Far out, where is time going? I feel like the three-month mark is some sort of magical point, where things take off in some sort of baby rocket ship. She goes off to another planet at night and comes back with new skills, more personality and let’s be honest, a few more demands. But I am absolutely loving every second of it, and I can’t imagine my life without her. I feel more and more like we’re becoming a team, and can take on the world together. Whatever that may hold. It’s a special, special feeling, one I hope never goes away.

The one thing I can say about this month is that I feel more in tune with her. In saying that, I’ve always felt “connected” to her, but at this stage I can really feel like I can tell what kind of mood she’s in, or what needs are needing to be met. She’s a very content baby, now sleeping 6-9 hours a night and is super smiley. She loves people, and being out and about — probably more than me, to be honest, and I find that she gets a little cranky (stir crazy) if we don’t get out much during the day.

When Rosie was two and a half months old we endured our first flight together — up to the Sunshine Coast to spend Christmas with family. I was flying on my own, as hubby needed to drive with bags etc. Needless to say, I was shiiiiitting myself. I prepared for the worst, imagining the 1hr 10min flight with a inconsolable baby, poo and vomit all over me, and a high chance of bursting into tears myself. I packed too many nappies and three changes of clothes for the both of us, and braced.

Rosie slept pretty much the entire trip, mostly in the carrier apart from when she had to be on my lap and strapped in for take off and landing. We fed on the way up and down, to help with the pressure in her ears, but on the way down (both times), she was too comfortable to be bothered with a feed, and slept through the whole thing. I know it’s probably beginners luck. But I’ll take it.

We’ve also had my parents and brother in town, and it’s been very special for them to have that time together. We’ve had a lot of discussions about her learning Swedish, and though I hadn’t given it a lot of thought until now, it seems like a no-brainer. Who knows when she’ll use it, but it would be a shame for her not to speak the language of a country where she’s from. I hope mum & dad are gearing up to send her Swedish literature every 3 months or so…!

Rose

The character of this little girl just keeps growing. She is a smiley little being, and she is happy being passed around like a parcel. Over Christmas she was literally that, and though I must admit my motherly “lioness” instincts kicked in a few times, I really want to encourage her spending time with other people. At one stage I was pretty paranoid about germs / colds floating around, but hubby reminded me that she gets loaded up with antibodies every time she feeds, and that the odd cold really is inevitable.

Low and behold, she got a little bit of a something that lasted about two days after a day at the beach, back in Sydney. However, I think that this was my own fault rather than being picked up by someone else. We spent a good hour and a half at the beach on a very hot day, and even thought she was sunscreened-up, and in the shade the whole time, I think she managed to get mild heat stroke / a sniffle. These little babes are SO sensitive to the heat, which I’ve now learned the hard way. Luckily it was nothing too serious — a little aloe vera, looooots of boob and many cuddles… and she was sweet within 24 hours.

Apart from the smiles, she’s finally starting to gain better control of her head. She’s never been a big fan of tummy time, but the other day she cracked herself up whilst looking up at me. Little show off. And she loooooves the water. We’re very lucky to have a pool at the current rental, so we’re making the most of swim nappies and splash time whenever we can.

On the routine front, we have it very much down-pat at this stage. She naps 3-4 times a day for 20mins – 2 hours at a time, and sleeps a solid 6-9 hours a night. She actually gets cranky with me if we’re late, which I don’t mind because it’s showing me that she’s thriving on having a schedule and likes to “know what’s coming next”.

Me

Mother lioness is out in full swing. I absolutely need my breaks, especially if she’s having a bit of a rough day, but it’s never more than half an hour or so, and then I’m back at it. I really feel like we’ve settled into a routine we both like, and that we “get” each other more and more every day.

Don’t get me wrong — it’s still hard work. Especially on her off days, or when you have to travel on your own. But it’s worth it, and she reminds me of that every day.

I’m back into training in a bigger way than last month — I tend to hit the gym 3-4 times a week and walk pretty much every day. I’m not going to lie. The gym is bloody hard work. I find myself casting an eye in the creche’s direction every 2 minutes, and on top of that I’ve found that my strength is just not the same. You never really switch off, being a mum. And I’m really struggling to “focus on myself”, even for just half an hour. I know that this is something that I have to work on, because I’m no good to anyone if my candle burns out.

And I may have found a new love for croissants. Doesn’t help that we have Rollers around the corner in Manly… I am a big believer in that it’s all about balance, and if you’re hanging for something (especially when you’re breastfeeding), seriously — don’t hold back. At least that’s what I’m telling myself…

Challenges

Finishing off on the above point, hand on heart, I’ve found the biggest challenge this month is finding, making and enjoying time for myself. I can probably count the number of hours I’ve had to myself the last month on two fingers, but the honest truth is that I’m OK with it. I do however feel, occasionally, that I need a bit of a break. And then, when I finally get one, I’m constantly checking my phone, texting hubby and asking how she’s doing. It’s really hard to switch off.

Takeaways

• I really feel like this is the month that everything slowly starts falling into place. Hopefully routines have formed (some sort, anyway), and you feel more “in tune” with bub.
• Night sleeps are getting longer. And you’re feeling like a new woman. A new woman with boobs that are about to explode. But that’s OK, at least you’re sleeping.
• A little personality is starting to show through in your bub, and it’s all kinds of awesome. Any traits that are slightly annoying / hard work — just blame them on your partner 😉 As I say with all posts though, make sure you jot things down, because you will look back one day wondering when the milestones happened.
• Don’t be afraid of flying with bubs. If you need more concrete tips, message me on Instagram. Remember, life shouldn’t stop because you have a little one in tow. You’re making memories together, enjoy it.