4 Month Update

Four month update

It has been another extraordinary month with our amazing Lucy. She has continued to grow and develop rapidly. I often have found myself amazed how she grows overnight. She has become more aware of her surroundings every day and has turned into a little person! She has dazzled us as the happiest and cheeriest baby ever. Lucy has been so content and smiley. I could spend every minute of every day with her and never tire of her. I am happy that we have developed a routine with napping and feeding. Unfortunately, though, we still cannot get her to go to sleep before 11pm - she wants to stay up and party with me, Rob, and Finn! I went back to work this month and we are still figuring out our new routine. Lucy is adapting so well to me going back. I am so incredibly fortunate I can leave her at home with my Mom and Rob for the next couple months. It definitely makes the return to work transition easier.

Weight and length

Lucy is over 14 pounds! She is now in 6-9 month clothes and is growing so fast. She is in the 50% for weight, and 80% for height and head.

Feeding

Lucy is still exclusively breastfed, which I am really proud of. I have been feeding Lucy on demand for the 17 weeks before I went back to work right after she turned 4 months old. She is still hungry about every 2-3 hours. I am starting to regulate a little more after hitting the 4 month mark and am fortunate to be able to produce enough (and more) milk to satisfy her daily needs. I have 1200 ounces saved in the freezer which would feed Lucy for approximately 40 days. I do not enjoy pumping at work, but I know it’s important and so good for little Lucy :)

Development

Lucy is currently in her fourth mental leap, the world of events. During this leap, Lucy is expanding her skills and beginning to understand the world around her more. Lucy’s development continues to soar and be advanced for babies her age. She has incredibly strong neck and head control for her age. Everyone still comments on how alert she is. She is doing 2 hours of tummy time per day, loves to stand on our laps, practice walking, and practice gorilla sitting. We read lots of books and still look at contrast cards. Lucy loves looking at herself in the mirror and always giggles when we look in the mirror. She likes to mimic and chat with me, especially on her changing table. She is very vocal and likes to be engaged with, sung and talked to. She has rolled to her tummy to back a couple times as well as back to tummy, but it’s not quite consistent yet. She can grasp toys and her wubbanub – and my hair and fingers! She has a very strong grip. I just love her little hands. She still loves to kick, kick, kick on her piano mat play gym. She gets excited on her love every baby play mat with all the toys surrounding it, and likes to sit and swat at toys in her baby Einstein lounger. Lucy wants to put everything in her mouth and has been drooling more and more every day. I can see two little teeth on the bottom coming in. She enjoys the various teethers we have been giving her.

Sleeping

Lucy is a great sleeper! She is awake for about 90 minutes followed by 45 minute naps. She takes a really long nap in the morning (2 hours or so) and sometimes wakes up happy and other times mad. Lucy has been sleeping through the night since 2 weeks old, but she will not go to bed earlier than 11p.m. She goes to sleep around 11 and wakes up at 5 or 6am then goes back to sleep. She loves to stay up late and sleep in like her Daddy J She still sleeps in the bassinest right next to me, but she is getting too long for it, so I know I have to move her to her crib, but I am not looking forward to that! When Lucy was in utero, we went to sleep and woke up together for the last three months of my pregnancy and we have continued to be on the same schedule. I will miss sleeping right by her. Luckily, we did put her in her crib one night and she did just fine.

Rob and I love our Lucy so much and are just crazy about her! She’s the sweetest baby in the world.