make bake and love: Four Months

Four month stats: 16 lbs 5.5 oz, 26 1/4 inches

I'm catching up! Our little stinker was four months old on Christmas Day! We are keeping up our weekly and monthly photo traditions and it makes me so happy! It's kind of fun thinking up outfits for our little photo shoots and I LOVE being able to look back and see how she has changed throughout the weeks.

During her fourth month there were a lot of changes. I started back at work and was so sad that my maternity leave was over. If only I could stay home with her every day, but alas I need to bring home the bacon while the hubby is kicking butt and finishing up med school (only four more months!!!). Also this month were the holidays which meant some travel threw off our schedule. Not very fun in the sleeping department but we made it through.

Here's some highlights from little miss Em's fourth month of life:

- Mastered the art of the "hungry tiger" face! (you'll know it when you see it below)

- Started doing this thing where she rolls her tongue. So funny to watch and we thought for a hot minute she might be teething (that would be early!) but no teeth yet thank goodness!

- Sticking her tongue out a lot - she loves that tongue

- Started putting everything in her mouth

- Loves sucking on her fingers (and ours)

- Slightly pushing up with her arms during tummy time

- Still hates tummy time (but is doing well with her neck and back strength)

- Responding really well to noises and talking (and her name on rare occasions)

- Very smiley and giggly! Loves being on her changing table and playing with her Bunny Frou Frou

- We have little cooing convos back and forth

- Loves spending time with her Grandmas when they watch her every week!

- Very contemplative and serious at times trying to figure things out.

- She got her first little cold - just a stuffy nose but it sucked! Cue the humidifier and saline solution! Luckily it passed, but she did have trouble sleeping because of it.

- Sleeping is all backwards probably because of a growth spurt, cold, and traveling, among other things. We had a few very rough nights trying to get her down to bed. Lots of rocking to get her to sleep (by mom only, too). On the plus side, on one of her sick nights the only place she would fall asleep (after three hours of off and on crying/rocking) was her crib for the first time! Since that night she has slept in the crib in her nursery! So that was a nice way to force us to move her to the crib. It was still a challenge getting her used to it after that, but I am not turning back!!!

- Going back to work has been very hard, but I guess we are getting used to it (do you ever?!)? I started out working two days a week from home while my mom watched her two days and Zach's parents watched her one day. It hasn't been very busy at work so that was fine for a while, but I actually hated working from home. It was so hard! I did not like the feeling of being pulled in two different directions all day long... Crying baby and trying to work. Playing with baby and trying to work. So. Hard. I hated it. So, now we are going to daycare three days a week... I think it will be better for everyone, but at the same time very hard for me as well! At least now I can get my work done and go home to play with Em instead of having to make up hours all night.

Month four was very tough but also a lot of fun. I love watching Em learn and grow and develop every day. She is such a happy girl and makes me so happy in return. I love her to pieces!

Such a little ham...