Nugget,
Today you turn four months old. The fourth month of your life can best be described as the one where you were really cranky. No one told me that three month old babies are really, really cranky. I just kept hearing from all the mothers how after you reached the three month mark you’d be easier to care for. I did notice things getting easier but I didn’t admit it to myself at first just in case it was a phase for a few days that you’d quickly outgrow. Your temperament, however, has been harder to soothe. My first thought was “teething†but the pediatrician said you don’t have any of the tell-a-tale gum bruising that always precedes. She says it’s just your oral phase. You could possibly be cranky because for the first week of this month we were in Crested Butte you were completely spoiled by GG and your Pa. This is also where you discovered television. Friends of ours let us borrow their toddler’s Language Nursery DVD because he’d outgrown it and now you’ll sit in front of the TV for a long time while soothing voices speak to you like the baby UN.
At your 4 month checkup you were such a superstar. You still coo with obvious emotion behind each sound; it’s easy for us to decipher if you’re happy, or frustrated, or tired, or whatever. For about month now you’ve been keeping your head level with your body when we do baby sit-ups. However now you want to pull yourself to a standing position at the end. I didn’t teach you how to do this; you just started doing it on your own one day. You bear all your own body weight and mamma is just there to provide balance. Your newest trick is that I hold you by the trunk and shift your weight from side to side calling out “left foot . . . right foot . . . left foot . . . right foot†and you’ll pick that foot up and place it forward. When we showed the doctor she said, “four month old babies aren’t supposed to be able to do that†at which point I said, “well . . . O.K. . . . .“ and you showed it to her again. You can lift up your head when we put you on your tummy and if we prop you on your arms you can hold your head upright for a short time. You started rolling over from your back to your tummy in your third month but we haven’t seen you do it that often anymore. However this month you rolled over from your tummy to your back with great fanfare and pride. You’ve been working hard at trying to get your whole baby fist into your mouth. If you get really good you’ll have a great party trick when you go off to college. We love when you laugh and squeal with delight. You’ve started breaking out of the bottom half of your swaddle but The Worlds Greatest Baby Genius says that doesn’t matter at all.
One night you woke us up making these unusual noises. When your daddy went into check on you you had unswaddled yourself, wiggled out of your pajamas AND socks, and scooted to the far end of the crib. Completely naked except for your diaper and the tiny pink bow on your head, you were so proud of yourself and were giggling at your accomplishment. The diaper and bow will probably be the next two to go.
(cell phone photo)
You’ve started to REALLY love your Aquarium Bouncer — especially since I had the stupid motor replaced. The original motor only worked for 15 minutes before the music started sounding like a record played on the wrong speed. There was a huge note on the battery compartment that said not to return the bouncer to the store if it started sounding slow but to call them instead. That was a huge red flag to me that Fisher Price knows it’s a common problem with their product. Fisher Price told me it was the batteries but I replaced them with the same results. When I called back, FP said I must have replaced the “old†batteries with “bad†batteries. When I replaced the MOTOR section of the bouncer both the “old†and the “bad†batteries worked just fine.
We finally figured you were old enough for some longer outings without melting down and momma planned a trip to The Georgia Aquarium. Your momma had really wanted to go when it opened but she was 8 months pregnant with you and too uncomfortable to feel like doing much walking. Your daddy and I were not expecting for you to enjoy the visit as much as you did. It was obvious you could see some of the things in the tank for you would follow them with your eyes wide open and jaw dropped. Your favorite were the Beluga Whales but until you met them the people watching was your favorite part.
You’re still the quicker spitter upper and I still stink of milk. Bad milk. Milk that’s spoiled. Milk that’s spoiled and has spent time being digested. Thank god you’re cute.
You were really adorable for the family over Easter weekend and everyone wanted to eat you up but on Easter proper you were pretty cranky. It was hard to get a good picture of you in your bunny suit given by a family member whose relationship to us is so complicated to explain, it could only happen in the South. When we arrived early for church we kinda, sorta accomplished a family photo with the help of one of my friends.
Babygirl, we just LOVE being your parents, even when you’re a cranky little nugget. You’ve got quite a power over me and I’m more and more captivated by you every day.
Love,
Momma