Will at 4 Months!

I can't believe I'm two days behind on this. We've been busy, I've lost my memory card, and my camera is acting WEIRD. I hope I don't need a new one. Maybe it needs to see a doctor. Anyway, here we go!


At four months, Will...

* Weighs 16 pounds, 11.5 ounces and 25 inches long. (James was 17.5 pounds and 26 inches.) He's just above the 50th percentile for weight and right on the 50th for height. Average size! James was always well above the 50th.

* His sleeping is sporadic. Some nights if I feed him at 11 he's back up at 3 and 6 for more. Some nights if I feed him at 9 he sleeps until 8 AM. I can't figure out what the magical combination is. I asked whether I needed to stop feeding him at night and Dr. W. said I still could so I'll continue to blindly stumble into his room and sleep in his chair for 20 minutes a few times a night. Unfortunately, crying it out is not an option for a few reasons. 1. James. :) 2. If I lay in bed and pretend not to hear him, Eddie gets up and blindly stumbles to his room and brings him back to me. And I'm not complaining about that because I think that's really nice. (MaMa told me when I was pregnant with James that Buddy brought all of their babies to her in the middle of the night. And while that's not shocking to me AT ALL because he was the sweetest man, I think it's such a nice thought. Or maybe the daddies are just tired of hearing the baby cry and think if they bring them to mama they'll get to go back to sleep. Whatever works. I think it makes the MaMa and Buddy story even better to mention that they had four babies in about four years so this was a constant thing for a while.)

* He wears a size 2 diaper during the day and a size 3 at night. I really think the 2s are too small but Eddie doesn't so he bought another pack.

* He eats every 3 hours during the day BUT I can usually stretch him to 4 if we're busy or out and about.

* He likes his paci a little more these days but only when he's tired. He does prefer a finger or thumb.

* He sleeps unswaddled in his crib. James was still swaddled in our room at this point. :)

* He is the HAPPIEST baby. A man in the waiting room at the doctor's office yesterday said, "Your baby is just smiling and smiling!" and he does. All the time. I love it!

* He doesn't mind his carseat at all. I'm not sure he likes it as much as James, but he doesn't mind it a bit!

* He LOVES his swing. It is the most calming "toy" we have and aside from me holding him, this is the way he naps. I know, I know...

* He LOVES a bath. He just sits in it and relaxes. I feel like I should ask him if he'd like a book. Ha! No smiles, no noises, just relaxing.

* He is not a fan of tummy time. I'm not great at remembering to do this with him, but he hates it when we do.

* He's trying SO hard to roll over but all the chub gets in the way. (Back to tummy roll...he actually hasn't attempted the tummy to back roll...maybe because we don't do enough tummy time!) Trying to roll is very new. Before he just wanted to sit straight up. He's practiced crunches a LOT.

Apparently gaining weight AND growing hair was on the agenda this month!

* He's holding his head up well and can sit for a few seconds before "folding up."

* He's definitely hit the reach and grab milestone as well as the tracking milestone.

* He loves his two high chair toys. One is a wad (for lack of a better world) of weird toys and shapes all sewn together and the other is Sophie (Bophie, according to James) the Giraffe!

* He found his feet almost two weeks ago and LOVES to hold them. He has put his toes in his mouth. Good thing baby feet are so sweet! He just discovered his hands and he looks at them in amazement.

* He's so ticklish! Anywhere I touch him he laughs and squirms. Hilarious!

* He's LOTS of fun right now. Awake more often, taking things in, but not yet mobile! Fortunately, the mobile stage will come right when school starts back for James. Then at least I'll have two mornings a week of just chasing one! Ha!


* We've been given the go-ahead on cereal for Will, even though James has food allergies. Dr. W. said it depended on whom we asked as to whether it was okay to start. I told him I wanted his opinion and he said to go ahead. Since he's stopped sleeping through the night I think we'll try it Saturday morning!


* We've also been given the go-ahead on sunscreen since we're going to the beach in a few weeks. Thank goodness!


* Will has a few white patches on his chest. If you squint your eyes and looks really closely, you can see them a little bit in the picture below. Dr. W. thinks they may possibly be areas of no pigmentation so we'll watch it. It's not anything to worry about but COULD BE a sign of hypo-thyroidism so we'll wait and see. That said, the last time he had a blood draw (at the hospital) everything checked out okay.

* He is honestly the SWEETEST baby ever. He has moments of frustration (and when he's mad, he's LOUD), but he is typically just laid back and sweet. We love him so!