3 months old

My precious, Ben,

I can hardly believe that you are 3 months old today. Sometimes I catch myself thinking "Has it already been 3 months?" and other times it's "I can't believe it has ONLY BEEN 3 months!" You have brought so much love and happiness to this family. I honestly think your brother, Max, believes we brought you into this world for his own pleasure. He absolutely worships you. His first thought every morning is to find you and make sure you are okay and his last action every night is to kiss you goodnight before he goes to sleep. And you love him as much as he loves you. You sit in your bouncy chair and just track his every move. When he finally comes to talk to you, your face lights up like a neon sign. We will see how long this mutual adoration lasts...
Your daddy can't wait for you to grow up. He talks all the time about the adventures that you 3 boys are gonna have. I just know that I am going to come home from work one day and the entire house is going to be covered in sheets as one big fort!
As for me...I live for your smiles... the pure joy that lights up your face with every smile is just one more thing that reminds me that God is great. I can sit for hours face to face on my pillow and watch you smile and "talk" to me in your sweet little voice. You are so much calmer than Max was at your age. I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that I am more calm & confident as a mother the second time around. Max was off to the next task almost as soon as he learned the first. You are much more observant. Your only cries are when you are hungry or when we have gone out of your sight for too long. You are also my little snuggler...since you were sick, you needed to sleep with us to help keep you upright. Now you have no intention of sleeping anywhere else. Mommy has to trick you and allow you to fall asleep lying next to me before Daddy picks you up and places you back in the bassinet. I think we are going to move you to the big crib real soon. Your bassinet is over 60 years old and kind of creaky now that you are moving around more! Everyone in our family has used it, from your grandma and great uncle through me and your aunt, and your brother and cousins. There is a lotta love in that bassinet!
Oh my sweet Baby Ben...I have a feeling that you may not grow out of that nickname anytime soon! It is what everyone calls you...It just seems to roll off the tongue so perfectly! I also call you my little pumpkin for your red hair and Daddy calls you little squirt. Daddy's nickname comes from an action that comes out of you quite often... It is quite amazing how loud your bodily functions are for someone so small. There is no doubt when you have burped or when you are in need of a diaper change!
I hear you squeaking in your sleep right now... I guess I should get to sleep since you will probably be up to nurse in a few hours. You have slept through the night a couple of times, but usually you wake up around 3:30 or 4 for a middle of the night snack.. I think it is just because you want to snuggle in between Daddy and Mommy again! I really don't mind... snuggling face to face and smelling you helps me to get back to sleep...
I love you, my little prince.. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next!

With all my love,
Mommy