Dear Sage at 3 months

The title of your 3 month letter really should be The Big Smile. That is what you do most these days and it always makes us laugh and smile in return. Your smiles, laughter, and little mumbles bring so much happiness to our lives and are definitely the quickest ways to get our complete and undivided attention! Not only does it capture the attention of your adoring parents but your smiles and laughs also capture the attention of strangers. You are not shy and when people approach us to admire and talk to you, you often answer back with a big grin which brightens their day.

This month played host to your first big travel adventure. Your trips to Lake Tahoe, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, and Italy proved that you are easy going and happy just about anywhere. Unless you are tired… then you explode with bursts of crying and sometimes shrieks loud enough to make me concerned about potential hearing loss. The climax of the fit happens seconds before you quickly descend into a deep slumber. We are getting better at anticipating your needs and try to give you many opportunities for naps on the go. With how much we love to get out and be active, we are hoping you will keep your talent for falling asleep just about anywhere. As long as your have a lap, a wrap, or something bouncing and moving, we can almost always count on you being able to fall asleep. I hope starting daycare doesn’t get you accustomed to only napping in a cozy bed!

You have found your hands and enjoy sticking different combinations of fingers and sometimes even your whole fist in your mouth. Your hands have also discovered things to grab like the wooden toys we bought for you in Germany, your blanket, and my hair. You are so fun to watch as you figure out how to move your arms and then your hands to grab the wooden toy that dangles from your car seat. For something that will so soon come without thinking, it’s amazing how much concentration it takes as you build your fine motor skills. You switch between relaxed hands reaching out and exploring the world and balled up little fists you hold in front of your face and chest like a boxer. Your new grabbing skills are especially fun when we are walking through the airport, my hands are full, and you grab big fistfuls of by hair. I am completely at your mercy, whispering “ouch, ouch” while bending over in different directions trying to get you to let go.

This month also marked the first time you started paying attention to and enjoying books. You especially like the Sandra Boynton book “Moo, Baa, La, La, La.” Something about the characters in that book make you very happy. You aren’t that interested in my favorite, “Dr. Seuss ABCs” but I guess we have many years ahead to help you fall in love with that one. In addition to books, you also love music and visited your first live symphony in Munich where you fell asleep during the second movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony. That made me especially happy. We always have music playing for you in the house and it varies greatly in style. Our Pandora station has jazz, classical guitar, contemporary singer/songwriters, classical masterpieces, Jimmy Buffet, and Mommy’s least favorite… the kid’s station. I am hoping to keep your enjoyment of corny kid’s music to a minimum because I will be much happier, especially in the car, if we can enjoy similar music! Now I just have to convince Daddy to stop playing it for you. I will do just about anything to make you happy but I am afraid music might be a hard compromise . I sing to you all the time and you have started to occasionally use your voice to sing along. It is so funny to hear you try and sing with me. I like your voice much better than mine so I am always ready to stop and give you a turn. Your favorite song is without question Rainbow Connection, but when I get tired of singing that one I also sing You’ve Got a Friend in Me, Sweet Baby James, and Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

You still sleep with us and we love it. Daddy has decided that you aren’t leaving our bed until your 14^th birthday. Ha ha. It will be interesting to see who tires of the co-sleeping first. You or us. I have a feeling it will be you! Although, you have started sleeping like you were in the middle of making a snow angel and froze at the widest part. It is absolutely adorable but unfortunately doesn’t leave much room in the bed for us. I am hoping that when we move we will invest in a king size bed so we can all spread out bit more, until then we might have to get back into swaddling so we can keep your wingspan limited to the width of your body.

One of my favorite things to do with you is to kiss your soft cheeks. They are like plump little dinner rolls ready to be nibbled and I just can’t get enough of them. Your entire body is covered what feels like fine silk, I haven’t felt anything softer in my life and we just can’t stop kissing and snuggling with you. You also have the loveliest and most intoxicating smell. Sometimes after kissing your cheeks I burrow my head in your neck or against the top of your fuzzy head and breathe in… trying to make the moment last forever. I know this time will pass and I will miss it dearly. So for now, I snuggle with you, hold you, and kiss you as often as I can.

Your hair is coming in, getting longer and growing straight up. I can’t tell what color its gong to be yet. From some angles it looks dark brown but from other angles when the sun hits it, it looks like it might have the potential of lightening up. I am hoping you get the same hair your Daddy had when he was a baby… bleach blonde… but we’ll have to wait and see. On your 3 month birthday your Daddy and I gave him a buzz cut so you two could look a little more alike. I’m not sure if it helped but at least now you have the same haircut.

Your love of the outdoors and love of water hasn’t changed. Walking outside and looking at the sunlight sparkling through the trees always calms you. When we were in Munich you loved being carried around in Erdi’s backyard and would start to cry when we would come back into the house. Fortunately for you, Erdi, Alex, Peter, and I would take turns keeping you outside and happy. Bath time or shower time is still a favorite place to play and we are excited to move you into the pool this fall for swim lessons.

This life with you is such a joy. You make us happier than ever before. Thank you for all you give us. We love you.

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