Mila @ Four Months

Mila Carys is four months today, one third of the way through her first year of life.  She's had a very big month with so many milestones and she continues to be the sweetest and happiest baby girl.  I don't know how else to put it - her smile lights up my world and makes me feel like there is nothing the more important than being here and taking care of her and her brother.  She smiles with her whole face...squints her eyes, wrinkles her nose, and brings her fists up to her face as if she can't contain her joy.  It brings me to my knees multiple times every day and I wish I could bottle it up for eternity.

Milestones at four months old...

-You have grown a lot this month, evidenced by your eating and sleeping habits the last couple of weeks.  You still sleep in your swing during the day and last week, you slept for three hours in the morning and another three hours in the afternoon.  Your feet are starting to hang off the end and I fear your swing days are numbered.     

-We transitioned you out of your swaddle at night, but you still sleep with a sleep sack.  We have established a nighttime routine that seems to work for all of us lately - you go to sleep with a five ounce bottle about 8:00, wake up to eat around 3, and go back to sleep until 6:30.  You've skipped that night feeding a few times this month, but it's still pretty routine.  I think you just miss me. :)

-You still love your baths and you splash like it's nobody's business!  You have this sparkle in your eye when you do it, especially when your daddy's in charge of your bath.  Tonight, your bath water was half of what we started with and you were a mess!   

-You rolled from your back to your tummy on May 6.  You had been trying so hard for a couple weeks, but finally figured it out for good.  Your neck has gotten so strong this month and you are now quite the pro at tummy time.   

-You constantly have something in your mouth - your hand, your green teething ring, your dress, or anything soft (I think you are going to be a blankie girl).  You also discovered your toes the other day and it's only a matter of time before you figure out how to get those in your mouth, too!

-In addition to rolling over, you seem to be a little magician when it comes to sleeping in your crib at night.  It's amazing to me - I will put you in one way and the next morning you are laying in the exact opposite direction.  You arch your back, scoot your butt, and crane your little neck and turn yourself in circles.  Silly girl.

-We started giving you a little rice cereal about an hour before bed.  You seem more interested in the process of this spoon-feeding thing than in the food itself and you always give me this half smile like you think the whole thing is funny.  You also showed a unique interest in a strawberry your grandma was eating on your baptism day.  You started crying when she wouldn't share!  You are going to be ready for baby food before too long.  

-Perhaps my favorite memory of your fourth month also occurred on your baptism day.  You were cuddling in the crook of my arm and you started playing peekaboo with me!  You dug your face into my arm, then looked up at me with this little smirk on your face before turning your face back into my arm, and you doing it over and over and over again!  It was the cutest thing ever.    

-You are still a peanut, weighing 13 lbs. and 14 oz.  You are still wearing your 0-3 month clothes, but your sleepers are too short.  You are 25 inches long, 40th percentile for weight and 75th for height. 

-You love playing under your farm mat, reading board books on our lap, or listening to the Avett Brothers in your crib.  You love being held front facing so you can see the world around you and you do not like being up on our shoulder like most people try to hold you.  You still seem to be a mommy's girl; however, you're coming around to your daddy all the time.  You love having your diaper changed and love being naked.  You are coming around to this whole outside business, even though the wind still takes your breath away.  Oh, and you have terrible smelling toots.  You can clear a room, little girl.  

Happy one-third, Mila Moo.  We love you more than all the stars...