Zooey is 3 months old!

My sweet girl is three months old! My, how fast time flies! I was thinking about work, and how there were times when I felt a quarter of the year would just draaaaggg on. Zooey's first quarter of life has flown by!

I can really see why people say that babies get a lot more fun at three months old. I've always thought Zooey was a ton of fun, of course, but her personality is really starting to shine. One of my favorite times of day is when Zooey first wakes up. I can hear her in there cooing and laughing at herself, and it just brings a smile to my face. When I go in to get her, she lights up and starts pumping those little arms and legs and usually gives me a happy smile. It just makes my heart burst in joy! She then eats, and this is probably my favorite feed of the day - even though I'm bleary-eyed and haven't had my coffee - because it's just us. The house is quiet, and she cuddles up against me and it's just so nice to have that time together. Then we usually have some chit-chat time, where we might play with a rattle or something but keep things pretty mellow. I've actually begun to read my "Baby's First Year" book/journal to her; it tells me about her development, and I also read my "Jesus is Calling" devotional to her. I know she doesn't understand what I'm saying, but I've read their little brains are storing up words and tones for later on. She gets so excited when I read to her! She kicks her legs, breaks out in smile and coos words back at me. I just love this time of day with her.

Zooey's newest skills are grasping a rattle and holding it with both hands and bringing it to her mouth, batting at objects, smiling at toys/familiar objects and following people with her eyes around the room. She also can sit upright with assistance now, and this enables her to sit in the Moby with her head out, which she loves especially when we go somewhere like the grocery store. Ryan and I talk to her about what we're getting and what we see and smell, and she becomes very alert and conversational. My mom thinks we're going to have another talker in the family like me and Zooey's Aunt Sarah. :)

Nursing continues to be going well, which I am so happy about. It's funny, in the early days I was so torn about continuing to try and even contemplated exclusive pumping to feed her. I almost gave up, but this is something I'm so glad I was stubborn about. At first, to be honest, I was all about nursing for the nutritional benefits and part of me was just trying to do it to do it, you know? It was just something I'd put my mind to - not only because it was good for Zooey but also because it's just what I had decided to do. The bonding part of nursing never occured to me. My mom was really the one who encouraged me to stick with it, saying that that's why she had wanted to nurse Sarah when she was a baby and she was kind of sad she wasn't able to. Now, the bonding is what I enjoy most, and I am also so glad Zooey's getting all those nutrients. It is just such sweet time, and I really treasure cuddling with her.

Being a mom continues to be all I wanted and more, and the more Zooey becomes her own little person, the more I fall even more in love with her. People always say that your heart grows to let more love inside when you have a baby - boy, did it ever! And it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Not just for Zooey, but for Ryan, too. As I watch him with Zooey and see what a tender, loving father he is, I fall even more in love with him, too.

I read something funny and so true this week. It was a quote, and it said, "I was the best mother until I became a mother." I am learning what this means more and more. Before I had Zooey, I'd look at people and think I would or would not do certain things. I'd look at people and question their decisions, being somewhat closed-minded to the fact that there are different parenting styles that work for different people. I think most of that has gone out the window. I realize that parents and children have different personalities, and you have to figure out what works with that.

I want so much for Zooey to have all the very best, to not make the mistakes I made and to follow God better than I did at times in my life. I know I have to trust God with these things, but I am in prayer constanly about raising her the way HE wants me to. It's easy to hear, read or see things and question what I'm doing at times, but the time in prayer really helps me to guage whether HE approves, and that's all that matters. He's constantly refining me and pointing out things I need to change as an example to my sweet daughter. And I pray He will help me to do this.