Baker Bree | 4 Months

FOUR.

Another month has quickly passed us by.  Her sparkling bright eyes and the animation that fills her face when she locks eyes with someone she loves (which seems to be everyone these days..) is just nothing that can be put into words.  This month has been A BLAST!  As much as I miss her teeny newborn self, I have really enjoyed experiencing her growth, development, and explosion of her personality come through.  This girl is basically smiling 100% of the time.   As if her gummy grin from ear to ear isn't enough- her smiling eyes will get you right in the feels.

Goodness I.love.her. 

We went for Baker's 4 month well visit first thing this morning and my how much this sweet girl has grown!  Dr. Butler was impressed by her rolly polly legs and double chin(s).  We have a healthy baby girl on our hands.

Baker at FOUR months

Weight:  13 pounds 2 ounces (37th percentile)

Birth: 6 lbs 13 oz

Height: 24.8 in (67% percentile)

Birth: 19.1 in

Head: 41.9 cm (75% percentile)

Birth: 34.5 cm

 

Her growth charts look awesome and she's chugging right along. 

We did mention her having a little bit of an issue with reflux- I have noticed that she will wince or spit up and burping even hours after she's eaten.  Its only a little bit when she does it, and its not all the time so I am not completely convinced she needs reflux medication just yet, so we are going to try out a probiotic (BioGaia) to see if that might help before going the medication route.  It doesn't seem to bother her much during the day but could be a problem solver with her sleepless and restless movement at night.  She thrashes and seems so uncomfortable at night trying to fall asleep. More on sleep stuff below.

Sweet girl had her 4 month shots and took them like a champ!  She didn't even cry for the second one! I know having her daddy holding her helped a ton. 

 whats new..

This month was a big one for us.  Mama went back to work and Baker stayed with your BB for the first time without us.  Her first day away from mama went perfectly and Miss Baker didn't skip a beat.  It made going back to work much easier than expected.  Me going back to work forced us into a regular routine.  It was so easy to maintain a pretty strict schedule with twins when they were small.  They ate at the same time.  They slept at the same time.  They played at the same time.  But with toddler threenagers that 'routine' goes out the window pretty quick.  C'est la vie. What was NOT FUN was experiencing what we thought was her very first cold the same week I went back to work.  It seemed never ending and I feel like she still has some congestion come and go.  We ended up taking her for her first 'sick visit' and left with healthy ears and clear lungs (thank goodness).  Allergies.  A terrible case of a stuffy head related to allergies.  Bless her heart.  The congestion and runny eyes still comes and goes, but I feel like we've been able to keep it under control.  Thank you, Frida:)

Her belly couldn't bear to be strapped into the size 1 diapers anymore- and about a week ago we switched to size 2.  She still wears 0-3 month clothes (Gap + Old Navy), but the 3 month Carter's sleepers are getting a touch too short for her. It won't be long before she's wearing the larger sizes.  So hard for me to believe because in my previous experience with the twins they wore the 0-3 month clothes well into their 6th month!  I am absolutely loving her chubby self, though.  

Keep growing, big girl!

Baker girl lost all of her hair this month.  It basically fell out in like one day.  Overnight she went bald.. and twenty four hours later she had new growth.  I cant quite decide what color it is.. not as dark as it was before, but much darker than the twins ever was (yay!) 

We haven't officially let out a giggle or a belly laugh just yet- but Baker does this raspy cough thing when she is really happy or finds something amusing.  She is SO close to laughing and her big cheesy grins are so full of life and just dying to have a belly laugh come out.

I can be patient because I know it will be that good when it finally comes.

LOVES

LOVES to look at herself.  A reflection, the mirror, at the phone.  She studies herself and lets out a cough/laugh/giggle with the biggest grin on her face.  She's got one strong selfie game!

LOVES the mouse.  Yep.  Mickey Mouse.  She caws and hollers at the television any time she sees him - and again with the cough/laugh thing she does.

LOVES the bumbo seat.  She sits so confidently in that seat.  She holds her core and head up well enough to be comfortable and not completely squished like last month.  She also loves it because its the best seat in the house.

LOVES her wubby - but still cant figure it out enough to suck the pacifier part.

LOVES her sisters!  Her sisters are her most favorite people!

LOVES being outside.

LOVES looking at books.

LOVES bathtime.  She has started to kick kick kick her feet in the water.  Add in a little arm flailing and mama is soaked and she's a happy girl.

LOVES to be worn.  Whether its in the solly wrap or dad's 'manly' carrier, she's not picky.

HATES

HATES being alone.  This social baby is incredibly happy, but when she doesn't have anyone in her line of vision she gets pretty uptight and fusses a little until she is reassured someone is there.

HATES hateshateshates the carseat.  still.

I'm so thankful the LOVES outweigh the HATES:)

E A T

As you can tell from this girl's growth since birth and even since last month, she's an incredible eater. We bumped her bottles up to 6 ounces during the day and that girl sucks it bone dry every time.  She's only getting one or two bottles while I'm away and the rest of the time she's exclusively nursing.  I plan to do a post about my pumping/working/nursing routine (next week!) but I have her on a schedule to where (most days) I am able to nurse her before I leave for work in the morning and again right when I get home in the afternoon.  She eats about every 3-4 hours and waking about 5am to eat, 8am before I leave for work, 12-1pm, and then about 4pm when I get home.  Occasionally she has been known to sleep through that 8am feeding:)  Then its 7pm after we all eat dinner, and then she's down for the night by 9pm. 

 Girlfriend loves the boob.  Even though she is getting just a couple bottles during the day- my nursing sessions in the afternoon with her after I get home have become longer and more drawn out.  Normally when I nurse her before bed she will sleep at least 6 hours before waking for the first time - if she happens to get a bottle before sleep, she's up within just a couple hours looking for mama to comfort nurse.  Not once, not twice, but four times this same thing has happened.  She reminds me so much of Jolie when it comes to this part of her personality.  That sweet girl was the same way.  Started waking through the night when I went back to work - and would nurse for like 45 minutes.  Parker was literally 10 minutes, I'm done, lets move onto the next thing.  

Their personalities are still the same to this day.  The bond I've developed with Baker has been tremendously sweet.  She plays with my hair or my necklace while she nurses and I absolutely love spending that time with my sweet girl.   

P L A Y // D E V E L O P M E N T 

Baker loves to play this month!  I have really noticed a change in her observance of the hanging toys on the play mat as well as her Sophie.  We have two of those loud giraffes- one stays at home and one always remains in the diaper bag.  She has mastered the grasping of toys and once she gets ahold of the toy it goes straight into her mouth.  EVERYthing goes into her mouth these days.  She found both her feet and her hands this month and has one or the other in her mouth at all times.  No signs of teeth just yet, but we are approaching the stages, I think.
She has become very aware of her surroundings.  Responds to someone calling her name, dad's voice, and even recognizes the twins' when they are playing.  She loves to be close and loves to be touched. The moment she gets near you she's reaching and grasping to pull you in.
I sort of love it.
The drool and spit bubbles have started and I'm making use of the drooler scarves more than I thought I would.  Baker is a l m o s t blowing raspberries - she sticks her entire fist in her mouth and blows as hard as she can.  It won't be long before she figures out that game.  Baby girl holds her bottle by herself and is nearly able to sit up unassisted.. which isn't too far off because all she wants to do is pull up to the seated position.
She rolls from tummy to back and we have almost gotten her to roll from back to tummy.  She hasn't mastered moving that arm out of the way, so she ends up hanging out on her side.
Don't mind the belly.

S L E E P 

Over this last month, sleeps has been a touchy subject.  I type this out, eyes burning, while sitting on the sofa in the living room, Baker in the swing after a night of NO SLEEP for anyone and me finally giving up and resorting to swing sleeping and me curled in a ball on the couch. We had the same kinda party the night before.  Baker started having a hard time sleeping through the night the moment I went back to work.  Literally.  It was a combination of being sick and congested with allergies and because I wasn't feeding her enough in her bottles during the day (mom of the year).  We figured out the milk thing pretty quickly, and bumped her bottles from 4oz to 6oz, but while she was able to self soothe before by sucking her thumb, the congestion she was having wouldn't allow her to be comfortable enough to breathe well period, let alone suck her thumb.  Even though that has past, we are still partying about every other night (all night) over the last three weeks. I am slightly convinced that she is dealing with a couple things- 1.) four month sleep regression. and two.. she misses her mama during the day.  BUT at this age babies go through so many cognitive changes + developments its so hard to tell what in the world is going on with her.  Could it be gas? Who knows. I am hoping we see relief with the probiotic. I would be a little more in tune to doing medication if she seemed miserable all the time, but she's so happy, so I don't think that's her biggest problem. I do know that I miss the sleep we were all getting- but really I don't mind getting up with her.
Naps are pretty consistent at 3-4 times throughout the day.  She is awake much longer between feedings and its been really fun to have her interact into our regular daily routine instead of sleeping the day away.  She will usually take her first nap about 9:30-10am which will be anywhere from 45 minute to 1.5 hours.  Her next nap in around 1pm and some how the stars aligned for me and I have gotten all three girls to be on the same afternoon nap schedule (I have no secrets as to how I did that!)  This is Baker's longest nap during the day and is anywhere from 2-3 hours.  She will be awake through the rest of the afternoon and cat nap in the evening for about 45 minutes or so around 5-6pm.. perfect timing for me to get through the rush of dinner.
Now,  If we could get her to be consistent with her sleep through the night we would be in good shape:)

B A K E R

 What a big girl you are, sweet one!  I've absolutely loved seeing your amazing personality shine this past month!  You have a smile for everyone you see and we can't help but smile back at you..it is 100% contagious.  You are contagious.  Everyone seems to fall in love with you the moment they lock eyes.  You are still quite the talker, whether it be to people, your toys, mama or daddy, your sisters.. and especially that spider in the sky (ceiling fan).  Occasionally you'll have me locked in a gaze, grabbing my arm as if to say "what I'm about to say is very important, mama!"  You also love to chat me up while nursing, which is adorable but makes feeding slow.  I do wish I knew what exciting stories you were sharing.  
You have discovered both your hands and your feet this month and are chewing away on your fingers and toes constantly.  When your hands aren't in your mouth they are holding your tiny feet.  Right before I went back to work we transitioned you from the swaddle to the sleep sac.  I never really loved the swaddling to begin with, so even though your big sisters were swaddled until almost 6 months, you were over it and have loved the freedom to be able to kick your legs and flail your arms freely.  You also graduated to size 2 diapers!  That belly of yours is out.of.control. and it takes everything I have not to blow raspberries all over your tummy anytime its peeking out from your shirt or during diaper changes. You are so very precious when it comes to how loving your personality has become.  So much like Jo it is unreal.  It is my absolute favorite when you pull me in as close as possible and whale your raspy voice in my face.  Hands down some of my favorite moments with you, my sweet girl.  
A few weeks ago you rolled over from your stomach to your back!  I'm not sure who was more shocked, you or your mama!  But I was sitting right there to witness it and it was the greatest feeling ever.  I was so proud and cheered you on to do it over and over again.  You've rolled several times since and are now trying to roll from back to stomach.  No luck yet.. not until we figure out that pesky arm in the way.  

Your legs are so strong!  You love to stand on our laps and can do it for quite awhile.  You would just assume hang out like that than sit still on our laps for any length of time.  You are just so cute, Baker!!

Your sisters are the absolute best and it shows how much you love them.  You immediately reach for them the second they come close to you.  They love it and squeal "she's holding my hand, mama!" and you talk talk talk their ears off.  What sweet siblings you girls are and how lucky am I to get to watch all this from above.

I'm am positive that I kiss your sweet cheeks a thousand times a day.  You put up with my silly voices, my bouncing around, and my constant snuggles well and give me the biggest grin every.single.time.  I wish you weren't in such a hurry to grow up because I sure do love this stage with you, baby girl.

 

HAPPY FOUR MONTHS to the sweetest and most happy baby girl on the planet.
Oh, how I love you so.