Becoming a mom was something I had talked about, dreamed about, prayed about, pretended as a young girl and had wanted for a long time. It was surreal when it finally came true. Just a few months ago, Marc and I would look at each other and say something like, "are we really parents?" On the other hand, having Will in my arms sometimes makes me feel like he has always been there or makes me almost forget what life was like before he was here. Having a baby does crazy things to you!

Now that Mother's Day has passed, I've thought about it a bit and have decided to claim the day after Mother's Day as a day for me to reflect on being a mom and to set some new mom-goals for the year. What can I say, it's the teacher in me. While the words "reflect" and "goals" might sound too philosophical or too clichè, what I really mean is that I will take 5 minutes—because that's really all I can spare—to come up with a short list of things I either want to accomplish or change as a mom. Here are some items on this year's list and some mom-photos for you to enjoy.

• Every day, think of one Will highlight from that day before going to bed
• Teach Will how to blow kisses to friends and family
• Learn the correct words to the songs, "Baby Mine" and "Brahm's Lullaby"

My neice, Kennedy, also celebrated Mother's Day, since she is the proud mother of an itty bitty baby.

Before I'm done, I want to wish my Mom a very happy Mother's Day and thank her for being such an amazing mom and grandma! We love you!

If you're a mom, I hope you felt loved, appreciated and celebrated yesterday. Every day should be Mother's Day, am-I-right? 

While Marc waited outside of the laundromat with Will in the carriage, I ran inside and shoved the first comforter into the front-loaded washer. Just as I gave it one last heave-ho, I felt and saw white flecks of powdered detergent fly into the air and land in my hair and on my face. Awesome! I quickly gave myself a few brushes with my hand, started that load and then got the second comforter in and running. When I went back outside I asked Marc if he could brush me off, because I knew there were probably more flecks lingering in my hair and on my shoulders. He helped me out and then he told me I'd have to let my hair down to give it a shake. When I had finished doing this and had put my hair back up, he told me I looked good (Remember this part!).

Fast forward to the coffee shop, where I decided I would run in and order for us while Marc waited outside with Will, since it was warm and beautiful outside. While I was waiting for our sandwiches and coffees, an older lady who had ordered a mocha latte got her drink from the counter and then turned toward me. "Do you want my chocolate?" she asked, looking at the chocolate stick that was placed on top of her drink. "Sure!" I replied. I mean, who doesn't want their chocolate stick?! For a split second I thought how nice this lady was and what a bonus treat I had just gotten but then she dealt me a low blow and said, "You look like you need it." Hmmmm....I know what that means. It means I look like I'm dog-tired and disheveled, both of which were true.  When I finally got our drinks and sandwiches I went back outside to Marc and laughingly told him the story of the chocolate stick. Don't worry, my feelings weren't hurt. 

Fast forward again to the laundromat where we waited for the two comforters to dry in the "junior turbo" dryers. (Isn't that an oxymoron?) Marc stood up with Will, who was starting to fuss, and mentioned that I still had a few flakes of powdered detergent in my hair. Still?! I tried to pat them out with my hand, but they were still there. "I thought you told me I got them all out BEFORE we went to the coffee shop?"

"Well, it looked like they were all gone, but now I can see more." Here's the picture that Marc took to show me what my hair looked like:

No wonder I looked like I needed an extra boost to get me through the day!

I love Easter, especially because it's the day that reminds us that Jesus conquered death, but also because it has come to symbolize new life, springtime, and all things fresh. Will certainly fits in to the whole "new and fresh" theme.

Here are a few Easter pictures for you to enjoy:

Family of 3

Will with his Easter buddy, Amelia

Will with Peter Rabbit

Will is oblivious to who is holding him

Will and Papa

Marc, Will and cousin Alexis

Cousin Kennedy

Marc and I have come to refer to these moments of baby split-personality as sunny or stormy. These terms come from a book called The Wonder Weeks written by Frans Plooij and Hetty van de Rijt. The book discusses developmental leaps in the baby's brain that can cause your baby to be fussy. What I love most about The Wonder Weeks is that there is an awesome calendar that can basically predict how your baby's personality will be during any given week. What I don't love, however, is that the calendar is telling me that almost all of month four is going to be stormy.

No matter what the weather is, we love our baby boy just the same. Also, he has the cutest pout I've ever seen. Here are two examples of a sunny Will and stormy Will:

Marc often uses his man-dar (man radar) to find the most manly books he can, including Movers, a book about transportation, and Construction Zone, a book that highlights a variety of heavy machinery. What's wrong with The Runaway Bunny or Love You Forever? 

After we pick our favorite books, we prop Will up on pillows and lay next to him while reading. I believe that Will actually looks at each page. He makes me so proud!

He is already so much stronger, bigger and "more advanced," as the grandmas and aunties like to say, than he was just one month ago. Here's a list of a few milestones from Will's third month of life:

• He's off the charts for both height and weight! We were told he's in the 100th percentile for both. Luckily, he is perfectly proportionate. He's so big that one stranger guessed he was eight months old!
• He's making lots of new sounds, including squeals, both vowel and consonant sounds (for my teacher friends) and short little giggles. He holds "conversations" and loves talking to stuffed animals.
• He yells at us. It's not a cry and it's not a coo. It's a yell and he's obviously trying to tell us something very important with it.
• He likes to be tickled! Known ticklish spots include the bottom of his feet and his belly.
• He rolled over from tummy to back. Even though he has yet to replicate this skill, we are still impressed.
• He sleeps through the night! Now, when I say "sleeps through the night" I really mean that he sleeps for a six hour stretch without eating. His longest record to date is ten hours! On that particular night I awoke in a panic, certain that Will was no longer breathing. I ran into his room to find him sleeping peacefully. I hear that almost every mother experiences this scenario
• He sits up in his high chair and bumbo chair. Will likes to be "in the know" and sitting helps him see everything that is happening around him. (Note the cool BWS shirt!)
  
• He caught his first cold. No one ever told me how sad baby coughs could be. Also, our co-pay for sick visits is $20 and I determined that if the doctor (who we love!) takes Will's temperature, listens to his breathing and observes his overall demeanor for a total of five minutes, his hourly rate is $240 per hour. WOAHHH! Needless to say, the co-pay is worth it if it means peace of mind, especially when you're a first time parent!
• He likes to stand (with a lot of help, of course). Thanks to my cousin Sandra, we inherited a Fisher Price jumparoo. Will is tall enough for his feet to touch the floor and he stands up straight while looking at the flashing lights and attached toys.
• He grabs at toys, long hair and necklaces. He even got a hold of my glasses once! We also purchased the Oball, which is a toy that is both attractive and easy to grab. It was an instant hit!
• Okay, last one: Marc tells me that today on their walk Will shifted himself to the side so he could look out of the stroller. "He's so advanced!"

We can't wait to see what our little man will do next!