You are growing like crazy already. At your two week doctor's appointment, you had already gained over a pound. You now weigh over 10 pounds! We already had to "retire" some of your newborn clothes. That made your mom and dad sad. It is so bittersweet because we can't wait to watch you grow and experience milestones, but we want you to stay little and remember these moments forever. This month you're starting to focus on our faces and bright objects (like the ceiling fan lights) and you're starting to hold your head up. You also smiled for the first time on the day before you turned one month old. Mommy teared up! Another thing you love to do is giggle in your sleep. We wish we knew what you were dreaming about! One cute thing we love about you is the way you make animal noises. Since the day you were born, you have made several funny bird call noises, along with a cute lamb noise. Sometimes mommy calls you her little lamb. Another thing we love about you is the way you stretch when you are waking up. We call you a turtle because you stretch your neck like a turtle coming out of its shell. Right now one of your favorite activities is taking a bath. You love the warm water on your skin and sometimes you try to fall asleep in the bath. Your mom loves to take baths and especially loved to take baths while she was pregnant with you, so you must have gotten that from her. The only thing you don't like is getting out because you hate being cold and naked! You are starting to sleep better at night, too. You've even slept in your crib a few times. You're definitely a night owl like your mom! When you can't get to sleep, sometimes daddy does silly things to help you. Once he even put you in your car seat, laid in bed, and lifted you up and down to rock you to sleep. Mommy and daddy laughed and laughed about that. Your favorite toy is your swing. Whenever we put you in it, you fall right to sleep. Daddy says we should always have backup batteries for that swing, just in case! By the way, we think you are the most beautiful baby ever.

Love,
Mom

Month 0

Dear Reese,

From the very minute we met you in the wee hours of the morning, on the very first day of 2012, it was love at first sight. As soon as they put you on my chest, you looked up at me with those big, brown eyes and it was like I already knew you. Your dad and I had a lot to learn about being parents, but the one thing we did know was that we loved you instantly and you made our family complete. We had been waiting for you for months and months and it was surreal that you were actually in our arms. We weren't the only ones anticipating your arrival. Your grandparents waited at the hospital all through the night for you to arrive. They just couldn't wait to meet you. After everyone went home to get some sleep and your dad and I were left alone with you, I couldn't sleep. I just sat there staring at you and worrying about you. I quickly realized that from that day forward, for the rest of my life, I will always be thinking about you and worrying about you. That became my job on the day that I became your mom.

Love,

Mom :-)