Rosemary: 4 Months

Dear Rosemary,

Mommy is late with your monthly posting- again. (sigh) But the reason is I spend the last free hour of my day holding a sleeping you, rather than at the computer. I'd rather snuggle up with you and enjoy my little baby than put you down even for this. I treasure these little moments so much. I've tried taking pictures of me holding you, but that's kinda hard to do yourself and they usually turn out looking fuzzy, so I just hold you close and mentally imprint the image on my heart. I've realized that with the third, and last, baby I am willing to give up just about anything to just hold your little baby self close in my arms, feeling that sweet joy and contentment that is so special between mother and child. That feeling is still there when you get bigger, but it's never the same as holding a tiny, vulnerable, reliant, precious baby. I just soak it in!
But enough mushy mommy stuff- let's talk about you! Because you are getting bigger by the day and realizing more and more about the world around you!

~Stats: We had a checkup this month and Doc said you are very healthy. Weight: 12 lbs 13 oz (32%), Height: 25 inches (78%). Still long and thin, but your percentages remain consistent, so that's good. You get five 6oz bottles per day, but rarely eat all of a bottle. You just are a fussy eater, like Georgia was. The Doc again reassured me you are healthy and won't let yourself starve!
~You may not like to eat, but you are a great sleeper! You love to sleep in long stretches. You like about a 1 1/2-2 hour nap in the morning, a short nap at lunchtime, a long 2 1/2-3 hour afternoon nap, and usually a little dinnertime snooze- then go right to bed after your last bottle (or whenever mommy finally puts you down after snuggling!), and snooze usually till your brother and sister come wake you in the morning, around 7am! I've been amazed how quick you've learned to put yourself to sleep- I can put you down awake and smiling, and you usually have no problem going right to sleep- with no paci! That part really amazes me! I am leaving one arm out of your swaddle a lot so you have fingers available to suck on.

~New tricks: I thought for sure you'd be rolling back to tummy by now- that was going to be your "new trick of the month". You are SO close! You get wiggling and get almost over- just one more shoulder holding you back! I think you're holding back on purpose b/c you really hate to be on your tummy- so why roll over onto it?! I am just fine with you waiting to go mobile in any way! You can still roll tummy to back, but often forget you have this skill and instead just get mad and try to smother yourself in the floor. So you only get limited tummy time!

~Vocal: You are quite a little blowfish! You tbbbbt at us all day long! It is really hilarious. You wake up doing it, you do it while trying to eat a bottle, you do it at the kids, in your carseat, etc etc. I'll often go to pick you up and your whole face is wet! Or- my face is wet from you!! We've all learned (the wet way!) to keep a couple feet radius when you get going!

~Playing- We have borrowed a playmat from a friend and you are loving it. You are really enjoying the ability to grab things and pull them to you- and of course put them in your mouth! You favorite is your elephant that hangs from your carseat. The kids love that you can play with toys now and try to be really helpful by bringing you LOTS of them! They make sure you are well entertained!
You have also started putting your toes in your mouth!! Yea!! The cutest thing babies do!! I love it! You are still mainly a finger-eater, but I'm hoping you'll try out those sweet toes more and more. There's just nothing cuter than a baby eating toes!

Another fun way you have started to play is by noticing yourself in the mirror. You love to smile at that cute baby and try to talk to her! You even like to watch yourself in videos on our phones. I can play a video of you to yourself over and over and you are just mesmerized by YOU!

~Personality: You continue to the the sweetest, smiliest baby ever. You share smiles with everyone and keep us all smiling back at you. You have made the transition to three kids probably the best it could have gone! I have also never seen a more ticklish baby. I can find a tickle spot on accident just by changing you or wiping off drool. Your little giggles are so funny! You are also very stubborn at times- like when you don't want to eat- and will yell loudly to make your point known. But thankfully you don't hold a grudge for long and don't usually yell incessantly, just enough so we know you're serious! You don't really like to sit, though you're getting pretty good at it, but would rather stand on our laps. Bout time to get the excersaucer out for you!

We know the time just keeps flying by and so we hug you and kiss you lots every day! We are soaking in every precious moment with our sweet BabyRosemary and can't wait to see what you'll learn next month!
love, Mommy

2 Weeks old

9 Weeks old

17 Weeks old