As of 9/29/2017 (One day late to get measurements from our doctor's visit!)
Nick Names: Bubba, Buddy
Height: 25 inches (45th percentile)
Weight: 15 pounds, 2 oz (45th percentile)
Head: 16.25 inches (40th percentile)
Special Outings: First trip to Vermont!, Daycare started, Final movie of maternity leave (Baby Driver), And a few parties (Baptism and a wedding shower)
Visitors: George
Loves: Daycare, Looking out windows, Watching people
Hates: Being tired, Not being able to roll
Whoa. How did we get here?
You're a full blown baby now. Things are easier than they were. Way easier. And you can do so many more things! Except suck your thumb. You're still horrible at that. But you are an excellent finger sucker. Sometimes two or three of them at a time! And when you get sick of that you steal my hand and suck on a knuckle or palm. And bite it with your gummy little mouth. It's very serious business, and if I try to take my hand away, you'll growl at me and and bend my fingers backwards. You're very persuasive.
You'll also growl and snap like a turtle at Tom if he's too slow with a bottle. You know what you want, when you want it. And boy do you want to be mobile. You see the little boys at daycare who can roll and twist and turn, and you want to do that too. So after a few weeks of deciding rolling wasn't for you, you're back at it. Slowly, unsure, but getting there. You still can't roll from your back to your stomach, but you're working hard at it. You turn to your side and shove your face flat into the floor (until I'm sure you can't breathe) and scream. But if I try to help you out of this position you get even madder. You want to figure it out!
Toys are now something you acknowledge, although their only purpose is to go in your mouth. You'll grab something we put in front of you with both hands and try to bring it towards your tongue. Sometimes you miss and hit your cheek. You're working on it.
You laugh. All the time. Big, deep, full on giggles. Sometimes when I'm playing with you on the couch, sometimes when you see a toy, sometimes when Tom reads you a book. And sometimes when you're dead asleep.
I'm back to work and you're in daycare now. It wasn't as bad of a transition as I was prepared for. It helps that I love work and you love daycare. Your teachers are amazing and you love being around other people and watching everything happen. I can already see how quickly daycare is going to teach you things. You just sit there and take everything in. Quite, wide eyed, learning. Then as soon as we get in the car you start babbling like there's so much you have to process and tell me about from the day. And then you pass out because you're so tired!
Distraction is the name of the game. As long as you're occupied, moving, looking at something - you're a happy baby. If we let you get bored or still or alone, you might remember that you're upset by something. But we feel like we've got each other figured out - except for sleep. Daycare and you hitting four months threw things off a bit, but I'm hoping by our next update we'll be a little bit more settled there too. We know you can do it - you've had a few great nights of waking up only once, but now it's time to help you learn what to do when you wake up in the middle of the night screaming.
Edit: So of course I wrote this a few days early, and then on your four month birthday you rolled from your back to stomach for the first time. No more night swaddling for you! (Or sleep for us... noooo!)
I can’t decide if the past 6 months have gone quickly or not. Sometimes it felt like a never ending slog that we were sleepwalking through, but on the other hand I swear we just celebrated F’s first birthday. Either way, we have an official 18 month old on our hands. And thanks to a sleep consultant, we are back on track with sleep and everyone is feeling more like themselves lately. F is back to sleeping and happily chatting in her crib, and it feels like at least one layer of stress has evaporated.
F remains the happiest Spearson, excited to be a part of things, and loves it when we go somewhere. She mostly gets mad when we try to remind her she’s a baby and can’t always do the same things that the older two can. Oh how quickly she’s going to demand equal treatment though. Already she fights back if someone tries to push her away.