Hey there Peanut –

I have been thinking about writing you every day for the past few weeks, and it has been far too long since I have written you. Yesterday I had to go to work before you woke up. I stood by your crib and watched you sleep for the longest time (secretly hoping you would wake up). As I walked down the hall of my office, my heart ached! Isn’t that nuts? All because I couldn’t start my day with a hug from you!

I love you to pieces little one. I canNOT believe you are almost 7 months old already.

Do you know that I smile so much more every day because of you? (As do many, many other people) You totally rock!

Good night Sweet Pea,
*Mommy

Hey there Peanut –

Happy Birthday to you!! You are 5 months old today! Daddy got to spend the day with you because Scott came up to work me Mommy. (Though we snuck in a good walk and now we are headed to Gospel Choir practice.)

This outfit was a gift from Mommy’s friend Lisa. You will really like her when you get to meet her!

Daddy & I call you Little G… you know why?

I’ll write more soon…. Love you!
*Mommy

look at some pictures of you, my little peanut! you are wonderful!

Love you!
*Mommy

Hey Sweetie –

You’re sitting next to me in your bouncy chair right now. We’ve gone for a number of long walks today. You’re really into looking at the leaves on the trees. Nothing calms you as much as going for a walk outside… however it’s too hot to use the sling and the moby wrap, so I just carry you. I love carrying you! We have gotten to know all of our neighbors so much better because of these walks! Look! You are already making the world a much better place! You rock!

We had a lot of wonderful bonding time today… time i will always treasure. I fed you on our bed after you woke up from your nap. We cuddled for over 2 hours!

[You are looking up at me right now… and you just gave me one of your wonderful smiles! Melts my heart!! You melt everyone’s heart! I just gave you a little taste of my popsicle. I think that might officially be your first taste of anything other than breast milk. You were QUITE intrigued.]

Highlights from this past month… the month of June.
* Charles & Debi (my friends from grad school) came to visit and meet you

* You started daycare with Ms. Kristin Creary in Webster on June 14
* We went to Canal Days with Tracy to hear Bill play

* You turned 3 months old
* You started to be much calmer and happier in your car seat. (Yea!)

* You started being able to just sit on someone’s lap and be happy without bouncing. (Yea again!)
* You learned how to roll from your belly to your back… nice work!
* You also started sleeping through the night. You sleep between 8 and 10 hrs almost every night… with the exception of about 5 nights. Very nice!
* You started talking a LOT! and it’s wonderful! You make one of the best noises when you talk with a binky in your mouth. It sounds kind of like “Goi, goi, goi.” Makes me chuckle.

I’ts about time for us to go take a bath… You game?

I love you Peanut! Thanks for being so wonderfully you!
*Mommy

daddy with baby maya

Originally uploaded by April Luehmann.

Guess what Baby Maya?

Daddy’s Day is Sunday! What should we do for him?

Love you!
*Mommy

MommyNme

Originally uploaded by April Luehmann.

This is a test to see if I can upload a picture from flickr to my blog… I thought I would try it with one of my favorite pictures of the little one.

You just went to bed, Little Maya. I hope you have a wonderful night’s rest. You slept 10 hours last night… think we could do that again?

Love you, *Mommy

They say that 3 months old marks an important benchmark. Scientists believe that these past 3 months you were supposed to still be in the womb, but as humans evolved, your little brain became so much larger (and the space in women’s pelvises became smaller as they walked more upright) that you needed to be born pre-maturely. That’s why babies in the first three months need to experience many womb-like things in order to be soothed (e.g. constant motion, white noise, etc.) Your “4th trimester” is now over, and you have certainly turned a corner.

You now sit on our laps and just check out the world (without needing to be rocked or bounced. By the way, have I told you about the yoga ball yet? Your Daddy and I (and many others who love you very much) have spent MANY an hour bouncing you on that big yoga ball. It worked like magic for you… soothed you almost immediately, often put you to sleep. We weren’t quite sure what to do when the ball wasn’t with us. 🙂 We both loved and hated that silly ball. (Then we read Harvey Karp’s “The Happiest Baby on the Block,” and we got many other really good strategies… Great book!)

Anyway, I digress. Today is your 3-month birthday! You are so long and healthy. People say you have filled out nicely. At your last doctor’s appointment (May 26), she said you were 50% for weight (11 lbs) and 75% for length (21 in. I think). You left with Daddy to go to Ms. Kristin’s today to play with the other kids. I hope you have a wonderful day! We’ll celebrate more when you get home tonight.

This is a picture from yesterday:

Happy Birthday Miss Maya! You Daddy & I love you oh so much,
*Mommy

Hey Beautiful –
Today you were baptized with Jimmiqua at Spiritus Christi Church. You are known as “The Gospel Choir Baby.” The Gospel choir sang 5 of my favorite songs today in your honor. It was a wonderful service… touching, beautiful, personal, and so special. Father Jim and I discussed the meaning of the word “sacrament.” We decided that is a special event in which we focus on and experience God’s love in an explicit way. Today definitely fit that description – such a special day in which we could feel God’s love for you…

We had a party for you and Jimmiqua after the service at our house at 16 Regent Street. Some of those in attendance were Auntie Amy, Uncle Matt, Grandma & Grandpa Tatro, Jim & Judi, Susan and her Mom Sally, Carleen, Nanna Sherry, Tracy, Caronline & Drew, Michael, Blythe & Orion, Jan & Justin (friends from my work), Nancy, MJ, Raffaella, David Hursh, Jim White, Jenel, Karen Donahoe, Anne Falvo, Mike, Melissa & Casy, Shauna & Devon, Jimmiqua, Gardenia, Josh, Justice, De De, Emma (Jimmiqua’s Grandma), Mort & Diane, Laura & Alan, Bill & Deb, and Tracy Ball. Quite a crowd, huh?

After the party, Judi, Nanna Sherry and I opened and recorded your presents. You received many very nice gifts.

Here is another picture from the day:

Bottom line, today God formally called you His. He will never let you go! What a wonderful thing to be a Child of God. You are Beautiful little girl who is already a LIGHT in this world! Thank you for all the joy you bring! I am honored to be your Mom.

I love you,
*Mommy