4 Months...

4 Months... YAY!

Happy 4 Months, Addi Grace! 4 months, 1/3 of a year. I still feel like it is going so fast but am loving watching her grow. She changes and does something new every single day, I have never seen a happier baby. Addi has reached all her 4 month milestones as well as the emerging skills (ones only about 1/2 of all babies can do at this age), I am such a proud Mommy. She is ahead in other ways such as recognizing her name and playing with her hands and feet. She has just started using her Johnny Jump-Up and it is to cute to see her move and spin on her own. Advanced skills for this month (only a few kids) are cutting teeth, starting solid food and imitating sounds. Addi is definitely teething, drooling everywhere and putting everything she can in her mouth but no teeth yet. I think she is also beginning to imitate sounds but it is rare. We have chosen not to introduce solids until 6 months as well but of course she could if we let her! Haha, wow... I am becoming "that" Mom. Thank God pageants and Hollywood aren't our thing because I would be a stage Mom! I think my baby is perfect and can do anything! I will just think of it as being her biggest fan...

She has become even more talkative and I love waking up to her talking to herself! We have "conversations" all day long and it makes Eric and I laugh when she responds appropriately. Especially when you ask her something and she says something back. Tomorrow we have her 4 month check up and I am so excited to see how big she has grown. She is getting so long in the torso her 3-6 month onesies definitely won't last until 6 months! But she has a tiny butt that still fits into 0-3 month pants! Still so long and lean with blue eyes. My guess is 26 inches and 14 pounds (up from 24 inches and 11 pounds 6 ounces at 2 months). We shall see...

Play time with Roo Roo...

Mommy Update: I am finally back in all of my pre-pregnancy clothes sans "muffin top"! Woo hoo! I lost 2 pounds, finally breaking the 10 pound barrier. I am not as concerned about the number on the scale anymore since my clothes fit. I was worried about having to buy a whole new wardrobe but now I can wear all of my old favorites. Yay! I had one pair of pants I wanted to wear right after I gave birth and it definitely was not happening. They became my skinny pants. I felt inspired to put them on one day after a particularly good yoga session and they fit! I couldn't be happier. I would like to thank my yoga on demand and lots of walks with Addi for this accomplishment! Yoga is what I do for myself every morning and I feel wonderful after I have finished. I can't go without it. Our walks are what I do for our family. Sometimes it is just Addi and I and my Ipod and sometimes Eric joins us. Baby Roo too. We go to the beach, take Roo Roo to play with her friends in the neighborhood, talk and laugh. It is one of my favorite times of day.

Addi does yoga too...

My very favorite time of day is still snuggle time with Addi. We hang out in our bed and she falls asleep for her morning nap. I think it is the most peaceful sleep she gets all day. I love the one on one time we get and having her close to me. The extra sleep doesn't hurt either of course but sometimes I just watch her sleep. Addi has begun laughing out loud and I absolutely love her giggles! I wasn't sure if she was going to gain this skill early on because Eric doesn't laugh out loud. At all, not even a little. I guess she got it from me! She does it when we play or tickle her. It is the best thing I have ever heard, next to her first cry. I love all of the things she is doing now and looking forward to new developmental milestones in the next few months.

Addi loves Daddy's pillow...

Next week I start my class at ENC and I am getting less nervous and more excited. I like what I have put together and am looking forward to getting to know my students and having a few hours out of the house. I am a little sad to not be with Addi all day but have all the faith in the world in the nanny we hired. I am so lucky that my part-time job is only 2 1/2 hours per week. At the end of our first month on our new budget Eric and I are so happy in our decision and even more confident in our belief that we can make it on his salary alone. In the next 3 weeks we are going to VT, PA and having our families here to visit. We are very excited. September 12th Addi will also be dedicated in our church (like a christening). It is her official welcome to the church family and we are so excited both our families are coming to celebrate. And it is on Grandparent's Day! And the church is throwing us a shower. I don't think it could get any better. Life is good. (Written 8/25/10)