I am FOUR months old!
I like: my thumb (she now sucks that and prefers it at night to her binkie - YES!), mornings or after she wakes up from a good nap, seeing any of the 3 of us (mom, dad, or Cara) at any point in the day, pretending to roll over, sitting up and being part of the action (I'm convinced she's going to be an early walker because you can tell she wants to run around with Cara so badly).
I dislike: She has FOMO and will stay awake if she thinks she's missing out on something, trying new foods (so far), and being put down (on an activity mat) right after waking up in the mornings (it's part of that being a part of the action and being put on her back means we can walk away from her), strangers and loud noises, and being in the car seat (I kind of regret not going for more walks with her in it to help her get used to it early...even if it they were just in the mall or something)
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| She melts me with her eyes and the looks she gives me |
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| She tends to get more cuddly when there are loud Noises around her. This was at dinner one night. |
I am now: At her doctor appointment today she is officially 14 lbs .5 oz and 24.5 inches long. She's around the 50th percentile for weight and length and 90th for her head circumference. She's wearing size 2 diapers and barely fits in size 3 clothes, she is more in 3-6 month clothes. She's our big buddha baby!
A Typical Day looks like:
7 AM to 7:30) Start waking up for the day. Usually on the weekends she's good at sleeping in a bit (or at least entertaining herself). But 7:30 on weekdays is when I get her up no matter what.
7:30 to 8) Breakfast time. I changed diapers, outfits and then make her bottle (usually about 5.5 oz of breastmilk and 1 of formula) and Cara's breakfast (oatmeal or cereal) and then feed them at the same time.
8 to 9:30) Gwen hangs out in the swing while I clean dishes, get finishing touches on the morning things (my lunch, the bottle makings for Larry, and getting my work stuff put together), and brush Cara's teeth. Larry stretches her to last as close to 9:30 for her nap.
9 to 10:30) Nap time. She usually wakes up at 10:30 very much ready for her next bottle. He'll usually do some tummy time or swing/bumbo seat time to get her to be calm.
11 to 12 ish) Diaper change, eat a 6 ounce bottle (usually 1 oz is formula, the rest is breast milk), get burped and more wiggle and giggle time.
12 to 2) Nap time. If she gets up early then she hangs out until her next feeding.
2 to 3:15) Diaper change, eat 6 oz bottle again, get burped, wiggle and giggle time and then she'll end up going down for another nap.
3:15-4:15) She naps while Larry and Cara go downstairs so he can work out and she hangs out in the play area. After his workout and he showers she is usually up and ready to hang out again.
5-5:15) Diaper change, eat 6 oz again, get burped, and usually hang out with Larry and Cara.
5:15 to 6) Final nap time. Just a small one to help her last until bedtime.
6-6:45) This is when we wake her up and she'll hang out with Larry and Cara while I pump. Around 6:30 we put her on an activity mat while we do "Family Stretches". It also started warming up towards the end of the month so we started to take the girls outside a couple nights during the week
6:45 - 7:30) I'll usually read to the girls at 6:45 while dad gets the 7:00 bottle ready (4.5 oz of breast milk). I'll feed her while we watch our nightly show. Now that she's eating "solids" we're thinking of (and started experimenting with) making this time where she gets baby food/formula and the oatmeal instead of giving her the bottle.
7:30) Get ready for bed. She gets a diaper change, lotion, put in pajamas, owlet, and sleep sac (but not swaddled, it just helps to keep her warm), and a nice 3 oz formula bottle to top her off. We do a bath on Sundays and Wednesdays and then the same routine after that. If she isn't asleep when we put her down she's good at putting herself to sleep so that's been really nice. Now that she's getting more solids at 7 we've changed the last bottle to 4 oz of formula. Our plan is to get her used to having solids at 7 and doing a formula bottle at 7:15 and then getting her used to a bedtime routine without the bottle (but maybe add in a book). I think it'll take us a couple weeks till we feel we can start that, but I'm glad she's already getting used to going to sleep on her own. It's also nice that when I'm making her last bottle of the night she's already starting to put herself to sleep on our bed so I don't think it'll be hard to transition her to the new bedtime routine when we're ready for it.
A Typical Day looks like:
7 AM to 7:30) Start waking up for the day. Usually on the weekends she's good at sleeping in a bit (or at least entertaining herself). But 7:30 on weekdays is when I get her up no matter what.
7:30 to 8) Breakfast time. I changed diapers, outfits and then make her bottle (usually about 5.5 oz of breastmilk and 1 of formula) and Cara's breakfast (oatmeal or cereal) and then feed them at the same time.
8 to 9:30) Gwen hangs out in the swing while I clean dishes, get finishing touches on the morning things (my lunch, the bottle makings for Larry, and getting my work stuff put together), and brush Cara's teeth. Larry stretches her to last as close to 9:30 for her nap.
9 to 10:30) Nap time. She usually wakes up at 10:30 very much ready for her next bottle. He'll usually do some tummy time or swing/bumbo seat time to get her to be calm.
11 to 12 ish) Diaper change, eat a 6 ounce bottle (usually 1 oz is formula, the rest is breast milk), get burped and more wiggle and giggle time.
12 to 2) Nap time. If she gets up early then she hangs out until her next feeding.
2 to 3:15) Diaper change, eat 6 oz bottle again, get burped, wiggle and giggle time and then she'll end up going down for another nap.
3:15-4:15) She naps while Larry and Cara go downstairs so he can work out and she hangs out in the play area. After his workout and he showers she is usually up and ready to hang out again.
5-5:15) Diaper change, eat 6 oz again, get burped, and usually hang out with Larry and Cara.
5:15 to 6) Final nap time. Just a small one to help her last until bedtime.
6-6:45) This is when we wake her up and she'll hang out with Larry and Cara while I pump. Around 6:30 we put her on an activity mat while we do "Family Stretches". It also started warming up towards the end of the month so we started to take the girls outside a couple nights during the week
6:45 - 7:30) I'll usually read to the girls at 6:45 while dad gets the 7:00 bottle ready (4.5 oz of breast milk). I'll feed her while we watch our nightly show. Now that she's eating "solids" we're thinking of (and started experimenting with) making this time where she gets baby food/formula and the oatmeal instead of giving her the bottle.
7:30) Get ready for bed. She gets a diaper change, lotion, put in pajamas, owlet, and sleep sac (but not swaddled, it just helps to keep her warm), and a nice 3 oz formula bottle to top her off. We do a bath on Sundays and Wednesdays and then the same routine after that. If she isn't asleep when we put her down she's good at putting herself to sleep so that's been really nice. Now that she's getting more solids at 7 we've changed the last bottle to 4 oz of formula. Our plan is to get her used to having solids at 7 and doing a formula bottle at 7:15 and then getting her used to a bedtime routine without the bottle (but maybe add in a book). I think it'll take us a couple weeks till we feel we can start that, but I'm glad she's already getting used to going to sleep on her own. It's also nice that when I'm making her last bottle of the night she's already starting to put herself to sleep on our bed so I don't think it'll be hard to transition her to the new bedtime routine when we're ready for it.
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| Look at those chunky thighs! |
This Month I: Rolled from back to front, and got SO close to front to back, I started smiling and laughing a little reactively. I got to try new foods, but I'm not so sure about them just yet. So far it's just been sweet potatoes, but she kept making "what on earth is this in my mouth?" faces haha.
I also got to meet my Papa and Nana (Wilson) as well as my Great Grandma Wilson. she crocheted me an amazing blanket that is so soft!
I also got to meet my Papa and Nana (Wilson) as well as my Great Grandma Wilson. she crocheted me an amazing blanket that is so soft!
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| Such an adorable napper |
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| She looks REALLY big here...but it's just the angle AND look at that face! |
Parent's Notes: Gwen has gotten to be SO much more fun this last month. I'm seriously obsessed with her and feel like she's like my little baby doll. She absolutely loves to smile and be happy. She did so well when she met Papa and Nana T (Wilson), but she kind of cried when she met my grandma on that side. She also cried at the doctor at her appointment, so she might be starting the stranger danger stage (sad face!), but with us she smiles a TON! She's got the craziest big blue eyes, sometimes they almost look purple.
I really had to learn this past month that I just cannot compare Gwen to Cara. They are two separate people and will learn things at their own pace. I was worried Gwen wasn't rolling over even though I had notes that Cara was at this point and I was starting to get upset over it. Then I realized that Gwen has been doing things that Cara might not have yet and I just need to let her learn things on her own. It doesn't do any good to compare them and make them feel like there is a competition between the two of them. Once I learned that I have been having more fun with her.
We're both (Larry and me) so grateful that she's gotten used to the bedtime routine and goes down so easily. The fact that she's been sleeping through the night has been SO amazing and it's made it so I haven't feel as sleep deprived this time around. I actually tend to wake up throughout the night and just stare at her because she's just so sweet and perfect! We've also actually been able to go out to dinners a little later than we were daring to do with Cara at this age and it hasn't been too bad.
I'm so happy to have two easy (so far) children and it makes me excited to keep adding to our household (yes I am already thinking of that!).
I really had to learn this past month that I just cannot compare Gwen to Cara. They are two separate people and will learn things at their own pace. I was worried Gwen wasn't rolling over even though I had notes that Cara was at this point and I was starting to get upset over it. Then I realized that Gwen has been doing things that Cara might not have yet and I just need to let her learn things on her own. It doesn't do any good to compare them and make them feel like there is a competition between the two of them. Once I learned that I have been having more fun with her.
We're both (Larry and me) so grateful that she's gotten used to the bedtime routine and goes down so easily. The fact that she's been sleeping through the night has been SO amazing and it's made it so I haven't feel as sleep deprived this time around. I actually tend to wake up throughout the night and just stare at her because she's just so sweet and perfect! We've also actually been able to go out to dinners a little later than we were daring to do with Cara at this age and it hasn't been too bad.
I'm so happy to have two easy (so far) children and it makes me excited to keep adding to our household (yes I am already thinking of that!).
Update on last month's goals:
- Continue working on tummy time to improve her rolling over skills. She's rolled over from tummy to back a couple times, but she still gets so frustrated. I wish I knew how to teach her this quicker.
- Grabbing Skills: She's gotten SO good at this this month. In fact she will grab anything that Cara puts in her hands (after which Cara claps like she's so happy it worked haha). She also started grabbing for my face towards the end of the month. She's getting so much better and it's awesome to watch!
- Getting as much attention as Cara. This one is probably the hardest part of having more than one kid. You can't give both of the 100% of your attention so they have to share. I feel I've gotten a good balance, but I probably actually give Gwen a little more than Cara. But when it's Larry's night to put Gwen down I make sure to cuddle with Cara while we watch a short cartoon before she has to go to bed (since hers goes quicker we give it 10-15 minutes after Gwen starts her routine to start Cara's).
- Solids: We started with some sweet potatoes and she made funny faces and half spit it out the whole time. I'm still very excited to add more as the doctor said we could even start with some peanut butter about now. YAY!
- Nighly STEAM activities...yeah that's still a work in progress. We haven't done it too much.
- Sleeping: we're there! Other than some mornings she gets up a little earlier than we'd like, but most of the time she's good to go. If she rolled over both ways already I'd be starting the transition into her own room, but we've got another month or two before we do that.
Goals for next month:
- Work on the STEAM nightly activities...hopefully I can find good ones even with going outside more.
- More work on solids. We want to get her used to them so we can start the new bedtime routine.
- Rolling over both ways. This would be so nice so we didn't have a cranky girl when she gets stuck on her tummy.
- Just continue with the smiles and work on getting real laughs. That's another favorite milestone for me :)
- Work on treating them as individuals and being more in the moment. This time around is going so much faster and I know she's going to be 1 before we know it.
- Get outdoors and let her explore as much as she can! It's getting to be so nice that I'm excited she doesn't have to be cooped up in the house or in her car seat.
