4 Months

Dear Zoe,

A few days ago you turned 4 months old. As always I can't believe how fast the time goes. I've been astonished at how much you've grown and changed this month. The beginning of the month marked the start of a routine for you. After a few months of you eating and sleeping sporadically, coming to pick you up and you bawling because you're so tired/ hungry, I decided something needed to change. Grandma D bought us a book called, "On Becoming Babywise." This book changed our lives. By following their parent-directed, flexible routine, you became an entirely new child. We also switched your bottles to a higher flow nipple and your eating habits improved dramatically. You and all the people who care for you have enjoyed your new happy temperament and the ability to feel more in control. I was surprised how fast you took to the new routine and how quickly you adapted and changed.



Not only did we change these two things, we also moved you to your own room. Grandma N came up for a week and helped us make all these changes while you were in your own home for a week to make things easier on you. Plus, Mom and Dad felt better leaving you in your own room with Grandma N sleeping near you those first few nights. The adjustment was seamless...almost as if you didn't notice. I guess having your naps in there during the weeks leading up to the change helped. Grandma N also did one truly amazing thing while she was here...she got you to take a binky! You won't understand this until you're a Mom one day, but the ability to give you that to calm yourself in a bind, or until I can get your bottle made, or in stressful situations, has been a major help to me. You are still picky and will only take it in these situations, but that works for me because I like to see your smiles and let you talk without a binky constantly in your mouth...plus I don't want it to become a major security item. It is cute when you fall asleep on the floor with it though.



You have learned to do a lot of things this month. You can roll from your tummy to your back. You don't really like being on your tummy. About a week ago I put you down with some toys for tummy time and within a couple minutes you rolled over. You'd been trying to do this for weeks and we were so proud of you when you did, though it scared you a bit. You still don't do it a lot, but every once in a while you will...of course never when I have a camera handy. Here are a few attempts at capturing this:



 
While you don't always roll over, lately you've been rolling to your side or scooting to reach a toy. I love to watch you figure out how to reach and grab something you want. This is a lesson well learned for your future.

You are very influenced by your environment. When you get stressed you let me know. However, you are starting to learn that sometimes crying just doesn't help the situation. You let us leave you with a sitter successfully while we went to a haunted house. You've had two Sundays now where you don't freak out at family dinner. You've made peace with the car seat- which is good since we're taking our first long car trip the end of this month. You amazed me by letting me take you to work on Halloween and being so good while I got in 5 hours of work.

The best new development this month is your laugh. We will sit for hours and make silly faces, surprise you, play-scare you, or do whatever it takes to make you laugh. No matter our mood, your sweet laugh is infectious. Last week you reacted to being tickled by laughing- instead of just squirming- and now we can't get enough. You have also found your voice and will babble for hours or have small conversations with people. You still love to hear people talk, you're starting to be a little leery of strangers, but if they talk to you they'll usually win a smile.



We love you. We love to watch you learn and grow. We hope to continue to give you plenty of opportunity to explore the world around you. I know you'll continue to amaze me.

Love,
Mama