Three Months... already?

Everyone who has kids told me to enjoy every minute of Roman being a newborn because this time would end all too quickly... and they were right. Just look at this boy... he's so big now. I am amazed every day by just how quickly he's growing up, and how he's developing new tricks. His newest trick is flirting with us in an attempt to not have to take a nap... nice try Rome. It's actually kind of cute, well, for the first couple of minutes, but it does lose its appeal when all I (or Marc) want is for Roman to go back to sleep.

And now he's really becoming interested in the world around him, and he's finally "getting" his toys. I apologize for the blurriness of the picture below... Roman refused to sit still in his little activity center. Rome is slightly too short for it, but he loves sitting in there and watching the pandas.

But what I think amazes me most is how much I have changed over these three months. For a long long time I was perfectly content thinking that Marc and I would just be dog people; the thought of having children was actually quite overwhelming. "I have bigger plans than being a mom," I would always say. But then when we did decide to start a family I still held on tightly to an entire list of "I'd never"s, which now seems like such a joke. Here are just a few: I'd never let a baby sleep in bed with us- ever. I'd never go running into the nursery as soon as I heard my baby cry... I can't have that baby thinking he/she can manipulate me with crying. I'd never pick anything off my child's face with my bare hands. I'd never be happy just staying at home with a baby. I'd never get used to getting thrown up on. I'd never wish that a baby would stay a baby forever. I'd never happily give up sleep in order to comfort a crying child. Ok... I'll admit that that last one is pretty touch and go, and definitely depends on the night, but for the most part I do all of these things on a regular basis. I have absolutely become one of those moms in a blink of an eye. I melt when Roman starts to giggle. I have posted way too many photos to Facebook already... even some videos. I seem to be constantly screaming to my Facebook friends, "LOOK AT MY BABY!" I am way more emotional than I have ever been... While visiting my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mike in Nevada, Erica decided to pop in "Dumbo" to keep the kids occupied. I nearly wept when Dumbo was taken away from his mother... Really. I just couldn't take it. Erica looked at me and said,"Things are just way more emotional when you're a mom." She is so right. Now, I have always been a sucker for downtrodden animals (just ask my sister Erin), but now baby things get me, every time.

But I am happy to report that I am not the only one changing... Marc has thoroughly become a dad. On the same trip to Nevada while Erica was holding Gentry on her lap, Marc reached over and picked something off of GENTRY'S face... Erica and I paused for a second and looked at each other. Still a bit amazed Erica said, "That would have never happened before." No... definitely not. But now that Marc and I are in the trenches of parenthood, certain things just don't bother us anymore... who knew?