Our sweet angel baby is 4 months old. She is the happiest, smileyest baby I ever did see. Taking her pictures this month she refused to smile anytime I picked up the camera of course. She is content but prefers being held, by anyone though. She goes through spurts of needing her mama and decided just last week that she wouldn't be needing naps, despite self inflicted 10pm bedtimes. She fought off a nasty cold/cough with snuggles, sleep, and lots of nursing but ugh did it break my heart to see her like that. She has shown signs of eczema lately but with a regular routine of burts bees lotion it seems to be under control. She likes to be held for naps, but in her own crib at night. She was doing 7 hour sleep stretches but in the last week has started waking up twice to nurse. She is in 9-12 month sleepers.
Hazel has started squealing and talking a lot lately, and LAUGHING! She loves to watch her sisters do silly things and has started contributing to the madness with fake coughs. She doesn't get to spend much time on her tummy, or the floor at all, with two big sisters there to always roll her over or be so close she can't move. She likes to sit in the bumbo when I am cooking so we can listen to music together. When I am busy running around she is happiest in the walker pretending to drive. And she LOVES the tv. Lately she has been gnawing on her hands, or our fingers, any chance she gets and soaking through her shirts with drool. Her sisters were both over 6 months before they got any teeth but she is certainly showing the signs. She also found her thumb which, in addition to being freaking adorable, helps with the self soothing when the nook just doesn't cut it.
OK and now for the sappy mom stuff...
I already miss this baby stage. I miss her yesterday self. Each day that passes I want to cry. Every single night I squeeze her tight and smell her baby head for the thousandth time that day and lay just one more kiss on her little temples. The advice they give about enjoying every moment is being taken quite literally. I never want to put her down. Maybe because I see what just two short years can do to a child and I am terrified. It has become even harder for me this time around, instead of the first. I look back at her newborn pictures and while I love seeing her personality shine and her start to interact with her sisters, I already miss her. What more can a mom do to savor their babies? The quote I found when she was just days old plays on my mind on repeat each day. "There are moments I know I will long for, even as I live them." Her soft wisps of hair, her tiny Bugle shaped fingers with dimples at the base, the comfort of laying on my chest are the stuff I live for. I get even less frustrated with her crying and waking up or refusal to take a bottle than I did with the older two. I remember the day she turned 4 months old telling James how hard of a time I was having with it. His response of pointing out that she is a third of a year actually brought tears to my eyes. Needless to say, I am in love with her and I love her. She is my peace when the house and older two are insane and my humor when life gets tough. She is the one I prayed for with all my might and I never want to take a moment for granted that I have with her. Although some days dealing with all three girls makes me rethink my choice to stay home, I would not miss a single day of this madness for all the money in the world.
