4 Months Old

 Miss Ava Grace we are delighting in you more and more little girl. Your personality is starting to peak through each day. You smile pretty much whenever there is a face looking in on you, and to hear your belly laughs makes my heart soar. When brother takes his afternoon nap, I love to hold you facing me and we "talk" or laugh or sing.

Tuesday was when you were officially four months old and also the day I took you for your four month check up. You currently weigh 13.3 pounds (40 percentile) and are 26 inches long (95 percentile). No wonder your six months clothes are fitting so well and I'm contemplating on moving you to size three diapers. I looked yesterday and you are the same length your brother was at six months.

Still no sign of teeth but you gnaw on your hands like there's no tomorrow. We have tried to give you teething rings or toys, but you prefer your hands or blanket to chew on. It was hard dressing you today because you kept wanting to put your dress in your mouth. I also think a fountain may have sprung in there with the amount of drool that comes out of it. Let's just say that I learned the hard way when trying to lift you above my head.

We are still working on tummy time. You don't like it very much, but you're going to have to get used to it so that bald spot on the back of your head doesn't keep growing. I did find you trying to roll from your back to your tummy this morning in your cradle. I guess that I will soon have to move you to your crib at night. I probably could have a month ago because you are a champion night sleeper. I said night sleeper for a reason. Day time naps are another story. But at night you sleep from 9:30 to about 7:30 in the morning. However, it looks like there is a list of cousins who will soon be needing the cradle your great grandfather built more than 30 years ago.

The ladies in the church nursery still say how sweet you are and that you never cry. I'm hoping this stays that way because quite honestly, you have been having some separation anxiety the last week when it comes to mama. If you know I'm in the room, but I don't have you, you let everyone know it.

 

However, if you are in your bouncer and start crying, I'll ask Gavin to talk to you. Just seeing him usually settles you down. Gavin loves to "read" to you in your crib even if he sometimes gets aggravated your leg is on the book. He keeps asking me if you have grown yet because he is so ready to have someone to play with. Don't worry Gav, she'll be more interested in playing soon.

 

Sweet girl, four months are zooming on by faster than I would like,but with it means more memories and milestones. I love you to the moon and back and more.

Mama

Getting our Money's Worth

I am working on putting together Ava's 4 month update, but until then, here's a non-paid endorsement.

The Bumbo: It works from four months

to nearly four years.

And believe me, it was all his idea.

The Big Green Chair

I have always wanted family pictures out in some whimsical field, so I figured if I could get pictures of two out of four of my family members we were doing fairly well. Can I just say that I have a much greater appreciation for photographers that do this all of the time. I'm glad I was able to take their pictures, but it was work! I gathered far extra props than we ever used and several outfit changes even though we only changed the kiddos into one other outfit (I didn't post any of those photos but may later on). I had to let some things go though like when the horse wouldn't be enticed by the hay so she could just so happen to be in the background. Oh well, I think I know someone who can Photoshop some horses in.  To that same person, I owe a big thank you for helping me drag out the chair, chase away flies for a little boy and try to get smiles from our cheeky little baby. Thanks hunny!

It Only Took a Week

Easter 2012

Super sweet kids Easter service at church followed by egg hunt and petting zoo



Letting the breeze flow through the hair


Tons of pictures as a way to distract from the eggs being hid


Being wrapped around someone's finger at the first introduction


Color coordinating with the grandparents and about 30 other family members unintentionally

Eager anticipation

All summed up = cherished family memories.

So Little

So while I go through the hundreds of Easter pictures we took, here are a few of Ava's newborn pictures I realized were never posted. This was back when she was only about three weeks old. My how she has changed in the short months since. There is actually one tiny tie in with these pictures and our Easter pictures. I pinned the rather large pink flower from Ava's headband onto my cardigan. It probably didn't look quite as huge on my sweater.

He Speaks Softly

And Carries a Big Stick

3 Months Old

It's nice that you are starting to hold your head up better without sliding all over the place when I take your pictures. I usually have a four second window to snap some pictures before your daddy has to rescue you.

Sweet Ava or Ava Grace Grace (not a typo) as your brother calls you, you definitely grace our lives with your presence. Your little personality is coming out more each day and we are over the moon about all of the sweet smiles you give us. You have even started laughing a little and cooing more. You certainly had your great grandparents attention.


I think it's official that you are now teething. There are constantly little bubbles coming from your mouth and you will gnaw on anything - the blanket, our fingers. Your poor little gums are so swollen. I think you are going through this stage a wee bit sooner than your brother.


I estimate you weigh about 13 pounds. Your long torso and skinny waist make dressing you somewhat challenging. You are mostly in 3 month clothing but I have put you in a couple of 6 month outfits especially when it comes to footed sleepers. Dresses work great because they are long enough and we don't have to worry about the waist fitting. It seems like you skipped right through size one diapers and are very comfy in your size twos.

You are doing awesome on you night schedule. I generally put you down around 10:30 or 11 and you sleep until about 5:30. However the past few days you have been sleeping until 6:30 and even 7:45 today! When you were waking up at 5:30, I would feed you and put you right back down for you to sleep until 9:00. I just wish you would sleep as well during the day. I have to pull out all of the tricks from the bouncer to the swing. If we are running errands you sleep great in your car seat.

Your eyes are still blue and your hair definitely has a red tint to it in the sunlight. It will be interesting to see what color it is when it starts filling in.


Your favorite game is patty cake. It elicits the most smiles and laughs so you can be sure we play it many times a day. You have been in the nursery twice now and have done so well. Yesterday, the ladies said you were so sweet. One of them also commented on how long you are.


Sweet girl, if someone asked me if I thought I would ever have a 3 month old and a 3 year old, I would have told them I hope so. Well, you and your brother are more than I could ever have hoped for.