Three Months Old!

I just love this kid. Today was not his favorite, he spent a lot of it fussing and shedding tired tears, but now he is asleep and I can dote on all his cuteness and only remember the good things, which were many, and which is so easy to do when they're sleeping, isn't it? A baby is so much work and even though I barely got mascara on today and will be lucky if I finish a second load of laundry, he is so worth it. I would do it over a million times to have him in return. I hope with all my heart he grows up to understand an inkling of how amazing I think he is. I hope he grows up to love himself for who is he, because who he is is absolutely wonderful.

This is us on his three-month birthday. He napped on my shoulder, which I love, love, loved. He is already a whopping 15+ pounds and 26 inches long. People often think he's twice his age, probably because he's wearing clothes for babies twice his age, so I do my best to relish these sweet "young baby" moments while I have them. And try not to think too much about empty nesting, which ridiculously, yes, I have spent some time lamenting about.

Jasper in his classic couch pose. He's getting quite wiggly now. Hard to keep him sitting upright anymore if he doesn't want to be. This is one of his new things, holding his hands. I think it's unbelievably adorable, so innocent-looking, isn't it?


Jasper sleeping.



Did I mention already a fixation . . .


with him sleeping?


I love this onesie. I know, not the most hand-me-down friendly, but I love the colors. And it's nice to have something just for him, hm?

Jasper and his daddy. So. Stinkin'. Cute.


Agh!! Can't stand it!! He also loves to eat his hands, re: above. Some babies suck their thumb or maybe two fingers. Jasper sucks one or two hands, like, all of it. He smacks his lips and rotates his hands around with great satisfaction. My sister likened him to Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, calling him pink and round and award-winning. He certainly is pink! And I love the description!


And as I believe I already mentioned, he is wearing clothes now that I thought he'd be wearing at Christmas, hence the holiday pajamas. (Well, I suppose the national retailers would have me believe it's not too soon for them. I love Christmas as much as Santa Claus, but even I think the Christmas selling is getting a bit ridiculous. I'm afraid I've missed my chance to buy a Halloween costume and it's not even October!)

Too, too cute. Jacob gets told more and more now-a-days how much Jasper looks like him. Yes, he also notes that it's only since Jasper's been filling out. There is no denying, Jacob was a round-faced baby, too and I think he turned out mighty fine. No worries here!

This picture makes me think of that song from The Fox and the Hound: "When you're the best of friends, having so much fun together . . ." I came home from a two-hour Primary Presidency meeting yesterday fully expecting Jacob to begrudgingly hand me the baby and withdraw to the couch. But nope, he'd pulled out a blanket and they were playing together outside on the grass. Jasper's a lucky kid. I'm a lucky wife.


Jasper being festive. Still does his "bat wings" that we love so much. Don't you just want to poke that little belly?


Jasper being a teddy bear. It's so funny when other parents dote on their kids dressed in costume, or whatever. And then you do it to your baby and you go crazy!

He's just the best thing that's ever happened to us. The best thing ever.


A rare moment of tolerance during tummy time. He usually lays on his belly, fusses, and swims with all four limbs in the air. Reminds me of a bug that gets flipped over on its back and doesn't know what to do with himself. But he loves standing. He stands on my lap and I've even let go for half a second or two. Maybe he'll skip rolling over and go straight to walking. Ha!

Peek-a-boo! I see you!
Jasper now loves his time on the changing table. Every morning after his breakfast while we get him dressed for the day, he smiles and laughs and coos. I sing to him here, he gets his massage. Yes, the changing table is all-around a happy place. If not also one of certain surprise. :/

Jasper is very social, he does really well in large groups, lets anybody hold him, he sleeps all through church, and he's getting to be quite the contented camper in his car seat. (Hooray!) His bed time is around 7:30 PM and his morning wake time is around 7 AM. His nap times are anybody's guess. I'm hoping those become a bit more consistent eventually, but in the meantime I'm doing my best to let go of what I can't control, which I'm beginning to think that will be a repetitive theme for me in my parenting, as it already is for the rest of my life. I really don't want to wish anything away, because I know with those phases of things I like not so much are also things I treasure and I don't get those times back. Jasper is Jasper and that's just how I want him to be. I've said before that if I were to write up a checklist of qualities I'd want in a dream baby, Jasper would have every one: loves to be sung to, loves to cuddle and be held, cute, sweet, easy to pack around. Gush, gush, we love him so much. Happy three months old, Jasper!