4 Months

My Dear Little Gaberdoodle,

Another month down. I know I've said it before, but really, where does the time go? And why do you have to look like such a big girl in your 4-month picture? Time waits for no one, I suppose (even those of us who have spent the whole month in vacation mode)!

Every month brings new stages and with each new development I constantly find myself telling people how much fun "this age" is. Your Papai and I have had so much fun with you this month!

You're currently in the grab-it-and-stick-it-in-my-mouth phase. You have been very busy exploring the world by means of taste. And lucky for you, your eye-hand coordination has gotten good enough to facilitate this new-found fascination. Everything from my hair, to your toys, to Daddy's shirt, and even sand from the beach has entered your mouth in the last few weeks and you have very little use for anything that won't readily fit into your little pie-hole. You tend to quickly toss aside toys that you can't easily chew on.

You have mastered rolling over in all directions now, and you really enjoy the mobility. I have had to expand your floor play area from just your play gym to accommodate your need to be on the move. I put down a 5'x5' foam play mat for you and quickly learned that's not even going to be big enough. The very first day, I left you playing alone on the floor just long enough to start a load of laundry. I came back into the room just as you made your final roll off the mat and got to witness you bump your head on the stone floor. Then you looked up at me all mad like it was my fault and proceeded to yell at your ol' Mommy. (Have I mentioned that you're starting to get quite the little temper when things don't go your way?)

And while I have your attention, we need to talk about the "Back to Sleep" campaign. Babies are supposed to sleep on their back to lower the risk of SIDS. Now, I guess you didn't get that memo, as you absolutely refuse to stay on your back when we put you in your crib. But really kid, you sleep awesome at night - still sleeping from 8:00 pm to 7-8:00 am to eat and then going back to bed until 10:00 am. And your parents would be sleeping well too if only you didn't insist on rolling over and sleeping on your face (often times even burying your face in your bumper pad!)

Not a waking hour goes by that you don't make your Papai and me crack up laughing at you. Whether it's you playing alone and breaking out into uncontrollable laughter, the funny faces you make at us, your big splashes in the bathtub, that pouty bottom lip you roll out when you're mad, or some of your crazy antics, you ensure there is plenty of laughter around the house! Just this week, I left you on your play gym as I walked into the other room to greet your Daddy when he got home from work. We walked directly into your play room to the sound of you slurping. At first we thought you where just sucking on your hand, but as we sat down to play with you, we realized you had spit-up big time and were nose-down happily sucking it back up. Your Uncle Nathan would say that you're disgusting - it's moments like these that I have to agree (through the tears from laughing so hard).

Notice the puddle near your right hand and the spit-up on your forehead, nose, and mouth!

The highlight of this month was all the time you got to spend with the extended family! Everybody thought you were really something special and did their best to spoil you. Between your grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, they all kept you right where you like to be: at the center of everyone's attention! You quickly made it known that it had to be on your terms though; you preferred to be on the floor (not held, which is apparently entirely too confining for your taste) but with everyone gathered around to talk and play with you. From your little throne in the middle of the floor, you kept all the family entertained with your giggles and no one could resist playing with your hair. (Your mane, by the way, is getting quite curly and long. When wet, your hair completely covers your eyes now.)

Five Generations! You met your Great-Great Grandma who was 96 years old. She passed away a week and a half later. You are descendant number 102 or something like that (counting only direct blood-line relatives, not all the spouses, etc!) She was an awesome lady and leaves behind quite a legacy!

Your Papa and Nena thought you were so special they followed you back to Brasil! ;) You got to spend two weeks showing them (along with Aunt Kelly) around your home country this month.

You are the first grandchild for Grandpa and Grandmo. They're pretty darn smitten with you! They even came out to your Aunt Tammy's wedding in Iowa so they could get an extra 3 days with you while we were in the US.

You are the first great-grandkid for Grandma and Grandad. Their oldest grandchild turns 30 next year and the youngest is in high school - they thought it was about time to have a little baby in the family! (Grandma was the only person you never minded holding you - and almost every time you fell right asleep in her arms!)

Grandpa Bob (aka "Gramps" to your Daddy and affectionately called "Grumps" by your Mommy) has a whole bunch of grandkids and great-grandkids. It's a direct result of having a right large gaggle of kids (8 to be exact) himself! He loves to see the family grow and scooped you right up the second he met you!

Other note-worthy items from this month include:

- You're riding in your BabyBjörn forward facing now. You have perfect control of your head these days, so we made the switch for anytime you're awake and not sleepy. You love being able to look out at everything now!

- At your 4-month check-up you weighed in at 12.9 pounds (40th percentile) and 24 inches long (50th percentile).

- You have started noticing your feet. But since you have a hard time getting them into your mouth unassisted, you have very little interest in them.

- You are trying your darndest to crawl. You don't have the strength to do it yet, but you've got the motion down perfect and you know if you can ever make it work you will be able to get to where you want to be. You totally wear yourself out moving your arms and legs trying to crawl towards a toy - but you don't even move an inch!

-Naked time is your favorite time of the day. The second we start to undress you for your bath at night you get all excited and talk/squeal like crazy. You especially love it when Mommy gives you an oil massage. (Pampered Princess, you think?!?) We try to let you have a good 30 minutes of "naked time" prior to making you scream by putting clothes on you. You're quite the budding little nudist. Your father is really hoping you outgrow that.

- You can blow raspberries like a pro now. Anytime you notice no one is paying attention to you, you really blow a good one to get everyone's attention. We're working on getting you to give beijinhos (little kisses) now - hard as you try, you can't quite make a smacking sound quite yet though.

- You have completed 13 flights, 2 boat rides, been on 2 trains, in several taxis, on more than a dozen buses, on 2 Swiss cable cars, and logged countless hours in the car. You've been on 6 beach trips, hiked Stone Mountain, been on an island, visited 4 states in the US and 6 states in Brasil. At 4 months of age, you have seen more/done more than most of the world's population does in a lifetime.

You continue to be such an easy-going baby most of the time. Being your parents brings so much joy to your Daddy and me! We expect an awful lot out of someone so little and you've risen to the challenge time and time again.

I love you bunches, minha princesinha,
Mommy