Seriously?!

It's how I felt when Roger and I celebrated our ten-year anniversary this August. Ten years? Seriously?! And now I'm feeling it again as little miss Laney-bug turns four months old today. Roger and I were watching her on her tummy this morning, wiggle around to get a touch closer to her toy, then roll over, marveling that soon this little girl will be crawling, and eating solids and driving. Okay, that's still a ways off, thank goodness, but you get my point! She is growing up and is so not my tiny baby anymore. We haven't had her four-month check-up yet, but I am guessing this babe that came out so tiny is creeping up on 15 pounds. She has changed a lot in four months, but not in this area. The girl loves her milk!

She nurses about every two to three hours throughout the day, but can go anywhere from six to nine hours at night without waking. She had about a week where she was sleeping 8-9 hours each night (and the bald spot on the back of her head to prove it), but last week decided to start requesting that 2am feeding again. She is at an age where she is quickly and strongly developing opinions and one opinion she is voicing is anti-bottle. She'll take in when need-be, but she doesn't love it. Bless my husband, he has put hours into helping her take the bottle these past two weeks as I prepared to go back to the office part-time. When I did go back on Thursday, she took three bottles! Not without a little fuss, but she didn't starve! No, no worries about this chub starving.

I love nursing this sweet girl. I love how she grabs onto my shirt when she nurses and how I can see the imprint of her ear on my arm when she's done. I love rubbing her wrist wrinkle and how she almost always falls asleep towards the end of a session.

Many mornings, she is now waking up happy and babbling instead of with hungry tears. I listen to her through the monitor for a few minutes until my favorite part of the day: Her huge gummy smile as soon as I come to pick her up. She makes you feel like a million bucks, even with bed head and bad breath. She is generous with her smiles, but makes you work for her laughs. Her first belly laugh was due to her Papa Pat. She must have a good sense of humor because he is a funny guy.

Laney is not interested in "baby" things. She won't tolerate the cradle hold and is much more content sitting big-girl style in the stroller rather than in her car seat in the stroller. She loves to see what is going on, which may be part of why she still doesn't like being in her car seat. I think I'm going to try putting a mirror back there where she can see herself. Now that she is able to grab at toys, having a toy hanging from her car seat handle has helped diminish the tears in the car (ours and hers!)

Much of her day is one big startle reflex, as brother comes roaring in and out of her space. He is so loud and I'm shocked at how well she tolerates it. I often hear Rog telling Luke, "Get out of her space, dude!" But I truly think she has given the most smiles to her brother.

You have brightened our lives, Laney-girl. We love you, love you, love you!