Four Months

Sleep: Well, the last four weeks have shown me that just when I think you have a schedule - you'll change it on me! We have been experiencing the 4 month sleep regression. You started waking up at 1 am and 4 am again. Those were a tough few weeks! In the last few days, you have started sleeping from 7:30 pm - 5:30 am. 10 hours! It's been a dream, but I know that at anytime you can switch it up on me. I never know what kind of night we'll have when I lay down to go to sleep at night. You definitely keep me on my toes. 

Food: We're still exclusively breastfeeding. It blows me away that you can get so fat on just a liquid diet. You are definitely showing signs of being interested in what we are eating, but we are trying to wait until you are 6 months old to introduce you to solid food. I just think your little digestive system could benefit from waiting a little longer. I'm so excited about it though that I've already bought your baby food maker, and your highchair!

Milestones: You rolled over for the first time at 15 weeks. It was so exciting. All day long I had been videotaping you laying on your belly and almost turning over. When your dad got home from work we were all laying on the floor in your room, and I was showing him the videos and telling him it would be any day now. Well the timer dinged in the kitchen, so I left the room for ONE minute to take dinner out of the oven and daddy yells, "Amira, she just rolled over!!!!!" Sure enough you had turned over on to your back! I was sad to miss it, but glad that daddy got to see :-) You rolled over for me the next day. And haven't really done it since.

Exercise: We also pulled out the excersaucer because all you want to do is stand up!! As long as someone is holding you so you can stand, you are a happy camper. However, you get so mesmerized by all the toys in the exersaucer that you let your legs go right away. I think soon you'll understand that you can stand in it all by yourself! You are getting a little closer to sitting up too.

Fun: You still love books so much and we continue to have story time a few times a day. We also take a long morning walk in the neighborhood. You are the most content in the morning so we can actually walk for longer than 20 minutes without you getting fussy. Tummy time is also one of your favorite things. You kick your feet so hard, and it looks like you're swimming. You want to be on the go, and I think sometimes you get frustrated that you can't really get anywhere yet. A few times you've been able to get traction with your knee and push an inch or so. I think this is the precursor to crawling which probably won't be for awhile.

Hair: You are definitely losing your hair! It's so funny to see how mangy it's starting to look. You still have really long pieces, and then sections where there is just peach fuzz. I can only imagine how funny it will look in another month. Poor little baldy.

You have really started to reach out and grab objects now! It's been a lot of fun to see how satisfied you look when you can reach for a toy and actually get it. You also like to pull on your feet when you lay on your back. And you stretch your hands up and look at them like they're toys. You also like to reach out and touch my face. My nose, my lips. It's all so intriguing to you.

Your little voice is so sweet! You make the funniest noises trying to talk and blow bubbles. I can't wait until you can say "mama".

You love to go outside with your dad to check on the strawberries, get the mail, enjoy the sunshine. etc.

Avery Monroe-
Watching you grow has been such a privilege.
We love you beyond words.

My first Mother's Day

Our first Mother's Day was perfect! 

Daddy let mommy sleep in for an extra hour, and you both woke me up with a delicious breakfast on the table. 

Daddy gave mommy the cutest initial necklace. 

Last minute we had my parents, brother and grandma over. 

They brought delicious Mediterranean food and we ate outside and enjoyed the sunny afternoon.

She's mesmerized by her doggy

This munchkin loves her "gwandpa" so much

Four generations :-)

And of course we had to share "the lip"

There isn't a day that goes by that I am not overwhelmed by how lucky and blessed I am to be your mama. Sometimes I look at you and my heart could just burst. I couldn't imagine a job more fulfilling or exhausting. 

Thank you, baby girl.

Three Month Old Schedule

Oh how you've changed the last few weeks! 

You are so much more interactive, and you've learned how to talk (babble) when you want attention. 

You still love sucking on your hands but now you seem to realize they are yours 
and are constantly inspecting them now. 
You've recently discovered your feet but don't yet know how to get them. When you wear pjs with animal feet, you will sit and stare at them and coo. Your eyes get big and the look of determination on your face is so sweet. 

You love smiling at yourself in the mirror, and have started to laugh!

You still nurse every two hours during the day. 
You are such a happy baby who rarely cries. And when you do cry, you are so easily consoled.

You love your baths now! Yay :-) 

You still hate your carseat, boo :-(

Schedule:

Usually you wake up once somewhere between 3:45 - 5:45 am (this means you sleep between 9-11 hours at only 3 months old!) I'll change you, feed you and we'll both go back to bed until 7:00 or 8:00 am. You wake up so happy! I usually change you and feed you right away and then I know I have a good hour and a half to get things done. I usually choose to do things that are noisy since you are wide awake. I'll put you in the rock n' play and you'll sit in the kitchen and watch me unload and load the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen. This is also when I'll eat a quick breakfast :-) I also try and do some dinner prep. Take out meat to thaw, etc. Then you'll sit in the bathroom with me while I take a quick shower. Then we have story time for about 20 minutes which is your absolute favorite. Brown Bear, Brown Bear is your favorite. 

Around 10:00 am I change you and feed you again and then you are pooped from the busy morning so you'll go down for your first nap. You sleep anywhere from 30-90 minutes. This is when I have to choose what I can get done because I need to be quiet. I usually throw in a load of laundry, flat iron my hair (this is a once a week occurrence, ha) pick up around the house, pay bills, put away your clothes, etc. Mommy has also learned to put Lucy out in the backyard before your nap because too many times she has barked and woken you up and this has made me want to give her up for adoption, haha. Luckily it's warm and sunny outside and she likes to sit in the sun.
When you wake up I change you and feed you again (around 12:00 pm) , and then if I'm going to get out of the house it has to be now. You absolutely hate your car seat, so if we do errands at the beginning of the day you are less likely to scream. We'll either meet friends or daddy for lunch, go to the grocery store, etc. I've learned that if I put you in your stroller at the restaurant or grocery store (instead of your car seat) you'll stay happy longer. And if we sit outside, that will buy us even more time. You love the breeze, and when it blows in your hair you squeal and smile and kick your legs.

When we get home around 2:00 pm you are ready to eat and be changed again. I feed you and then it's play time. We'll lay on your playmat and you'll bat at your toys and kick your legs. We'll sit outside in the backyard or go for a walk in the neighborhood. We read more books and sing songs. Then if we're going to have bath time it's before I feed you again at 4:00 pm. That will make you really relaxed and you'll usually take a 30 min nap after you eat. This is when I try and start dinner (although sometimes it's too noisy so I'll have to wait until you wake up). It's challenging to make dinner because this is your cranky time and you like to be held. Sometimes I can put you in your swing for 20 min and distract you for long enough.

Dad usually gets home around 5:30 and I really try and have dinner done by then. I'm usually feeding you again right when he gets home. He changes, eats his dinner, and then when I'm done feeding you he holds you while mommy eats. Sometimes you're really cranky at this time, and sometimes you'll smile and talk to him. I'll do the dishes and then usually between 6:00 and 7:30 pm you'll want to nurse constantly off and on. I think you're stocking up for the 8-11 hours you sleep at night. Nursing you every two hours during the day is worth the sleep I get at night! Usually you'll sleep on daddy's chest for an hour or two while we watch a movie or tv, and then he puts you in your crib and we'll go to bed around 9:30/10 pm. If I can fall asleep by 10:30 pm I can usually get 5-6 hours of sleep!

Easter 2013

Brandon and I spent Easter at his sister Amber's house with his family and mine. It was a wonderful day filled with good food, scavenger hunts, and sunshine.

 Amber and her husband kicked our butts in the scavenger hunt! 

Avery spending some time with her cousins!

 My mom made all the girls little Easter buckets

Experiencing the holidays with a little one is so much fun! 

I can't wait until next year when she actually knows what's going on :-)

HAPPY EASTER!

Avery is Two Months Old!

 Sleep: You are still an amazing sleeper and it's only gotten better. You sleep for one 7 hour stretch at night, and then a second 4-5 hour stretch. You normally eat for the last time between 7 - 8 pm, and will wake again around 2 - 3 am. I feed you and then you sleep again until 7 - 8 am.

Baths: Baths are still hit or miss with you. Sometimes you seem to find it calming, and sometimes it makes you really mad. Most of your baths are at your grandparent's house with the help of grandpa and grandma.

Social: You are so social these days! You are cooing and "talking" all the time. You love to smile and stare at people. I read you your first book a few days ago and you LOVED it! Your eyes lit up and you looked at all of the pages. It completely captivated your attention. Each time I turned a page you would kick your feet and coo. We have story time a couple of times a day now.

Food: You are still eating every two hours during the day which definitely makes it hard to go anywhere for more than an hour or two. We have met friends for lunch, and meet daddy for lunch once a week. But anything longer than that, I know that I will need to feed you in the car since mommy isn't comfortable nursing in public yet :-) Two weeks ago you weighed 11 pounds, I'm guessing maybe you weigh 12 pounds now. Which also means you are quickly outgrowing your 3 MONTH clothes!

Your little lip turn still gets to us every time! You are such a happy baby that it's so sad (and entertaining) to watch your lip start to turn.

 You have also started "standing" when we put our hand under your feet. You get super stiff and grunt and lift your head so high. You love it!

You really like tummy time, which I know a lot of babies don't. When you are done you curl up like a stink bug and look around the room fairly content.

Avery-
You are an absolute joy to everyone around you. I fall in love with you every single day. You are so happy and smart and looking at you makes my heart swell. I just want the very best for you.
xo,
Mommy