Our Happily Ever After: Four Months Old

Elisabeth Kae,

You are four months old and still the sweetest thing ever! We've had another fun month with you. You are developing and showing off your personality and are still such a joy for all of us.

I've put you in the bumbo a few times this month. You are just almost big enough for it. You love to be in one the action and have a better view of your brothers, but you get tired quickly from holding your head up. You still are a fan of the swing, and for the most part are always content when you're in it.

You eat about 7 times per day and get a 2 oz bottle of formula after 5-6 feedings. You nurse and take a bottle like a champ, and are a very efficient eater. A feeding session (including bottle), usually only takes around 15-20 minutes. You eat about every three hours during the day. Your last feeding is around 10:00pm. In the last couple of weeks, you've started waking up around 4:00am pretty consistently. I thought it was just a growth spurt, but now I think it's turning into a habit for you. It's not a huge deal to me. I grab you up and stick you in bed with me and you nurse and we co-sleep until 7:00-7:30am or so. Then you have six feedings throughout the day/evening.

You nap after every feeding. For most of the month, you could only stay awake about 1.5 hours at a time. I'd notice you starting to get fussy, look at the clock and sure enough it had been about 90 minutes since you woke up from your last nap. In the last few days, I'm noticing that you can usually last closer to 2 hours before needing a nap. Your naps really vary in duration. Some are about 45 minutes, and then you'll have a day where you will sleep for two hours at a nap. We just go with it. You can sleep through almost anything which is good because your brothers are loud. I swaddle you for naps and at bed time and you take a pacifier when you're falling asleep. I'll rock you until you're just about out, and then put you down. You go down for naps and bedtime really easily.

You started laughing this month. You are the happiest, sweetest thing, and your laugh is one of the best sounds in the entire world.

You like movement. You still almost always fall asleep in the car. You'll cry when we put you in your car seat, but the minute we start moving, you settle right down and usually fall asleep (if your brothers will let you)

A lot of people ask if we are calling you by any nicknames since there are so many options for Elisabeth. Your daddy and I are not fans of the more traditional nicknames (Lizzy or Beth). Actually your daddy just wants you to be called Elisabeth. I love your name too, but it can be a mouthful, so we've tossed around a few and we'll see if one sticks. Right now Nathan and my favorite is Ellie. He calls you Ellie a lot actually. We'll see if it sticks. You'll probably always be Elisabeth to me.

You're still rolling consistently from your tummy to back and aren't a big fan of tummy time. You prefer to be on your back. You're starting to reach and grab for your toys on your play mat more. It won't be long before you're playing with toys. Your favorite entertainment right now is watching your brothers. They continue to be so sweet to you. You just light up when they look at you and talk to you. It's precious.

You weigh 12lb 7oz (25%), are 23.5inches long (25%) and your head circumference is 16in (50%). You're wearing 0-3 and 3 month clothes. We're starting to move into some 3-6 month things. You wear a size 1 diaper, but as soon as we finish this pack, we'll move you into a size 2.

You have a content, sweet temperament, but when you're upset, you can lay on the crying. You have a terrible upset cry. It's pretty dramatic. It's funny because you'll be screaming and so upset, and then someone will look at you, and you'll immediately stop screaming and grin at them. You certainly know how to turn on the charm!

We've been on the go and busy a lot this month with a weekend trip to Branson and a full and busy Thanksgiving, and you just go with the flow and make it way too easy on us. You love attention and had the best time at Thanksgiving with so many willing arms to love on you.

You found your voice in the last week and practice talking a lot. And you've learned from your brothers to be loud. I'll hear you and think you're upset about something, but I'll look over and you're just jabbering loudly. You're learning what it takes to get noticed in this crazy house! You also are kicking your legs all the time now too. You get excited and jabber and kick and flail your arms. It's fun to see how excited you get.

You experienced your first Bedlam last weekend and what a Bedlam it was! I think it's your destiny to be a Cowgirl after that game. Your Daddy got pretty excited and scared you, but you were a trooper and of course you
look adorable in orange!