Dear Nathanael (3 months)

My dearest Nathanael,

Today you are three months old! Today, as every day, I praise God for your life. My son, God is the Source of all life, and He sustains you every moment of every day. I thank Him for creating you, forming you in my womb, bringing you into my arms, and enabling you to grow into the little baby boy you are today.

This month has been such an important month for you! You continue to trek in the high percentiles for your age, weighing in at 15 pounds and a very long 25 inches in length! In fact, a couple weeks ago, we had to break out the 6-9 month clothes because the 3-6 month onesies weren't long enough for you. (Your happy belly gets in the way as well!)

You proved yourself to be a great traveler this month, wowing all with your airplane etiquette and handling a day trip to Great Grandma Gimple's quite well. You have visited many new places and met new people, including your Grandpa's family in southern Kansas, WalMart (you love the bright lights), Mommy's long-time friends at Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church (you are still enthralled by the music), Evan and Audrey Eusey's home, and even Mommy's childhood Peter Pan Park.

You have dealt so well with all of the change we have undergone in the past month. Our home in Boston was in complete disarray as we packed, we lived with friends (our beloved Cioffis) for four days, and we moved in with your grandparents (your own room!) and resettled our lives in Kansas. You took a lot of bottles and were held a lot during those transitional weeks, either in the sling or bjorn while Mommy packed or in the arms of Grandma or Auntie Angie. We are so thankful for how well you have adapted to everything!

You have such a pleasant demeanor, Nathanael. Unless you are tired (and then anything is game), you give out smiles generously. You LOVE to talk and have become quite the loud vocalist in the last week, even carrying on "conversations" with us at times. You let out a small giggle frequently and have squealed a few times. Grandpa taught you how to stick out your tongue, and you love to show us you can still do it (even though Grandpa is now trying to un-teach you that one in fear of future repercussions).

You are awake for longer periods now, and your favorite wake-time activities are standing, talking, and kicking. (Daddy said I should add regurgitating to the list, and it's true that you do that more than anything else!) Here are some other things I want to tell you about this month: standing while we hold your hands, following people with your eyes and head, fascination with ceiling fans, holding a rattle, reaching for and grabbing an object (Mr. Monster), sucking your thumb, napping swaddle-free (sometimes), discovering your hands, your eyelashes growing long and thick like Daddy's, and grasping more frequently and tightly.

And finally, to show that you're a big three-month old, you slept eight and a half hours straight last night for the first time!!! You had been making it nine hours between feedings at night for over a week, but you finally slept through the night without needing me to come in and comfort you at any point. We're so proud of you (and thankful to have a longer stretch of sleep)!

You are a true gift from God, Nathanael. Happy three-month birthday!

Lovingly,
your daddy and mommy

Nathanael Alim - 3 month old

And a few outtakes...

(notice the always-in-motion hand)

(Note that Mr. Bear is a little squished since Nathanael's pushing with his legs)

Compare these to his 2 month pictures here.