My sweet baby is four months old and is definitely more "baby" than newborn. She has discovered her feet and the ability to raise her legs and feet, although feet aren't reaching her mouth to suck on yet. It's so fun that warmer weather is here and she wears a lot of tank top onesies because the more of her little body we have access to squeeze, cuddle and kiss the better!
Oh, but how her sleep has changed. Okay, I'm still pretty lucky at night considering that she had been sleeping through the night since 6 weeks but that's exactly why the new unpredictable night-wakings are such a bummer. We went on a trip and the first night she woke a few times at night and early in the morning. I thought maybe she was too warm or she was restless from getting less sleep. It happened near the end of the trip too where she just wouldn't stay asleep for long. Luckily we slept in a king bed so there was room for her with us which seemed to help. She'd wake super early every morning and I'd keep her in our bed because she wouldn't transition back to hers. Now that we're home we've had inconsistent difficulty with sleep - mostly she's difficult to keep asleep and naps are super tough in terms of getting her to fall asleep. I googled the issue and it turns out this is super common! It's called "four month sleep regression" - go figure! Not that it's any easier knowing it's a normal part of development (her sleep is now more adult-like where she's in and out of deep sleep so she wakes easily AND she's more aware of her body and surroundings, making her less likely to want to sleep) except that I'm not now grasping at straws as I try to figure out what the issue is (is her bed to small? is she too warm? does she want her legs free? does she still need her legs swaddled? ....). The plan now is to suffer through it until she's old enough for us to sleep train her.
Speaking of our trip, she was such a good traveler! (aside from issues sleeping at night) We drove 5 hours to Las Vegas and were there for four days, then 5 hours to San Diego for a few days, 5 hours back to Vegas for a night before the last 5 hour stretch home. She was awesome in the car, and if I swaddled her in her carseat her naps were pretty normal in length. Lucy seemed to really love our time away from home - she had so much to look at as we toured various places and loved all the time spent outdoors. Plus, half of our trip was spent with her Grandma and Grandpa who gave her extra love and attention. It made me realize how boring we make her life, laying her in her bouncy seat and giving her only a few things to experience or even look at.
At her four month check-up she was 11 lbs 10 ounces (4thile) and just over 24 inches long (17th %ile). Head circumference was 70th %ile, that big head runs in our family:) I was looking foward to these stats because she seemed so big, especially long, to me and I wondered if she really was big for her age or if my perception is skewed just because she's not my tiny baby anymore. Turns out it's the latter. June and Henry were at the appointment and weren't happy that she had to get four shots. Henry plugged his ears and said he didn't like to hear how much she cried.
Lucy continues to be so smiley and laughs a lot. Her laughing is not a big laugh, just short bursts but it's so so cute. She just loves to have attention - she'll stare at someone with obvious anticipation until they look and then she gives a huge smile.
Of course it feels like the time has gone by so fast since she was born. The newborn stage was not my favorite this time around but I feel like I could keep her at this age and be perfectly content with what having a baby this age brings (four month sleep regression excluded... at least I have one consolation about her growing older than she is now). Time passing is almost so cruel. We're just trying to remember to enjoy our sweet girl while she's still so little.
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