Liam: 4 Months

Liam, 

Oh sweet boy, you are three months old! Can you believe that you've been out in the world for a quarter of a year! You are getting so big and thriving so well.  You spent a lot of time with family this past month (thanks holidays!) and you survived it like a (almost always) smiling champ! 

Weight & Height:
You had your four month check up today, and clocked in at 26 in long and 14 lbs 1.5oz.  Growing steady, but I think you've held a similar weight between this month and last, but gained an inch.  You're still so slim and long.  You've gained a couple small rolls on your arms and legs-- but nothing to really notice.

Eating:
You started eating 5oz this month per feeding.  At night you only get one 4 oz bottle.  You're still eating every three hours during the day, and I'm so glad you're taking in a little bit more food each day.  You're a growing boy, and we need to keep you gaining steady weight.  You still get one bottle a day that is a mix of breast milk and formula, but I think those days are coming to an end quickly.

Sleeping (naps):
Oh, the days of napping…. Toward the middle of this month you decided you don't like napping. I think it was around the onset of the early stages of leap 4.  You maybe take one long nap each day (usually in the afternoon/evening), and one or two shorter cat naps (20-40 minutes).  

Sleeping (at night): 
You're still sleeping well at night.  You're working on new skills and they tend to wake you up.  You go down ideally between 7 and 8pm each night, but quite a few nights this month you refused to go down, and ended up staying up with mommy and daddy until your final bottle at 10pm.  Once your'e down though, you tend to stay asleep until between 3 and 5 am and wake for your "over night" bottle.  You always quickly go back to sleep and have continued to be an efficient night time eater.  

Clothing:
You are so long my sweet boy.  We still have a few 3M pieces that still fit, but you are definitely wearing a majority of 3-6M/6M clothing.  Its been so fun to pull out the next set of clothing and start dressing you in new outfits. We packed away most of your 3M, but since we still have a few pieces that fit- I can't bring myself to pack the box away until your (hopefully) brother comes along in the future.  

Social:
Oh my little social butterfly… You continue to enjoy being around people.  You still don't care who is talking to you, or playing with you, as long as SOMEONE is doing so.  You love being held when we are out and you are awake so you can see all the sights and people.  You've started a new annoyance- you don't like being left alone or left in your seat when we are eating dinner.  You want to be sitting at the table with us- I can not wait until you are sitting up on your own and are able to sit in a high chair at the table with us (and not in mommy's lap).

Likes:
Bath time. Bath time. Bath time.  You love to kick your legs and splash.
You love your play mat and sneaking in some TV watching while you're laying in the living room.  
You love waking up- it seems strange but you are the happiest, bubbly little boy first thing in the morning.  When I am able to come in a get you, you give me the biggest smiles and squeals of delight.

Dislikes:
Same as usual-- being ignored, tummy time, going to sleep, the time when we are getting you redressed after bath time.

New This Month:
ROLLING OVER!  You ended month 4 by rolling over! We are so proud of you buggy! Not long now, and you'll be doing it all the time to get places.
Reaching- You're really starting to reach for your toes and pacifiers.
Mommy went back to work and daddy started staying home to take care of you.  

Mommy:
Mommy finally went back to work in the middle of this month, it was so hard to go back and leave you at home. But at the same time, it was easier than I imagined it would be… (Thanks to daddy.)  Because daddy is staying home with you for now, it has made the transition back to work a little easier.  I am still struggling to find balance in all things, and get back into the swing of things at work, but I'm getting there one day at a time. Coming home at the end of the day, and Friday afternoons have never seemed like a better thing than they do now.  I rush home to feed you your late afternoon bottle and cuddle you for your afternoon nap.  You always greet me with the biggest smile and desire to be hugged- it has really been a great treat each day.

We love you so much Gummy Bear.  We want to give you the world, and then more.  Keep growing and exploring.

Love indefinitely,

Mommy

PS- I will be back to add pictures later….

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Liam: 3 Months

A self measured height- no clue if it's right.

Liam, 

Oh sweet boy, you are three months old! Can you believe that you've been out in the world for a quarter of a year! You are getting so big and thriving so well.  You spent a lot of time with family this past month (thanks holidays!) and you survived it like a (almost always) smiling champ! 

Weight & Height:
There was no doctor's appointment this month, so I'm not sure how much you have grown in height, but you have put on a few good healthy LBs!  When mommy weighed you on the home scale you were weighing in at 14.2 pounds!  (Almost three solid pounds more than last month!) I'm happy you're putting on weight and that your little face seems to be rounding out nicely.  You've got a cute and TINY belly on you, but still continue to be long and lean.  You're still wearing size 1 diapers, although mommy ordered a box of size 2 in preparation to switch you, but you've held strong.

A thumb!

Eating:
Although your doctor said you could have more to eat if you want it, you continue to be satisfied with 4 ounces at a feeding.  We have tried a couple times to up you to 5 ounces, but it always leads to spit up and clearly makes your tummy upset.  You eat every three hours (mommy's decision) and are always hungry by that time-- a few times you have gotten hungry at the 2 1/2 hour mark- so we feed you early.  You take one last bottle each night at 10pm, and then sleep (semi-peacefully) most nights until sometime between 2-4am when you wake for an additional bottle.  

You are still taking 6 formula bottles and 1 frozen BM bottle a day, and hate to be bothered during meal time.  You have the cutest way of clasping your hands under your bottle, or locking your hand around my finger while getting one finger into the lip of the bottle making it almost impossible to remove from your mouth to burp you.

Feed me Papa!

Sleeping (naps):
Naps this month have been sporadic and mostly taken while in the arms of mommy or daddy.  Thanks to the holiday craziness for all the extra cuddle sessions! Usually though you would take two long naps and two shorter naps during the day.  Most days you wake up to eat between 6/7am and then take a short nap until 730/8 when you decide you are ready for mommy to be up and entertain you.

Mmm... Blankie, toys... No thanks, I'll sleep!

Sleeping (at night): 
You are such a good little sleeper most nights.  This month has been a little rough, just because we were so far out of our routine and your comfort zone for the majority of the month.  You also caught your first cold and went through your third Leap, which made getting good amounts of sleep quite a challenge.  Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon, and will go back to your normal sleep schedule. You are still sleeping in your Rock 'n Sleeper- we are hoping to transition you to your crib for naps and sleep, hopefully in the next month.  You just have no interest in your crib yet, so we aren't fighting it.

Time to move me daddy....Zzzz

Clothing:
Oh my string bean! You are so long and thin.  You still fit into most of your 0-3M clothing, though some of it was getting a little tight in the length.  The biggest problem with 0-3M clothing is that the arms and legs aren't quite long enough.  You wore a few 3-6M outfits this month, but your 6M pants are just too baggy around your waist and look silly when you wear them.  You received some clothing for Christmas, half of which won't fit your for awhile yet-- Mommy and daddy appreciate the bigger sizes. Hopefully, you'll continue to fill out in that tiny belly of yours and your pants will actually fit correctly.

New toys! Mesmerized by the mini-mobile!

Social:
You are quite a social baby, and really enjoyed making faces and talking to anyone who would pay attention to you this month (which wasn't hard to come by with so much family around).  You did get overwhelmed quickly though if there were too many people around or too many people holding you in a short amount of time.  You really craved a quiet tight hold in mommy or daddy's arms and would calm down pretty quickly.  You didn't mind visiting with other people as long as you were with mommy and daddy.  You have also gotten into a demanding habit at dinner time of requiring that you sit at the table with everyone and be part of the conversation.  

First picture with Santa- you were not impressed and slept the whole time!

Likes:
You're likes this month are still pretty similar.  You like spending time with mommy and daddy as long as you can see us- which means making sure you are able to sit up and and that we are looking at you.  You still like your pacifier and really enjoy your Froggy WubbaNub.  I think it's your favorite because you have learned to start grasping things- sort of.  You've also become very controlling with your pacifier and will spit it out when given to you, so that you can push it back in by yourself.  You also really like to hold onto it with your thumb.  You like chewing on your thumbs too.  Mommy and daddy bought you a new playmat this month and you LOVE it.  It's so much fun seeing you look at and try out your new toys.  You also really like getting your diaper/outfit changed.  I'm not sure why but you love having your clothes taken off and put back on.

Momma's best Xmas present!

Look Momma! I'm Santa's elf!!

Dislikes:
Two words… Tummy Time.  You hate it- can't stand it… You are getting better at lifting your head up which makes you tolerate it for around a minute or two, but once your muscles get tired you are over it. You like to sit up though, and don't want your head held for you- so you're muscles are still getting a work out.  You also seemed to dislike and grow tired quickly of all the family and people picking you up and poking at your when you're normally content and relaxing.  

What is this football!? GO Niners!

New This Month:
You had your first Cookie Day at Gigi's, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.  It was a busy month for first holidays for you.  
On Christmas Eve, you spent your first night in a hotel (your first night away from home since we brought you home from the hospital).
You helped mommy open your first Christmas presents, though you weren't impressed. 
You finally met the last of daddy's side of the family (except for your Aunt C).
We celebrated daddy's graduation from college this month and you fully enjoyed daddy's graduation party.  
You've started to laugh- it's short, fleeting, and inconsistent at best but you've started to giggle some when your smile just gets to big.  You definitely got your Papa's smile, your eyes close to a squint when you are truly happy (like mommy and papa).
You found your thumb finally this month, and if there is no binky- there is at least one thumb in your mouth. You don't really suck on your thumb/fingers as much as you chew on them. You really like having both thumbs in your mouth at the same time.
You got your first cold (mommy shared with you and daddy), your poor little nose is so runny and you've got a little cough when you get emotional.  

Happy 2014!

Mommy:
I'm doing good.  We are doing good.  Although this month was full of a lot of stress- are the holidays ever not stressful?! I survived and am so happy to have you here experiencing them with us.  I caught a cold some time during the holidays and then shared it with you and daddy (Mommy fail).  Luckily it was just a little cold and no one needed to go to the doctors.  I am not looking forward to going back to work in the middle of next month, but so grateful that part of my maternity leave overlapped with holiday break- buying me two extra weeks at home with you. Overall things are good for me, I'm still adjusting to the lack of sleep and constant work to fulfill your needs- I just keep reminding myself "babies don't keep" and all to quickly this stage will be over-- so for now we enjoy our time together.  

Cuddles with Gigi > Decorating cookies

Runny nose + Drool = Stock in Kleenex

I HATE tummy time, mom!  (Can we talk about the drool for a second... Oi!)

Wait-- What? I get milk after...

Okay... I'll deal with it...

We love you so much Gummy Bear.  We want to give you the world, and then more.  Keep growing and exploring.

Love indefinitely,

Mommy