Our Riley Kirsten // 3 months

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Way back in the day, I shared Aiden's monthly updates in 3 month chunks (those photos have since mysteriously been removed from my blog, otherwise I'd be linking to them!), and now I'm going to try and do the same for Riley! It's been a strange start to her life because we went from flu season and choosing to avoid everyone to coronavirus and the government forcing us to avoid everyone. But because of all the extra time away from Aiden's preschool, trips to the zoo, and play dates, we've had the most family time we ever would have gotten. My carpenter husband was laid off from Christmas until yesterday, so he was home for Riley's first three months of life! (He did do some renovations for people and flipped a house while he was laid off, but he was still home every morning to eat breakfast with us...something that doesn't happen when he goes to real work!) It was glorious.

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Riley has gotten to take all the crib naps--something I never thought a third baby would get!--since we are home literally every day. I pictured her sleeping in her car seat while Emma and I drove to take Aiden to/from preschool, and instead, Riley has had the luxury of napping in crib whenever she wants. We even splurged and got her this 100% washable, breathable crib mattress because at 4 weeks old, she would NOT fall asleep on her back anymore, and Devin and I needed some sleep! (Another splurge that we love: the Moses bassinet pictured below.)

For her first month of life, Devin would wake up with Aiden and Emma in the morning, since I had been waking up every 2-3 hours to nurse a very hungry baby. Without him home, I have no idea how I would have functioned. I got my best sleep from 4 am to 8 am when Riley had her longest stretch of sleep! Without Devin, I would have been up at 6 or 7 am with the big kids.

I snapped these photos in late February, when Riley was just one month old, and I thought they were just too sweet not to share somewhere (besides Instagram!). Her little crossed eyes, her chubby cheeks...all of her!

Aiden and Emma genuinely love Riley, and it makes my heart explode. Without any prompting, Aiden will come up to her when she's in her swing or doing tummy time, and he'll say things like, "Can I read you a story, sweetie girl?" (he can't read) or "You are just a cutie cutie, Ri---MOM SHE SPIT UP". Emma loves her too but it comes out in trying to be helpful, like picking out a soft toy to put next to Riley or asking if she needs more baby oil for her dry skin (usually ends in me whisking the bottle of baby oil away before she can pump it onto her hand and the floor and everything else, haha!).

Right now, Riley still wakes up 3 times a night to nurse, but she falls right back to sleep! She can hold her head up pretty well (probably thanks to sleeping on her stomach), and she chews on her hands and smiles so big.