Millie's 4-Month Update

Dear Millie,
Last week, you turned four months old.  And celebrated that little milestone with your first ear infection.  We were on vacation in San Diego and my sweet, little bundle of easy baby turned into a wake-up-every-three-hours nightmare.  You didn't have any other symptoms of an ear infection, but on a hunch I took you in and there it was.

So, the first few days of our vacation (for you and me, anyway) were rough.  But in the end, it all worked out and you have returned back to your regularly scheduled awesomeness. (Just in time for your four-month shots, but that's another story).

This last month has been a big one for you in terms of growth and development.  You are tipping the scales at 16.5 pounds and are 26.5 inches long.  You're in the 98th percentile in length and 93rd percentile in weight.  So that means that there are at least 2% of babies in this world that are taller than you.  (This is progress for our family, as your sister was in the 104 percentile at one point... which seemed to be a little abnormal.)  In other words, my four-month old is the approximate size of a nine-month-old.  No average four-month-old for you.  No siree.  Let this be a lesson to you that you are not average.

You are unique...

You are special...

You are sooooo happy!  I mean, your sister was a happy baby, but you.... well, you take the cake.  I have never heard a baby giggle as hard and as much as you do.  It's so fun to just sit on the floor with you and make faces while touching your tickle spots (your legs are extremely ticklish!) and watch you lose your mind in delight.  I especially love making you laugh when the two of us are out shopping.  When we had to go to the CVS Pharmacy in San Diego to get your meds, you and I had a lovely outing... full of giggles, coos and smiles.  In fact, the pharmacists couldn't believe that you had an ear infection.  And your laugh was so contagious, that people standing in line behind me couldn't help but smile.  I like to think that your laugh brightened up more than a few people's days that day.  In fact, a complete stranger came up to you and made you laugh.

I hope that you always have that contagious happiness, Millie.  You make every room brighter with your smile.  And you don't have to be talked into being happy or laughing.  You WANT to be happy.  You WANT to laugh.  You WANT to be just like your sister... we can see it now.  The two of you are going to gang up on us and then we'll really be screwed.

We brought out the jump-a-roo for you a couple of weeks ago.  Your sis started in the jump-a-roo when she was four months, but you seemed to be ready for it earlier.  You LOVE it.  And you play with the attachments already... it's absolutely insane how quickly you progress.  For the love!  You can already turn yourself around in it!  I don't know that Hazel ever mastered that particular skill!  You sister loves to play with you in the jump-a-roo.  This consists mostly of her getting right in your grill and laughing hysterically.  And then stealing your binkie, sucking on it and then attempting to put it back in your mouth.  Where she will again steal it and repeat the cycle.

And you love it. You truly love your sister.  And she loves you.  Has from about the time you were two weeks old.  She always wants to play with you, kiss you, hold you, feed you cereal... all things that require Mommy to monitor.  But I know that both you and she can't wait until I turn you loose with each other.  And then.... well, I hope this neighborhood city country world is ready. 

You've also learned how to roll over.  It was a sad day when that happened.  It was June 4th.  I remember because your Daddy was in Vail.  I was attempting to bathe Hazel and you were in the living room alone playing in the gym.  Your Aunt KC came over and I yelled at her to play with you while I finished bathing your sister.  That's when she yelled back:  "Um... Millie's trying to roll over."

To which I responded: "No... she's been rolling to her side a lot recently.  Usually that's how she falls asleep.  Don't worry about it!"

Approximately 20 seconds later...

"Millie just rolled over!"

Yea.  And both your Daddy and I missed it.  But, at least someone from the family got to see it, right?  Huge bummer.  But, as it turns out, you're a pretty big fan of rolling over so I like to say that the first time you actually rolled over was on June 5... in front of both Daddy and me.  We'll go with that story, mkay?

You have become quite the slobberer in the last month.  Literally.  You are a drooler, Millie Bean.  A big one.  I keep thinking that it's because you're about to teethe... as your sister had her first two teeth when she turned four-months-old... but, nope.  Nothing.  You're just an obligate slobberer.

You're still a binkie baby... although I blame myself for that.  I keep hoping that you're transition to the thumb but you get so frustrated trying to suck your thumb that I "help" by sticking the binkie in your mouth.  Which means that Mommy can't complain that she has to get up in the middle of the night to plug you back in. 

You are still hit and miss on your sleep.  Sometimes you can throw down 12 hours (your first was last night!) without a feeding.  Other times you wake up every four hours and want to feed.  I've instituted a new rule that you only get fed in the middle of the night if it's been at least 6 hours.  You're only interested in eating about 5 oz at a time.  Which is frustrating because sometimes I wonder if your sleep would be better if you would just tank up at night.  But, you're a bit of a snacker.  So, we deal. 

But, wonder of wonders... you are able to fall asleep at any time, in any place... without so much as a "How do you do?". How many times have I looked over at the gym where you were busy playing and laughing... to discover you are sound asleep?  How many times do your Daddy and I say to one another:  "Millie's asleep again."?  Too many to count.  It's hilarious how you can just fall asleep like that! 

You are such a fascinating baby, Millie.  You really are.  This morning, I went in to your room at 8 a.m. to see if you were asleep or at least stirring so I could feed you and you were just laying there... completely awake... just enjoying being.  And your face lit up when you saw me.  I felt my heart melt right then and there.

I know that these moments are fleeting.  I know that by this time next year you're probably going to be throwing temper tantrums like your sister (ah.... the divine comedy of being a toddler!) so right now, all I want to do is cuddle with you and rock you to sleep.  I want to make you laugh so I can ingrain that sound of pure happiness into my brain.  I want to make you smile so I can take a mental snapshot and think of it when I'm not with you.  I want to watch as you and your sister interact and capture those moments in my heart and be grateful at how blessed I am as a mother to witness such things. To know that I gave birth to two such special and amazing spirits.  That I'm raising a little family.  That I'm in charge of helping you make it through this world.  That I have a responsibility to help you become whatever it is that you're destined to become.

I hope and pray that I don't totally screw it up.

Love,
Mama