.: MONTH FOUR

This past month has been a game changer. Grace is no longer a newborn and everything she learns and does now reminds me daily how fast time flies! She has learned and grown so much this month. As sad as I am to see my newborn disappear, I am so excited and eager to see the fun happy baby girl she is growing into! She's honestly my little best girlfriend and my love for her grows each day!

Weight & Height - Grace is really changing from our little newborn to our solid baby girl! She is 13lbs 15oz and 23" tall. She is still in size 2 diapers and wearing 3-6 month clothing. She can hold her head up so well like she's always done but now even during tummy time. In fact, she even acts like she is already trying to crawl by scooting forward. She'll prop herself up on her elbows and almost rock forward. I hope she doesn't figure it out too soon! She's got rolls all over her thighs arms and neck. I'm having to constantly clean those neck rolls after she eats because sometimes the milk will run down her cheeks right into the rolls!

Sleep - Grace is sleeping 6 hour stretches most nights. She'll usually go down around 10 each night wake up around 5 and then sleep another 2-3 hours. She used to sleep in until 10 but just tossing and turning then being fussy all morning so I've started getting her up at 8ish for the day and it's been much better. She still naps about 4-5 times a day but they range anywhere from 40 mins to 2 hour. I'm working on laying her down for her naps in her dockatot or the swing and she is sleeping longer each time. We are working on getting her nursery finished, and her monitor set up so she can start napping in there. I don't have much to complain about when it comes to her naps/sleep routine. *Update, she seems to have possible hit the four-month regression period a little soon. She is all of a sudden taking shorter naps and waking up more frequently in the nighttime. She's only been sleeping like 2-3 hour stretches for the last three nights and I feel like I'm living with a newborn all over again! Ahhh! Send me all the info to correct this early on please!!

Eat - She is officially an all formula fed baby. We started out splitting her bottles with breastmilk and formula until we could phase the breastmilk out without upsetting her stomach. She never seemed to be bothered by it, which was my main concern. Knowing Grace can start eating solids at 4 months has got Ethan all excited! He has always been excited to give Grace baby food that he convinced me to let her try some of my mashed up banana. It went about as expected, her just looking very confused not knowing how to keep it in her mouth and Ethan just so excited to be giving it to her! She just got baby spoons for Easter and four-month appointment is this week so we'll be starting soon!

Recent Milestones -Grace is laughing and talking more and more every day! Some days she'll go to bed talking and wake up talking!! She can stand up just holding onto my fingers, in fact, it's one of her favorite activities! She has always had the strongest little legs. Her hand-eye coordination is improving. She finally seems old enough to be interested in reaching for toys and things, which seems to help her be more distracted while riding in her least favorite place; her car seat! She is almost reaching out to whoever she wants. She'll get excited and lift her arms a little waving them around and occasionally just starts really leaning towards them. We can't wait for her to be able to reach out to us all the way! Everything still goes to the mouth, her blanket, her toys and her favorite, our fingers! We can't decide if she's teething already or if they are just moving into place for the future

months of teething. She's slobbery all the time and is trying to blow bubbles with it. It's an adorably annoying habit! She is still experiencing some stranger danger but has definitely come a long way! In fact with some people, our guy friend, in particular, she flirts like crazy with. Cooing and smiling then getting embarrassed and hiding her face on my shoulder before going back in for more!! Tummy time is getting better. All of a sudden during this weeks tummy time she could just suddenly prop herself up on her arms and looked like a pro. She has also been getting better and better and rolling over onto her back! Which then leads to me having to flip her back onto her tummy to which she laughs like she thinks it's a game we are playing. In the morning she will now sit in her bumbo chair and play with a toy while I get ready for the day. It doesn't last longer than 10 minutes but I've pretty much mastered my daily routine of the new Mommy look of "I tried!". We are now attempting all three meetings at church to which I am learning that the church is still true in the hallway! Her afternoon nap usually happens right during sacrament and I've learned that once I get her to sleep, a loud speaker, a noisy kid, or the congregational hymns will wake her. Hense the need to be in the foyer.

Special Moments – The best moment of this month was definitely her baby blessing. Read more about it a post back. Another thing I've noticed this month is just how much she really loves her momma. I will often catch her just looking up smiling at me. She loves to just watch me talking or reading, I don't even have to be directing my attention to her. Although, she loves that too... a lot! She's also getting to be a bigger fan of dad this month! Mostly because he's been able to work from home quite a bit so she gets to see him a lot more. He's loved being here in the mornings when she wakes up and is usually the happiest!

Dislikes -Always number one on this list is her car seat! Now that she can grab certain toys and see herself in the mirror, she's been a little better about it. She loves when I reach back and hold her hand but It's just not as safe so I try not too. She actually got me out of a ticket one night by crying in her car seat so the officer took pity on me and just gave me a warning so I could get home! Thanks, baby girl!! That is probably the only positive side to her hating her car seat. We are attempting to go with Dad to drill this month and stay with Aunt Shay, so this could be the longest four hours in a car. Fingers crossed she'll do well with me sitting back there and that she'll sleep most of the way. She also very much dislikes it when I don't get the bottle to her quick enough for her early morning feedings!

Mommy Update: I'm getting more and more adjusted to life as a SAHM every day! We aim for our daily walks more for me than for her. Taking daily walks would be my number one recommendation to every new mom out here. I just need them. Night time walks have become a favorite right before bed! The weather is perfect and it allows grace to just sit and wind down before bed. I am getting back into my podcasts and noticing a big difference in myself already. Podcasts would have to be my second recommendation because of the motivation and outlook they give you. Grace isn't really on a set schedule, more of just the routine way I've always taken care of her. Sleep. Wake. Eat. Play. Repeat. I have been researching the importance of a more set schedule and have started to help keep her on a more set one this past week with good results so far. I may even start sleep training this month...we'll see!