4 Months!

Dear Annie,

I apologize for being a few days late on your four month letter. You have kept us really busy these past few days. We went to Lake of the Ozarks for my work training thingie, and because I didn't want to be away from you (and there may or may not have been concerned about three days of solo parenting), you and your Dad came along. We had a great time together, but learned some very important things about traveling with you. Mainly, that we should bring plenty of reading material to keep us occupied in the room between the hours of 7 and bedtime. It was also fascinating to watch (and hear!) you thump your way around your pack and play. You were a little infant sundial. Each time I checked on you, you had rotated another 90 degrees, which is impressive to do while swaddled.

Yes, you are still swaddled. I look forward to tucking you into this thing when you are 17, because that's how it's looking like it is going to go at this rate. It is not for lack of trying that you are still swaddled. There have been several attempts to get you to sleep at night without it, but once you realize you are not strapped in, you flail about, screeching in delight at your freedom. We'll have none of that frivolity in this house. At least not between the hours of 7pm and 7am. So on goes the swaddle and you fall asleep in seconds. It's voodoo. And I have it on good authority that Dr. Eaton is going to recommend we stop using this month. Rick's response to this was "Well, then he can come over and put her to bed.". I wonder if that's included in his scope of services?

You are still in a size 1 diaper, though that's about to change here shortly. You are wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes but can still fit into 3 month separates. You love to scream and smile very big at just about everyone. You still love your bunny and only really use your binkie to fall asleep but thankfully are able to stay asleep when it falls out. Lately you have been waking up at around 4 in the morning and seem to be restless. I have been feeding you and you go directly back to sleep until around 7:15 or so. You are always in a great mood when you wake up and I love seeing your gummy smile that shows more bottom gum than top gum. Your Daddy and I always "fight" to see who can get the first smile of the day. And when you smile really big, you get a dimple on the right side of your nose that makes my heart want to burst.

When I first had you, I remember everyone giving me advice that it would get easier after two weeks, two months, and five months. I remember you being two weeks old and thinking that five months seemed like it was a lifetime away. Now it's almost here and it's gone so quickly. I can't imagine you being any easier than you already are, but I am looking forward to you proving those people right.