4 Months

Dear Baby Girl,

Today I was putting away clothes that you can no longer wear and it made me sad to realize that you will never be that tiny little baby again. It seems like these last 4 months have flown by and that scares me in a way I can't fully explain.

People always said "they grow up so fast" and I didn't really understand what they meant, now I do. I want to freeze time and live in this moment with you forever. Being with you brings me a joy that was previously unimaginable and makes me truly think on a much deeper level about every decision I make throughout the day. What I do now, is because of you whereas before, it was all about me.

You are a happy baby and a true pleasure to be around. I can tell you are your Daddy's baby by the way you talk and sing with such intensity. I can tell you are my girl by your fierce determination to achieve whatever you set your little mind out to achieve, be it rolling over or grabbing a toy you so desperately want but is just out of reach. You are the perfect blend of your Dad and me.

Your days right now are pretty much like clockwork. People think we are nuts by our routine but we worked really hard to get to this point and it has paid off. We know when you are tired, hungry or just over it and that allows us a freedom that I don't think we'd have otherwise. So, thank you B*by Whisperer and H*ppiest Baby on the Block for giving us some guidance.

For quite some time now, you have been sleeping anywhere from 6 - 8 hours each night, waking for a morning bottle and then going back to sleep for a couple of hours. When you wake, you are all smiles even if it's in the middle of the night. We get a cry that says, hey guys where are you and then are greeted with your smiling face and kicking legs. While it's funny to see, I must admit I prefer when you don't wake in the middle of the night which now really is a rare event.

We have found that you still need to be swaddled over night because if you aren't, you get those arms and legs going and wake yourself up. You also spin yourself in circles in your crib which wakes you up as well. So, we'll swaddle until we can't swaddle no more.

This week we also tried out rice cereal a couple of times but decided to stop because you had this nasty yeast infection/diaper rash and diarrhea. Wanted you to get over that first. But man, you like to eat sucking down 6 ounces like it's the best thing you have ever eaten. You still spit up a bit, but your reflux seems to be a little more under control.

All in all, I think this last month you have changed the most. I am excited to see the little girl you are becoming and saddened to watch my baby...MY BABY grow up. I guess that's how most moms feel, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier.

Thank you baby girl for being a bright ray of sunshine in my life that forever will remind me of what is good in the world, of what is good in me.

I love you.
Mom