12-weeks

Cleo -

Today you are twelve weeks old. You have grown and changed so much in these few weeks. Your smiles are bigger and more frequent and your face is becoming more expressive by the day. You are noticing so much more around you now. You react whenever new people enter a room or you hear new sounds around you.

You are starting to really notice and enjoy your toys. Your current favorite is Giraffe. You like to cuddle and eat Giraffe so he frequently sits in the carseat with you to keep you company on rides.

Your little legs are constantly kicking and your arms are swinging around. You are starting to notice your hands in a meaningful way - reaching for things with intent. The easiest thing for you to get a grip on is usually your burp cloth, so I frequently find you clutching your burp cloth tightly in both hands and shoving it into your mouth. This is convenient to me, because your salivary glands are kicking in and you are starting to drool a bit. Mostly you make spit bubbles and I get to wipe up bubbly streaks from your sweet cheeks.

You continue to be a dream baby as far as your sleeping goes. You currently go to bed between 10-11 and have been sleeping in until 7-7:30. You then have a quick snack and sleep until 9-10. I'm hoping to get you to bed a bit earlier at night and have you wake up earlier too because I'm about to head back to work. I'd like you to wake up earlier in the morning so we can have some good cuddle time before I have to focus on other things. But I think it's playing with fire to tinker too much with baby sleep, so I'll try to resist poking the bear unless it really seems necessary.

I love calling you by a variety of nicknames. I think parents can't help but call their babies silly names. My current favorites for you are Little Nugget, Snoogle (like snuggle, sort of), Cuddle, Lovey and Lady. I also call you Clee-Lo on occassion. It still makes me laugh to think of you having a "gangsta" name. (Thanks again Lily!)

Cleo, you have surpassed all of my cautious expectations and wildest hopes for how wonderful a baby could be. Thank you so much for being the best baby ever. We are so proud of you, our sweet and precious lady baby.