Month Four

Weight: 12 lbs 3 oz
Height: 25"

Today you turn 4 months old and we are celebrating by you working on hour 4 of your morning nap, as well as night 7 of yet another 11 hour sleep. If there is one trait that definitely makes you daddy's girl, it's your ability to sleep and sleep and ... ummm ... oh yes, sleep. Of course this ability is hindered when mamma has to swaddle you. I do not possess the super-human swaddling strength that dadda does, so after about 3 hours you have wiggled and wormed your entire body, sans your neck, out of the swaddle. Last night was one of these nights and because I was so exhausted (mamma is fighting a cold that she knows will be passed onto you) I didn't hear you express your discontentment over the situation. Thank goodness dad was still raiding and ended up taking care of your needs.

You have come a long way this past month. Aside from finding your sleep groove, you've gained a lot of strength in the grabbing department. You're attitude has gone from "Hmmm.. this toy is interesting" to "I must hold this object and put it in my mouth. I must hold EVERY object and put it in my mouth. GIMMEE GIMMEE GIMMEE!" This attitude also applies to blankets, wipes, and any other item that will fit into your fist and then mouth. I see a lot of fun times ahead.

We are using these new skills to further aid your tummy time. As you gain more control over your neck muscles you remain on your tummy for longer seconds, sometimes going into minutes. But after those minutes pass, you're ready for your favorite of all positions - STANDING! Good Gaia, do you love standing. As soon as you pull yourself up you giggle and smile and start looking around like it's a whole new room and "What can get to into next?" The only downside is your frustration in not being able to walk. All in good time... all in good time. Let's get the crawling, no wait, the sitting up unaided down first. Unfortunately, you don't have patience for such trivial matters. Why sit when you can STAND! So we'll spend several hours a day "walking" around the house. My knees and back are starting to retaliate, but I'm forging on because it makes you happy and I love seeing you "walk". I think you're also learning that I'm the sucker in the family.

Every time I'm about to feed you, you get this gleam in your eye that says "Yes! Foooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!" with exactly that many "oo's" because when you're hungry there's no arguing. So off to our "feeding station" and just after I place you on the boppy you begin to spew forth your fake cry, letting me know how dire the situation. This makes me laugh because you are so half-hearted about the cry and we both know that you're going to eat. Ah yes, in addition to the fake cry, both dad and I totally believe you let us know your hunger by saying "ungee". We know you're 4 months old and we both know that books say a child's first real word doesn't happen until 9 months of age, but that doesn't deter us from believing that 'ungee' is 'hungry' and you always say it when you're 'ungee'.

Today you also had your 4 month old check up and after warming up to the doctor you began talking. I think you had convinced the doctor that you can say words too because she swears that you said "OK" and "Yea". Another convert. Whether you are actually saying these words, the doctor said that if we associate the "words" enough with what we are taking them to mean, then when the time comes for you to actually be babbling out words these "words" will already be in your vocabulary. The doctor also had also asked if I talk with you a lot at home. How could I not? (and me? Not ramble? puh-leeeez *eye roll*). The reason she assumed I talked with you a lot was because of how well you were socializing with the doctor. I don't know baby-girl. You're charming the dicken's out of a lot of people, which is scaring daddy so now he's preparing to buy more shotguns so he can scare off all of the boys who succumb to your cuteness and charm.

On a less pleasant developmental note, you hate the car. I don't say despise, but hate because that's exactly what it is... hate. We know why too-- boredom. Complete and utter boredom, which I don't blame you for one bit, but it definitely makes a ride seem so much more eternal. When all of us are piled into the car I start off in the front and end up in the back next to you just to keep you entertained. Sometimes it works, other times you're too far gone in the cries that there is no way of reigning you back to reality without just stopping the car, taking you out of the car seat and walking to our destination (which, btw, you would totally prefer). Of course, when Ollie is included he doesn't take to this seat switching very well. Poor guy, sitting shotgun and looking back at me with eyes pleading "Please, please mom can I get in the back seat with you" while looking at dad and saying "Please PLEASE can you drive more carefully. I'm liable to go through the front window. Oh dang human, let me take the wheel." Then when it's just you and me in the car ... oh brother! A 5 minute drive seems like 5 hours and I'm pulling everything out of my invisible "Comforting Claire" hat. We go through our ABC's and think of animals or objects that make a noise starting with that letter, I'm singing songs from various musicals, I'm reaching back and "sucking" your head in hopes to distract you, reciting poetry I make up on the fly, explaining how we're both stuck in a 'car seat' and how you have it so much easier than I do, yet it's mostly all for naught because you know what's going on and would very much like to be our destination NOW. I can't wait until I can just plop you in a bike seat because we'll travel around that way since you love being outdoors.

Yes, another positive. You absolutely love being outside more and more. We can just stand on the back deck and you'll find a pattern or object that fascinates you to the point of breaking into fits of laughter. And when the mosquitoes aren't in full force, we will plop onto the hammock. After several failed attempts of trying to climb the hammock from my shoulder, you'll cuddle into my arms and fall asleep. It's absolutely beautiful. Sitting under the trees, listening to the crickets and rocking in the hammock is one of the best ways to kill an hour without either one of us getting fussy with the other. And now that the cooler weather is upon us, we'll have many more hours to spend outside.