Dear William,

Today you turn three months old. This last month was so much fun; we had your first Christmas, which was quite possibly more fun for me than you. Perhaps next year you'll be ripping the wrapping off of everyone's presents, but this year you just stared around the room. Most of the time when we opened your gifts and showed you what was inside, you cried. Whoops.

You had a whole bunch of firsts this month... you started grabbing your toys, started laughing, started sticking your tongue out at your dad, started blowing raspberries. It seemed for awhile that you were happy just hanging out, being the baby, and then all of a sudden you started doing all these new things all at once. Watch you gently touch your toys with your little fingers, or grab on and wing it around always brings a smile to my face. Unfortunately, you've also learned to grab my glasses when I'm trying to feed you.

But oh, the laughing. I cannot imagine a more joyful sound than you laughing. I've tried to capture it on video many times now, and I've got the following: grinning, raspberries, screaming, grunting, and blank stares. A whole whack of blank stares. I do have one video of you laughing, but I shot it while at home alone with you and it shows about a tenth of the left side of your head. Good aim I've got there.

Sadly, I think you may be capping off this month with another first - your first tooth might be coming in, I fear. People have been floating that idea with me for awhile because of how much you've been drooling, and I am stubbornly denying it because I'm a bit scared of nursing a child with teeth. You had a terrible day today though... daddy had to come home from work for a bit and help me calm you. Of course, as soon as he left work, I stuck my finger in your mouth to check your gums and you started gnawing on it and quieted right down so you were nice and calm when he got home.

I can't believe how much I've come to love you; they say there's no love like what a parent has for a child, and there's no way you'll know it until you have children of your own. When you were so upset today, it broke my heart to see you crying. I would have done anything to make it better for you. I'm still learning how to do this mom thing, and I know sometimes I'll feel helpless in the face of your suffering, and sometimes I'll get frustrated. But I'm always going to try my best, because I love you so much.

Love, Mom