Hello! Caroline…4 Months Old

(three days late, but better late than never)
Dear Caroline,
What a month it has been…you’re 4 months old – a happy day at our house indeed! Let’s catch up on all your latest happenings…

You’ve made your way to size 2 diapers this past month…growing girl! Still rocking the Huggies and we can’t say enough good things about them-comfy and soft for your delicate little booty, and they definitely “hold” in all the messes. From our doctors’ visit this week, you weigh 14 pounds, 11 ounces (75% percentile) and are 26 inches long (95% percentile).

As for eating, you still never miss a feeding my dear darling. You eat 6 6oz bottles a day. Poor mommy tried to increase the amount at each feeding to cut back to 5 meals a day, yet you weren’t having it and that was a horrid night for daddy and I… we learned our lesson to listen to you VERY quickly. This next week we are going to start out trying rice cereal and other baby foods in the weeks to come and I cannot lie, I have been SO excited for this milestone. I have a feeling you are going to love getting something else other than formula in your belly so this should be fun! I’ll have to videotape these firsts so we can make sure to capture your first impressions of “real” food.

We have had to retire most of your 0-3 month clothes and move up to 3-6 months this past week…and poor mommy had a meltdown when I started packing away some of the adorable outfits you were only able to wear once or twice. You’re growing way too quickly…can I make time slow down just a little bit please? No worries though, we’ve got some adorable new frocks in the new lineup so I better get you in them ASAP.
As for the sleeping, you’re still doing great. We put you to sleep in your nursery around 10 every night., and you’ll sleep somewhere until 7:30 most days…talk about changes! We appreciate all the sleep you’re letting us get accustomed to again I promise you that.

I have a pretty good feeling you might even sleep longer if for the fact that you weren’t rolling over onto your tummy at all hours of the night. Yes, indeed, you started rolling this month and you haven’t stopped since your first time on June 28th.
Funny enough, I was fixing breakfast and daddy was getting ready for work and we were watching you roll around in your crib that morning on the video monitor…then all of a sudden, you rolled over on your tummy and of course we ran upstairs to congratulate you and tell you what a big girl you are…such a big accomplishment! Later that week when Aunt Meg was over visiting, you decided to throw us for another loop and rolled from your tummy to your back-we all went bananas and cheered for you like you had won the Olympic Gold!

We also had a few issues this past month where we had to go see your pediatrician, Dr. Barrow (who we LOVE by the way!). First of all, you got a bit congested, so crazy pyscho mommy immediately got you in to get checked out. Low and behold, no ear infection and no chest congestion, you just had some nasal congestion…nothing some saline spray and some fun with the bulb syringe couldn’t fix! Just last week, you started getting extremely fussy at nighttime, and wouldn’t let anyone hold you, not even daddy or Mimi…only mommy would do. We went round and round trying to figure out what it was and my intuition was correct-little peanut, you’re already cutting teeth! We’ve helped combat the discomfort with Orajel, Tylenol, and all the best teething rings and toys we could buy which seems to be helping.

You are still loving your activity mat, your snugabunny swing and bouncy seat, and have found a new appreciation for your Snug Seat. You sit right up and take in all the sights and sounds of what is going on and I have a feeling you’ll be sitting up on your own in no time.
Your favorite toys these days are your monogrammed silver rattle from Aunt Bev, your Mollie the Moose pink stuffed animal daddy got you while he was on a work trip in Minneapolis, your Wubbanub, Tammy the Turtle that Mimi brought you last week, and of course Sophie the Giraffe.

Thank you for being such a remarkable baby and the bestest companion we could ever ask for Caroline. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt you know how much you are loved and I hope you know how you complete our lives more than we could’ve ever imagined. Our days are better with you in them and I can’t seem to wipe off the everlasting smile on my face because we are just so in love with you.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

(P.S. the “posed” pictures included are from the wonderful Aunt Candice in celebration of 3 months! They turned out beautifully and I can’t thank Miss Tate enough for coming to spend some time with us!)