Monday, August 29, 2011

4 months


Dear Avery, 
My sweet girl is 4 months old!! So many new things..  let's list them:
* So chatty. Lots of funny drawn out sounds... especially when you are on your back on the playmat and life is carrying on around you (meaning, you aren't getting 100% of our attention). Also when we are in the car and you are supposed to be napping. I think your brother really believes you are talking JUST to him, which is adorable.
* You are waking less at night - but, I really don't want to go into too much detail here. I know I know.. the jinx isn't real!!! But sometimes, oh my GOD it so IS REAL. So, maybe we'll re-cap your sleep in a few months. Or never. But, for the sake of documenting milestones of sorts, I will say that we ditched the swaddle about a week and a half ago. You were busting out of it every 2-3 hours, and so we bit the bullet, starting with 2 days of swaddle-free naps. It has gone well!
* You weighed in at 16 pounds 1 oz at your 4 month appointment. Your brother, at the same age, weighed 16 pounds 7 ounces. So, not very different. You clocked in taller though. You were 95th percentile in weight, and 100th percentile in height. And your head circumference was 16.5 - which is funny, because I never really knew the significance of head circumference before.. and now I do! Ordering girly headbands online!! They always ask for head circumference. So yes, all medical things aside, I now find this measurement quite useful.
* You are still nursing.. still hating on most fake nipples. You'll take a pacifier sometimes - but ONLY when it's right before you take a nap. And ONLY if you see it first and deign to accept it - if we put it in your mouth, sight unseen (or if you're already crying) - forget it! Bottles are always a crapshoot at best, which makes leaving you with your father always stressful for me... but.... what're ya gonna do?? This has become my mantra of sorts, because we've exhausted all recommended methods/ideas to get you to take a bottle more consistently. Eh. What are ya gonna do???! I'm just grateful you nurse well. We went through a 2 week period recently where you were quite difficult (roughly the exact same age your brother was weaned completely!), but things are back to normal now.
* You love to be held. Way more than your brother ever did. He never loved to be held 'like a baby' (cradle position).. but you love it. You look so relaxed and just at peace, being held by whomever.. chilling out. 
* You are grabbing at things - but not all the time. Your little fists are still so tightly clenched all the time.. when we dangle an object/toy in front of you - you stop and focus on it, then you sort of rake it closer to you using more of your arms than your hands. You get frustrated sometimes when you clearly WANT to hold something, but just can't. 
* You really love to be held during dinner time. We had usually put you in the bouncer while we ate - so we could all eat a little easier... but you just fuss and squawk and kick your legs so furiously, and we can just feel you staring us down - we always end up picking you up and holding you, sitting up on one of our legs while we eat. Then, you are just calm as can be - watching all of us intently.
* You just recently showed some fear over the hair-dryer. Every time I turned it on, you would cry SO hard and would look so scared/sad. It was beyond cute, obviously, but I'll be wearing my hair wavy for a while I think.
* Just the past few days you have wanted to bear weight on your stubby little legs. It's the cutest thing EVER. And you are solid, too! You lock those legs and you don't move an inch! (and when you do this, the rolls and dimples are just that much more prominent and edible..)
* You wear mostly all 6-9 month clothes. Definitely outgrown your 3 month stash - and most all of the 3-6 month sizes, too. We've put you in several size 12 months things, and they fit well. At this rate, I'll be shopping in the toddler section WELL before you are toddling.
You're the most beautiful little 4 month old we know, we love you!


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Hair Today......... Gone Tomorrow

Just wanted to do a quick comparison of my kids.


No, not anything developmental.. nothing that would give them any extra ammo against me in adult therapy sessions. Hair loss. Both my babies have lost the majority of their baby-bird-soft hair at approximately the same age. Right around 3 months old. (Yes, I too have lost copious amounts of hair at this exact same time, but you will not find me posting side-by-side pics of the return of my receding hairline.) Neither are stomach sleepers, so their tossing and turning in the crib/bouncer/car-seat have much to do with the sides being totally lost. The hair, for Andrew at least, returns in a few months.. And, so far, the moms of little girls I've talked to? They all say long hair is so overrated. The washing.. styling.. etc etc..   I'll take some bald sides for as long as I can get them!

The last two pics are Andrew. His hair loss was a lot more pronounced. Mange-like, even.