3 month birthday

The first quarter is over and the grades are in and overall I am very pleased of the little guy's performance. Here are how things shaped up:
1) Sleep at night - A+
This kid reminded me that there is a God and he does love me and he loves for me to rest when at about 7 weeks he started sleeping though the night! William, we will always remember you as the baby that jumped over milestones and surprised us every other day with a new thing!
2) Sleep during the day - A-
This subject is tricky for you. At first you slept so much that you woke up for nothing and now you just like to be awake to watch me in my fury around the house while your brother sleeps. I don't blame you though - you have no "set" day and you pretty much just have to go where we go when we go whether or not you want to sleep.
3) Eating -A
Let's just say 14lbs. Nice work. Keep sucking those calories off your mother. She is grateful.
4) Spitting Up/Burping/Tooting/Blowing up the Diaper - A++
If there is a bodily function, you have mastered it. Way to go, my little noise machine!
5) Social skills - A
I know I am biased but you are about the friendliest baby on the block. Unfortunately, I think this is because you get so little undivided attention at home so even a glance from a stranger warrants a smile in your book. We need to work on the goofy smile followed by the "I have major indigestion" look but other than that - your social skills blow me away! (literally)
6) Sibling relationships - B
This is only a "B" because I know the kid can't be perfect in everything and I don't want to be that mom that thinks he is (though he is) so he could certainly learn how to stand up for himself a little bit when big brother smothers him with a kiss or uses him as a seat to watch tv
7) Hanging out on your belly -C
Yep, just like your eldest bro - you hate anything in the supine position! This just baffles me as I can't even think about sleep unless I am laying on my stomach with my hands under my head and pillow. Why do both of my offspring HATE being on their tummys and then end up worrying me to pieces with their oddly shaped heads? I even offered W some chocolate muffin last night by putting it under his chin while he had his "tummy time" but he wasn't having it! For the love.....please just give me a few minutes a day so I can atleast tell the pediatrician that I attempt to put you on your belly everyday.
8) Rolling over - B
2 weeks ago W had us all on our feet at my mom's house as he made his first rolling attempt. Admittedly, had this been Brooks we may have called the newspaper but poor W rolled from his belly to his back (out of hatred for the former) and I heard a clap from across the room and came running. Well, he made two rolls that night in honor of Uncle Carter's birthday and he hasn't thought about it since.....oh well, I can still say you are advanced on every level, right?
9) Showing us God's love for our family - A+++
You know I had to end with a little sappiness. Every day truly brings a little more clarity for me in this stage of raising young children. I wasn't able to conceive what this might look like....having two boys so close together and yes, the first few months have been the most challenging months of my life but I do get very small glimpses each day of God's story for me as a mom, and for my family. William has truly made me feel like a family. It's funny that I didn't feel this before with Brooks. He was a fun accessory and I loved taking him around town to eat lunch with me and to visit friends. Though my day looked different - it was still "my day" but I had a fun little person to share it with me. Enter William into the picture and now I am in a whole new ball game. There are usually only 17 minutes of quiet during the day and about an hour each night before B and I fall asleep on the couch at 930pm out of exhaustion. Everything is more difficult but also more rewarding! It is a huge feat just to get out the door and once we get somewhere we celebrate! My 17 minutes of quiet during the day are truly cherished and not taken for granted. I use them to refuel for the afternoon before B gets home from work. As challenging as this quarter has been - each day has brought me new perspective on my immediate and distant future. God obviously had it in mind that I would be a mom - and if I didn't believe it with one kid - He gave me another. And while I won't sign up for the Honda minivan just yet.....I am slowly embracing this calling and seeing this opportunity as a just that.....an opportunity to mold two little people and to raise them to be as whole and filled as they can be before they step out into this world that can easily break one down.

I am sooooooooooo glad to be out of the newborn days. I hated to wish them away but they were such a blur anyway...so I am now eager to enjoy these next 3 months of cuddle time with William. I pray right now that I can enjoy these days when they are both so little and not wish for the days when they are more independent. I think I'll go wake William up and just look at him. What a sweet reminder of God's love for me and His plan for my life. Happy 3 month birthday, little guy! This is where it starts getting fun......bring on the fun developments!