Changes!

My time home with Porter Pie is slowly winding to an end...I officially go back to work in 17 days (March 31) and I'm dreading it.  I cried about it for the first time today and imagine that that'll leave me 17 more days of crying before the dreaded day comes.  Being home these last few months has been an amazing experience.  I have bonded with Porter, studied his every move, can predict what a certain cry means, can soothe him, make him laugh, know what songs make him smile and can make him giggle until my belly aches. I was the first to notice him make a new cooing noise, the first to praise him when he held his head up, the first to read him books, the first to put a toy in his hand and watch him reach for one on his own.  What pains me most about going back to work is that I may miss these firsts.  Will I miss the first time he sits up?  Will I miss the first time he signs his first sign language sign or says his first word?  He is my bud, I can't imagine not looking at his cute little face for 40 hours a week.

The good news is that I only have to work for eight weeks before summer break starts and between Grammy, Pops and Daddy, Porter will be able to spend his days at home with people who love him as much as I do.  I won't have to get him up, get him dressed, pack a bag and cart him out the door to a daycare.  He can lounge in PJs all day if he wants to and can sleep in his own crib. I can kiss him goodbye when I leave for work and can snuggle him the instant I get home in the afternoons.  And starting June 1, we will have three months of non-stop mommy and baby togetherness-- I can't wait!

Mr. Pie is officially 12 weeks old (see above tab- monthly pictures) and some amazing things are starting to change with his development.  In the last five days I have noticed him making different sounds than I've ever heard before--it's almost like he's listening to himself talk.  He also just started reaching for toys and putting them in his mouth.  He's been playing with hanging toys for some time but the phase of putting everything in his mouth is just beginning! He's also drooling like a mad man!  This doesn't necessarily mean that his teeth are coming in just yet, but his mouth is getting ready.  He has officially mastered holding his head up and LOVES to stand on his legs and look at the world around him.  We noticed that he has started looking at the dogs in the past few weeks and now knows that he has two older, hairy bothers who can't wait for him to get bigger so they can play together.

Being home all the time allows me the opportunity to make pictures of Porter all day, every day.  In no particular order, here are some of my faves...

Grabbing for a toy like a big boy!

I think someone's going to keep their baby blues!

(Notice the drooled covered shirt!)

He LOVES bath time!

Seriously Mom, enough pictures already!

Happy baby!

Practicing tummy time isn't so bad when you can hold your head up!

Heart melting...

Cheeks McGee!

One of my favorite parts of the day is getting to pick out his clothes and dress him, just like my very own doll.  I played with dolls until very late in my childhood and this may explain why I enjoyed it so much--making him look absolutely adorable brings me so much joy! If it's a particularly good outfit, I'll be sure to document it so that I will always remember it.  He's so dang cute I could just eat him alive!

Grandma is scheduled to arrive this Saturday from Houston to spend some quality time with the little man and next weekend the three of us are going to pack up and head out on our first family mini-vacation to Santa Fe.  We're looking forward to eating great food, drinking new beer and taking in all the sights of the city. Can't wait!  Until then...

~Mama Jess