Someone please tell father time to slow down, because I can't believe that my baby is already 4 months old! As cliche as it sounds, each day seems to be better than the last. We are so enjoying watching our little boy grow and change every day, and it seems like as time goes on, he changes even quicker!
4 Months Old!
Here are your stats from your doctor's appointment this month:
Clothing Size: Mostly 3 - 6 month and 6 month clothes, though you still fit into some 3 month PJ's, but fit into some 9 month outfits
Here are a few of the things you have been up to in the past month:
You seem to be adjusting to daily life at daycare. However, according to Jackie you are a fussy baby. Mommy couldn't disagree with her more. On the weekends when you are home with us, you are not fussy. I think more so you just tend to get bored easily (and mommy doesn't blame you for that). We are continuing to work with her, but the last few days have gone better, so I am hoping that things will settle down!
You took your first major road trip this month. Over Memorial Day weekend, daddy's cousin Hannah was graduating from high school in Denver, CO; so mommy and daddy decided that would be a good chance to take a road trip to see lots of family! We decided to drive out there and back, so we were in the car for 8 1/2 to 9 hours one way!
Lucky for us, Great Grams lives half way between KC and Denver, so on the way out to Denver on Thursday night, we stopped and spent the night in WaKeeney. This worked out perfectly as you got to meet your Great Grams for the first time. You're quite the charmer, she fell quite in love with you as soon as she got her hands on you.
You were really such a good little travel baby. We could not have asked for more from you. On the way to Denver, the only time you got fussy was the last 15 minutes, and that was only because you had a poopy diaper. Grammy did a great job of entertaining you in the backseat though! On the way home, you decided at about Junction City that you had had enough of your carseat. Mommy tried to distract you in the backseat, but by Maple Hill we decided to go ahead and make an extra pit stop to have a bottle and a sandwich. That was the right call as you were able to make it the rest of the way home.
We had so much fun while in Denver spending time with all of our family!
Your other road trip during this month was to Manhattan for a short weekend to help celebrate cousin Julie's wedding! This was also a big deal because on the night of the wedding, you had your first overnighter away from mom and dad, as Grandma and Grandpa Blow took you camping with the at Tuttle Creek that night! From the sounds of it, they had a great time with you, and are looking forward to doing it again soon!
You are still our great sleeper, usually going down around 8 or 8:30 and sleeping until 6:30 or 7 am. You really are nice to your mommy and daddy!
Speaking of sleep, during the past month we have had to stop swaddling you because you are now insistent upon rolling over onto your tummy as soon as we lay you down for bed. The first time we saw you do this was while we were in Denver. You scared us half to death when we woke up from a nap to find you with your face buried in the corner of your pack n play wrapped up in your swaddle. So unfortunately, while we were in Denver, we stopped swaddling you for sleeping. The first night was pretty rough, you were up every two hours (though we think part of the problem was our hotel room was too cold and you weren't in your crib), but once we got home, you started sleeping straight through the night again, and we haven't looked back! Now we find you sleeping with your arms tucked underneath you with your butt up in the air, it really is so stinkin' cute!
You don't seem to mind tummy time at all any more, in fact, now that you can roll back to front, we find you rolling over before we know it. Every once in a while, I feel like I catch you trying to scoot around. I think those daycare kids are teaching you these "bad habits"! We are going to have to get them to stop, you are just growing up too fast for me!
You love to "stand" or sit with mommy. You are just so strong, and will stand there for a good 10 or 15 seconds before you are ready to sit down. Anymore, you like that more than just lying around.
Since you love to sit-up so much, mommy found an exersaucer for you during our neighborhood garage sale. You LOVE spending time in this thing. There are so many things on it for you to play with, and really, all is good with the world when you are not having to spend the whole time lying around. You also like rocking in the exersaucer, so I think we are going to get a lot of use out of it!
Mommy finally got to hear you laugh! You have a tickle spot under your chin, and if I give you lots of kisses there (or tickle you there), I can sometimes get you to squeal or laugh. It really melts my heart!
You love to talk, and you really love to talk over everyone else. You really get going the most when mommy is trying to talk to someone else, so you start jabbering, just so we don't forget you are there :).
I think are rocking/snuggling time may be coming to an end, which makes mommy very sad. During the last week in the evenings, when I try to rock with you and sing lullaby's before bed, you have started arching your back and trying to roll right out of my arms. You are Mr. Independent, showing me that you would rather just do it yourself.
You have found your hands, and 90% of the time, they are in your mouth. You also like to stick your Sophie and your soft giraffe in your mouth, but probably your favorite thing is your burp rags. Seriously, kind of grosses me out.
You got to go swimming for the first time this month! We took you on a Sunday evening to our neighborhood pool. I don't think you really cared one way or the other about the water. You didn't get upset or cry, but you didn't splash around or laugh either. We took you later in the evening, and you had had a long day after walking in the Take Steps walk with everyone, so I'm going to take it as a sign that you don't mind the water, so we will keep trying!
We celebrated daddy's first father's day with him. We are pretty lucky to have such a great daddy in our lives. He sure loves you, especially your mornings together, as he is the one that gets you up and ready for daycare. You love him too, and I look forward to watching you two together in the future! We gave daddy pictures of you holding the letters D and A to spell out DAD. We framed it for him to put on his desk at work, so now he can see you during the day! Here's what it looked like:
You are eating 6 ounces of formula every 4 hours, still getting about 24 ounces in a day. Jackie still very much appreciates that you are on such a schedule!
During your 4 month checkup with the pediatrician, she noticed that your bottom gums looked like you might already be getting some teeth in. Sure enough, the other day, mommy took a look in your mouth and you have a tooth coming in on the bottom! We feel like this definitely explains your "fussiness" that Jackie has been complaining about at daycare (it also explains all of the drooling you are doing).
You had to get more shots during your checkup this month as well, and needless to say, you just don't do very well after your shots. Your appointment was in the morning, so mommy tried to drop you off at daycare afterwards. I called to checkup on you after a couple of hours and found out the day wasn't going very well. I left early to pick you up, and stayed home the next day with you too as you were running a slight fever. It took you the entire 48 hours before you really started feeling like yourself again. Lesson learned for mommy, your appointment are going to be in the afternoon from now on so I can take you straight home for some snuggles after shots.
Also during your 4 month checkup with the pediatrician, she said that if we wanted to, we could go ahead and give cereal a try. So we sat down the other day to give your first attempt at cereal a try. The following videos are what happened:
The Before:
The After:
Here are a few photo outtakes:
Not upset yet
Mom, I'm over this
Seriously
Needless to say, cereal didn't go very well the first time! However, Jackie has been working with you at daycare, and she says you are doing much better with it! Mommy has figured out that if I distract you with the TV, you will eat without fussing. Great parenting, I know :).
Here is another video of you from Father's Day, having a chat with your cousin (and favorite babysitter) Abby:
You really love her, it's so sweet to see!
Here are a few pictures from the past month we have captured:
Sophie, check. Puck, check. Duck, check. Let's hit the road for Denver!
Meeting Great Grams for the first time!
With Great Aunt Dana in the shirt she bought me. I have a feeling there are a few other Auntie's who would lay claim to this shirt!
Four generations of McGuire's
Snuggling with my Great Grams
First time being held by Great Grandpa Elmer. He had me giggling!
Four generations of Gatz's!
Pitstop in WaKeeney on the way back from Denver. I really love my Great Grams.
Relaxing after a long weekend on the road
Doing some tummy time. That face...kills me!
The girls dig me
Playing in my exersaucer. This thing is great!
Tiny but mighty. Go FHSU!
Meeting Cousin Amanda
With Grandma and Grandpa Blow, my sitters for the night!
Had to include this picture from Julie's wedding. Even at 83, Grandpa still knows how to bust a move!
I had so much fun camping with Grandma and Grandpa for the first time!
So many activities
Such a trooper during the Take Steps walk
Team Semi Colon at the Take Steps walk!
First time in the pool, here we go
Dad, my hats in my face
Going for a dip
Not quite sure what is going on
Doesn't love it, doesn't hate it, I say success!
My little water baby!
Worn out from swimming
Hanging out with cousin Emily. We match!
Uncle Steve even held me for a little while!
Seriously, ridiculous.
Original photos we were going to use for daddy's Father's Day present
Outtake from photo shoot for our Father's Day present.
I can't get enough of his smiles
The faces this kid makes! Hanging out with Grandpa!
Giving Grandpa his Father's Day card
Kisses from Grandma
Happy Father's Day Daddy!
I think I've seen that face before...on the one holding him. Kills me!
High five for Dad
My little ducky after bath time!
His faces! Such a little personality.
Stylin' and profilin'
Here are a few outtakes from our 4 month photo shoot:
Boy my hand sure tastes good.
In my mouth, all the time
Such a ham
Kind of looks like he is picking his nose
Love him!
Arching his back to move himself, Mr. Independent
Oh, he's going to be trouble
Are we done yet?
Just chilling, waiting for this photo shoot to be over
That's a wrap!
What a little personality you are developing, and the pictures definitely show it! We love you more than anything Gage, and can't wait to see what you will be up to in the next month!
