Happy 4 months! This month has been exciting watching you make huge developments both physically and mentally. It's been fun and rewarding to watch. You are getting bigger and bigger which makes me happy and sad. Its Happy because you're growing as you should. It's fun because we can do more together. It's sad because I know my time with you as an infant is going fast! I try to remember to cherish every moment even the crying ones.
Highlights- you laughed for the first time! It was awesome! Daddy was playing with you. He was making funny noises. You laughed for a good ten minutes! It was music to my ears :-)
Favorite moments-one night, we were getting ready for bed. I was nursing you in bed. Our dad came in and we were talking. You stopped nursing and rolled back to look at your daddy. It was like you wanted in on the conversation. Both me and your dad were like -yes did you want to say something?
Nursing- it going good as usual. I hate to admit that I'm still learning new things in nursing even now. I learned that I didn't offer the second side if you were sleeping which was a mistake especially at night. I realized most of the time you will take the other side even f it looks like you're deeply sleeping. When you do, it helps you sleep deeper and longer! Also I try to bundle you up at night especially since we have the air conditioning going full blast. You get so cold. When you're bundled up, you sleep longer.
Vaccinations- you got your two round of booster shots. its so not fun! I hate to see you in pain and be so helpless. its the worst! For this appointment, we had the doctor give you tynelyol before the shots and nursed after which I think helped. Ill do that again for next time. the day after, you had a mild fever around 101.4 for a day or two. I would check your temp pretty frequently. you were very cranky the rest of the week. the crankiness may be from the shot and also discomfort of teething?
Diet- I am not really on a diet for nursing. I do avoid some foods or eat very little of them. The foods that i aviod all together are coffee, caffeine, and alcohol. The foods I have limited amounts are milk, orange juice, pinnapple, and large servings of green vegetable. The citrus foods make you spit up. when I eat a lot at one sitting, large servings of one type of green vegetables can make you gassy.
Excerise-......:-). Hmm, does the Plank count? Cyndi suggested doing that to pull the abb muscles back together. It has helped. I started to excerise at 3 months. I was too much for me then. It lead to my mastitis I think along with not resting. Ill try it again soon maybe at a slower pace this time.
Development- you are 12 lbs! you have grown two inches and gained two pounds since last appointment! there are so many physical developments this month! you're lifting your head! I can hold you upright and you lift your head up on your own. You can turn it to look around. You hold your head up pretty good when I have you in your carrier. you're using your teething toy for the first time! You held it for the first time and you moved it around into your mouth! Pretty amazing!
Your stats-
Leap- During these weeks, Alex will make the fourth leap in her mental development, known as the 'world of events'. Until your baby has gone through this leap, she can only perceive one smooth transition. After she has gone through this leap, she is able to perceive a short, familiar series of 'smooth transitions' with all the senses (seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting), also when it comes to interactions with those around him. Examples include the perception of a bouncing ball, or grasping something with a hand. Alex will enjoy the classic nursery rhymes with gestures, such as "Itsy Bitsy Spider..." If Alex is 'fussy,' be sure to observe if she is mastering new skills already, or attempting to do so.
Challenges- trying to find balance between chores and resting is challenging. After a good nights sleep, I'll spend the whole day cleaning. I get worn out and the mastitis starts to creep in again. I've started a mandatory nap time every day between 1-3 pm. It's not for you. Although I do hope it will help you to develop a scheduled nap time when you're older. It's for me to remember and make time to rest. Even if I don't sleep, it still feels good to lay down. Most of the time you're awake. So I'll lay you down beside me. You eventually sleep because I'm resting. Well most of the time.
It's hard not to get discouraged. people in our culture think you're lazy because the house is messy, dinner isn't made, and you are still in your pjs sleeping. I want to get it all done. I have to remember that if I don't nap ill get sick. Then, nothing will get done.
I have to remind myself chores can wait. Taking care of you is what most important. It's what The Lord has called me to do. i try to remind myself that there will always be chores to do and time spent with you is limited. I came across this poem that says it perfectly- "cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow, for babies grow up, we've learned our sorrow. So settle down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep." And look how cute you are sleeping! How can I resist such a cute face?!!
What I've learned- being a mom is very physically challenging. You are up all night and all day. its a 24 hour job. rest is essential. It's something that I pray for often. Do you know that God cares even about sleep? In 1 kings 19:5-8, god gives weary Elijah food and rest. "Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journeyis too great for you." So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God." I've been praying for more sleep. Even without it, God gives me the strength I need to continue taking care of you.
You will always be my baby!
Love you always,
Mom
