4 Months!

And just like that, one third of Isabella's first year is gone! This girl is growing so much and so quickly I can barely stand it.  As sad as I get that another week has passed, I am having so much more fun with her and enjoying her more and more every single week. 

As cute and cuddly as newborns are, 4 month old babies are so much more interactive and smiley ; )  So I will continue to just enjoy each and every day, and celebrate the milestones.  

With that...

Happy 4 Months Isabella Rae!

4 Month Highlights

-Everything has started to go into your mouth this month...including your hands, all the time! You really try to fit the entire fist in, but you can't quite get there!

-You are cooing and babbling even more this month!  You've even started giggling more the past week, which just melts my heart!

-You still don't love tummy time when we put you on your sheepskin or playmat, but you love it when you are just hanging out on daddy's tummy. You really do have great head control now, so those chest sessions have paid off! 

"Really mama?? This again...ugh!"

-We went to an apple orchard with Mimi to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and North Georgia mountains.  You just chilled in the Boba wrap and were as content as could be!

-Mimi, Tia Ja, you and Mama went to the Georgia aquarium for the day. We thought we would be in and out in 2 hours, but 5.5 hours later we were still having a blast! You loved the big walls of fish, and the tunnel of fish swimming all above you! I loved seeing your eyes light up in wonder at all of these new things you had never seen before!

-You had your second flight to Chicago and once again were a rock star.  You slept the entire time on Mama's chest in the Boba.  We love that you are a great little traveler!

-In Chicago, we were able to see our townhouse one last time.  It was fun taking you back into our room, where your mini nursery once was, and remembering how tiny you were not that long ago!  You won't remember this place as your home, but it will always be special to your daddy and I because it was where we got married, had over nine wonderful years together, and then had you! 

Weird feeling sitting in our bedroom with it being totally empty!

-While overall you travel well, you didn't love sleeping in one big hotel room with Daddy and I. I think you are used to having your own room, with your own sound machine, and relative darkness.  It shows me you are getting used to a little bit of routine.

Finally, a bed that I can fit in : )

-You had a definite change in cry this month.  At 15 weeks, all of a sudden, you became more forceful in your cry, and definitely had an angrier more high pitched squeal when you were mad.  The first time I heard it was after you had been in your carseat for a little bit, I took you out, you were happy, and then laid you down on a bed. You got SO mad that I laid you down, you surely let me know it! 

-Also at 15 weeks your umbilical hernia disappeared! Yay!

-We threw a baby shower for Tia Ja and you were certainly the hit of the party!  

-You still only poop every 3-5 days, but don't seem to be bothered by it.  Let's just say when you go, it's a pretty big ordeal : )

 Sleeping: Right after 3 months, Bella started sleeping longer throughout the night!  Her bedtime for the first half of the month was around 7:30 or 8pm, and she would sleep until 6 or 7 am. The second half of the month she would go down around 7pm and sleep until 6am or so.  That being said, she typically wakes up several times a night crying for her pacifier, and occasionally needs rocked back to sleep for about 5 to 10 minutes once a night. But without a feeding overnight, I am able to get a lot more sleep. 

Overall we have nothing to complain about in the sleep at night department! Naps are a totally different ballgame though.  She pretty much hates them.  Unless it's a rare (RARE!) occasion, we usually only get her to sleep about 30 minutes at a time, several times a day in her crib.  Oh well, you win some, you lose some!

Breastfeeding: By 3 months we were hitting our stride.  Now, at 4 months I feel like "We got this girl!"  At 14 weeks, we were able to ditch the shield permanently.  Oh how amazing that has been!  Bella eats five times a day which means every 3 hours (or so) during the day, and started going 11 hours overnight without eating! Champion sleeper...and eater!  At 16 weeks you started getting more distracted, and would pull off only to look around, and then give a big smile!  Super cute, but makes for a longer eating session!

Isabella Loves:

-Moo cow wub-a-nub

-Baths in the sink or showers with Mama & Daddy

-Taking walks or just being outside

-Swinging in the swing, particularly when the music and mobile are going

-Piano play mat

-Being held...all the time!

-Sleeping on daddy's chest or mama's arms

-Being rocked and sung to sleep at night

Isabella Hates:

-Naps in the crib

-Being in the car seat for a long time (which her definition of "long time" changes on a daily basis!)

-Tummy time 

4 Month Stats:

Weight- 12 lb (approx. 15th percentile)

Height- 24 in (approx. 40th percentile)

Head Circumference- 15.5 in (20th percentile)

-She wore newborn sized diapers until 16.5 weeks when we ran out, then switched to size 1 pampers swaddlers which seem to be HUGE on her!  They work great though so we are sticking with it. 

-Wearing newborn sized onsies that don't have feet (b/c she is too long for those), and 0-3 month onesies, pants and outfits.  Newborn pants fit better in the waist (ie: don't fall straight off like some of the 0-3 month pants), but are more like capris.  She may still be small, but she's definitely growing!

Isabella's Firsts this Month:

-First trip to the aquarium 9/20/14

-First time in a hotel 9/21-9/24/14

-First apple orchard adventure 10/3/14

This Month in Pictures:

Pretty in lots of pink!

All of a sudden tummy time is ok when the tv is turned on!

Cutest bunny ever!

Such a happy baby!

Oh I just love this face!

Cute baby + coffee + outdoor fireplaces = one happy mama!

Seriously loving bath time!

Elephant power!

Second cousin Brianna came for a visit and you LOVED her!

Gotta love cat naps on the couch next to mama on the tummy!

"WHAT!?!?" She is SO her daddy's child in this one!

3 Months!

***Well, seeing as I'm a mere week or so away from her 4 month update, better late than never to get the 3 month posted!***

I am definitely a broken record when it comes to weekly and monthly updates, but I will say it again!  How in the world is she already 3 months?!? 

The last 3 months have been a whirlwind with moving, making new friends, transferring a job, and just adjusting to living in a new state...all with a new baby.  But Bella has done fabulous and her 3 month update proves it!

Happy 3 Months Isabella Rae!

3rd Month Highlights:

-Half of the month was spent on vacation.  We took a 6.5 hour road trip to spend 2 awesome weeks in Fort Walton Beach, FL with Mimi and Pops.  Tia Ja and Uncle G were able to come part of the time which was fun.  You loved going out on the beach and sitting under an umbrella in her vibrating bouncy seat. You were too little to swim in the gulf or enjoy the sand, but you certainly loved basking in the warm air!

-We are still trying to decide what to call...this guy : )  What started as Papa, turned to Pops, turned to Howie (family inside joke)...and now, despite all of us loving Howie (except Howie himself!), we are back to Pops. Since you're only 3 months you don't care. Hopefully we will have it figured out by the time you are 3 years!

-At 9 weeks, you started rubbing both of your ears a lot when you are sleepy. It was super cute!

-Mornings have really become the highlight of our day.  You are so happy, with lots of smiling and cooing.  One of our favorite things to do is count backwards from 3 to 1 and unswaddle you...both arms immediately shoot high into the air as you stretch them out, and your lips purse super tight until the stretches are done. Then comes the biggest smiles ever!  Same thing every morning, and yet it's still super cute and never gets old.  

-Your hair has fallen out a lot in the last month, and what little wisps are left on the sides are affectionately known as "Grandpa hair" now.  Gotta get a picture of this one because it makes us laugh!

-At ten weeks, you started wanting to stand up more (obviously with us holding her up).  You don't love laying down as much anymore, and will try to do crunches in order to sit up.  Once you've been sitting up long enough, you grunt and fuss, and will smile only once we stand you up.  You clearly know what you want!

-You are cooing and babbling a lot more this month which just gets more and more fun!  There have also been a few (but far between) giggles.  Those are just too precious!

-You have truly started to love playing with toys, particularly your piano play mat, the mobile on your swing, and the hanging bar of toys on your bouncy seat.  It's fun watching you start to grab things (since 12 weeks), and occasionally look at your hand and momentarily realize it's yours (and then you are so easily distracted!).

-Baths are happening more and more, not out of necessity but because you totally love being in the water!  You love taking baths in the sink (although you are getting way too long for the bathroom sink!), and even getting in the shower while Mama or Daddy holds you. We love it! 

-You still love taking walks and going outside. Even though you can't get in the pool this summer, you just love sitting in your stroller people watching, or napping in the warm summer air!

I guess there's not much people watching going on when it's just Mama and Tia at the pool!

-You got your first set of immunizations. You took them like a rock star, screaming with the 3 pokes, but calming down about ten seconds later.  You were pretty irritable and miserable the rest of the afternoon, but after a couple doses of Tylenol, by evening time you were much better (although still not back to your normal happy self).

 

Looking suspicious even before she knew what was happening!

Her 3 badges of courage- pink, yellow, and sparkles!

 -You share a birthdate with Mimi, so on September 13th, we celebrated your 3 month mark and Mimi's birthday as well. We all spent the afternoon in Dahlonega, GA enjoying some good pizza, walking around downtown ,and finding cute little shops.

Sleep:  We are starting to see a bit more of a routine in the sleep department.  She sleeps about 16-18 hours a day still.  She is definitely not a lover of naps in her crib, but per her on daddy's chest, in Mama's arms, in her swing, bouncy...really anywhere but her crib, and she can sleep all day.  Nighttime is a different story though- she has been going to bed around 7:30 or 8pm, only to wake at 4 or 5 am to eat, then goes back to sleep until about  8 or 9am!  

-->One night she was screaming around midnight.  Knowing this was super irregular for her, and thinking she almost sounded angry, I ran into her room.  I looked in the crib and found Isabella with hands outside of her swaddle, up on her cheeks.  She would slap herself and then scream, slap and then scream, slap and then scream. Over and over! I couldn't help but laugh.  Once I re-swaddled and put her arms back in, she fell right back to sleep peacefully.

Breastfeeding: Every month breastfeeding gets easier and easier, and less painful (hallelujah!).  Isabella still eats every 3 hours during the day, and usually once or twice at night.  It takes about 20-30 minutes for her to eat, and she's now consistently eating on both sides. It's nice finally feeling like we're getting into a good groove with this. I am still using the shield when at home (because it is not as painful), but out in public we go without. 

Isabella LOVES:

-Being held, especially daddy's football hold

-Being rocked and sung to sleep

-She is completely fascinated with the mobile on her swing now...it always makes her giggle : )

-Playing on her piano play mat

-Bath time in the sink or showers with mama or daddy

-White noise while in the car from sleep sheep or phone app

-Taking walks and being outside when it's warm

-Moo Cow wub-a-nub

Isabella HATES:

-Tummy time

-Naps in crib

-Perhaps naps in general!

-Being in her carseat for long periods of time (although she is getting better every week)

Third Month Stats:

-Weight: 10 lb 14 oz (10th percentile)

-Height: 23.5 in long (50th percentile)

-Head circumference: 15 in

-Still wearing newborn diapers (even though the packaging says they go til 10 lbs she so long and skinny that the newborns fit the best). Still loving pampers swaddlers the best.

-Just at the 3 month mark she has outgrown any newborn jammies or onesies with footies b/c she is too long.  Otherwise she is still in newborn clothes. That being said, some 0-3 month onsies and pants are fitting better than before (albeit, still a bit baggy).

Isabella's Firsts this Month:

-First road trip (7 hours to Fort Walton Beach FL)- 8/23/14. She did great, just eating and sleeping the whole way.

-First beach vacation (2 weeks!)- 8/23/14-9/5/14

-First set of immunizations- 9/8/14

And as always, this month in pictures!

Yes, she turned 13 weeks before she turned 3 months