Hannah: 4 Months

15 pounds 9 ounces

23.5 inches long

42 centimeter head circumference

My dear chubby cheeks,

Sweet Hannah, you are 4 months old! I can't believe you have completed 1/3 of a year! You had a doctors appointment today and you are a healthy girl! You are in the 75th percentile for weight and 25th percentile for height, and these are for your actual age, not adjusted age! We were worried the doctor would say something about your flat head but she said it was nothing to worry about, totally common and should round out now that you can hold your head up and spend more time upright. Yay! We are being referred to a physical therapist to work on your neck stiffness and get you loosened up a little. This will help since you will be more willing to turn your head to both sides equally instead of always turning to the right. Your motor development seems to fall more in line with your adjusted age of 3 months rather than your actual age of 4 months. But no worries, you have until about 2 years old to catch up and be considered totally normal and healthy. We have full confidence you are doing just fine.

I heard your first laugh today and it was the sweetest noise I've ever heard. You were on the changing table just kicking away having a grand ole time, and I said in a rapid, high pitched voice, "I love workouts!!" You did a little giggle for me so I repeated myself and I got a small chuckle, then you clammed up and wouldn't do it again. I think we have many more laughs in our future because you are so smiley and sweet. You truly are a happy natured baby. Dr. Irons said you are right on track with your social development. You give smiles to most anyone who smiles at you or makes a funny face. Sometimes you'll do a big smile, then it'll turn into a full on pout with your bottom lip turned out so perfectly. You will hold the pout for a minute then go into a big cry. Once you get worked up it takes some time to calm you back down, but that's mainly just when you are too tired.

You eat 5 ounces of formula about every 3 hours during the day. You'll sleep from 10 or 10:30 to about 6 or 6:30 in the morning. Some nights you stretch it a bit longer, but that's about your average. After you have a 4 ounce bottle you go back to sleep for about 2 hours. You're up around 9 most mornings. You are definitely more of a cat napper during the day but they are becoming more predictable. Naps are a work in progress.

You've started batting at toys recently but you're still very jerky. It sometimes looks like an accident since your movements are so awkward, but I can see the determination on your face. You stick your tongue out (like me and your great gran'dad) and focus really intently on whatever you are trying to hit. We've got a prescription for extra tummy time to help build up your neck muscles and arm/core tone so we should be seeing more swinging arms soon.

You celebrated your first Christmas and you were so good. You slept through some stuff, sat semi-quietly through others, we even got to eat without you unhappily interrupting (like you decided on Thanksgiving that you were starving right after I made my plate and sat down). You got all sorts of cool stuff, but I'm most excited about the zoo membership Grandma got us. I forsee a lot of nice days checking out the animals! You love the swing Santa brought and it has made naps a little more manageable. You also welcomed your first New Year! Dad had to work late so you were in bed well before he got home. But we got lots of extra kisses when you woke up.

You gained good control over your head this month so we can finally sit you in our laps and trust you to hold your head up. When you're being carried around we have to be careful because too much motion can make you a little bobbly, but for the most part you've got it. You are also a professional bubble maker. The doctor said you don't seem to be teething yet (despite some signs that we thought might point toward teething) so I guess you just love drooling and spitting every where! Your hair on top is really starting to fill in and we are very excited about that!

You outgrew 3 month clothes, so we are now in 6 month. You also outgrew the changing pad that was on top of the pack n play, so we now use the actual changing table in your room. You LOVE the mobile that hangs over it. This purple butterfly mobile probably makes you happier than anything else in life. It definitely makes you smile the most. You barely fit in the Bumbo because your little thighs are so chunky. We put together the Jumperoo Aunt Teresa got for you and you seem to love it. We've only tested it for a few minutes twice but I think it'll be a fan favorite before long.

You had your first one-on-one time with Nana and Papa Chip while Daddy and I celebrated his birthday. We went to dinner and saw a movie so you got a few hours to do some bonding with them. We both attended our first Babywearing International meeting at the Hoover Library. We checked out a Pikkolo buckle carrier that is pretty comfy. I can't tell if you like it or not though. The first time we used it you fell asleep and napped for 45 minutes (which is long for our 30 min cat napper!) but the next 2 times you cried when we got you in. I may not have had you sitting properly or something. You were pretty upset so I didn't try to problem solve for long. I hope we can get it worked out so you have a comfy position. It would be a big help for both of us!

We've completely given up on weekly pictures with the bear. I take a million pictures of you every day so it's not like we aren't documenting you growing up! But we will reserve the bear comparison pics for your monthly updates now. You were a great sport for our little photo session with my new camera lens, and with such an adorable subject it was hard to stop snapping away! (photos below)

Hannah, we loved seeing you light up this month. Every morning when you wake up you lay in your cradle and talk to yourself. You coo and gurgle (yea, that's new) and kick around. When we pick you up and say good morning you give the biggest smiles. It's probably my favorite moment of the day, every day. It's so refreshing to see so much happiness and purity every morning. We love you big girl, and can't wait to see more smiles and hear that laugh develop!!

love,
Mommy