Lilly is 3 Months Old

Lilly is 3 months old today. In some ways it seems only days ago that I was holding her for the first time. In others, it seems like that was a lifetime ago. I remember lying in bed with her at the hospital, trying to memorize her little newborn face. I didn't want to lose a second of that time with her where I could simply enjoy her with no other responsibilities or people to attend to. As I held her close I couldn't help crying because I knew how quickly she'd change from being my newborn baby girl, into my baby girl, my toddler girl, my big girl.

And she is changing. She laughs now. She responds to our voices. If she hears James from across the room her whole body smiles. She's found her hands and looks surprised every time she brings them in front of her face. She wants to sit up and observe the world. She really loves to talk. Whenever anyone looks at her she'll just start to coo, a gurgle and make the most delightful baby sounds. Her voice is one of the sweetest sounds in my life.

One of the things I love most about her is her joy. It seems impossible that a 3 month old baby can have joy, but she does. She takes joy in the trees, bright colors, the ceiling fan and the spinning fish on her bouncy seat. Her brother William, who loves her with such passionate (read: rough) love, never seems to bother her. She smiles at him as he squeezes her fingers and toes.

Even though I sometimes wish she could be my little baby forever, I still love to see who she is becoming. Change is one of the things that makes life beautiful. It is bittersweet, but it is sweet.