13 weeks / 3months

Dear Sophia,

Today you are 13 weeks old, tomorrow you will be 3 months old. I never wrote you a 2 month post, despite Auntie Bekki's constant reminders. I think I had writers block and life got really busy leading up to Christmas.

Right now you're propped up on cushions and I'm leaning over at a slightly funny angle cos you're feeding and I don't want to disturb you, but I do want to type this post while I have the chance. We're still doing combination feeding, and it's working pretty well. I took you to be weighed on Monday and you're continuing to put on weight at a good rate and doing really well healthwise.

Before Christmas Mummy took you for your first set of immunisations. I think it was harder on me than it was on you. I had to hold you down so that when the nurse put the needle in your thigh you couldn't move. You didn't like it the first time, and when I held the second leg you really didn't like it as you could tell something bad was coming. You got over it pretty quickly though, so I think we'll be ok when we take you for your next lot in a week and a half.

Just before Christmas you 'got interesting' as Auntie Danielle would say. All of a sudden you were taking more interest in your hands. You would look at something, like a toy hanging over the moses basket, you would reach out for it and actually make contact. You like holding on to the rings on the bottom of your mobile and then hold on tight for as long as you can. You also like to hold on to the string that's the tie for the moses basket cover. You got several toys and mobiles for Christmas, and your favourite is probably the cow. It somehow has lots of easy ways to hold on to it, and it's really soft.

Your eyes really are brown now. I wrote at five weeks that they were brown, but in some lights I realised they still looked blue. Now they're brown for sure. Big brown eyes that look like they belong to some Disney character. Betty Boo has been suggested on occasion, although you'll probably have to google her name to discover who she is! I love how alert you are, from an early age you've loved looking around checking out the world. You're very placid, and as a general rule you're happy to just hang out and keep an eye on the world. (An exception to this is halfway through a bottle feed when we try to burp you and you SCREAM the place down).

Your smile just gets better and better. It's now a smile that you give in response to something or someone, not just at random. I love to watch your Daddy playing with you 'coming to get you' and tickling you on the tummy. He makes you laugh, and wave your arms and legs around, asking for more. You smile when you hear my voice, or hear my laugh, and you definitely recognise mine and daddy's faces and voices.

We celebrated your first Christmas, both with your Nan and Grandad (Daddy's mum) on Christmas day (Friday), and with my parents (Nana and Grandad) on the Monday. You celebrated so hard on Christmas day that you ended up needing a bath in a washing up bowl. We've taken photos which won't be appearing here, but I'm sure will come in use to embarrass you later in life.

Other changes include moving from size one to size two nappies, and from 0-3month babygros into 3-6month ones. You're so long, and continue to grow - when we change you on the big changing unit you pretty much always kick the wipes off onto the floor. I think we'll have to start putting the changing mat on the floor or bed soon because you're so long.

You're fantastic at holding up your head to look around. You love baths, although I think you may be getting too big for the baby bath soon, so we'll have to think about putting you in the big bath. We also have a lot of rubber ducks which I'm sure you'll enjoy playing with soon enough.
I love looking at you, and snuggling up with you when I'm feeding you. You're so warm, and it's lovely to be able to share those moments with you, looking down at your big wide eyes. (Although you're also very good at falling asleep on me mid-feed!).

We don't really have a fixed routine, more of a rough schedule that is pretty flexible. We try to get you settled in bed by nine, although it doesn't always work. Some nights you'll sleep through until 7am, but other nights you wake up at half 5. It's still a pretty long time, and since I try to get to bed soon after you it means I get a good long sleep as well.

We love having you in our lives, and are enjoying watching you grow and develop.
love Mummy.