Zoe is growing, growing, growing. She weighed in at 13lb 2oz, and was 24.25" long at her 4 month appointment. She was in the 25-50% for both. Derick and his daddy were both sick at the time...Ricky with a cold and Derick with pinkeye so we delayed in getting her shots as I was afraid she was fighting the same things. Sure enough she ended up getting both. Nonetheless she seems to have recovered fairly well and we are working to get her back into her sleep habits. While she was sick she was back to waking up every 3 hours...which I am so over! Then she went back to 8-9 hours...so at least that is manageable...however I would LOVE to get back to the 10-12 hours! At her appointment, her Dr. asked me if she was rolling over. I said, "No and I really haven't even worked with her on it." The dr. said that we didn't want her to be delayed in that area. I thought to myself that I don't want her on the move yet, as that changes everything...no more just laying her on the bed or changing table while I grab something or whatever. But feeling guilty about it after we got home I started showing her what to do...yet I was the one doing all the work while she just stared at me with her big eyes...so funny.
While I loved, loved, loved Derick through all stages, I failed to appreciate the simplicity of the baby stage (well between the lack of sleep and constant teething I was in a fog). Now I treasure the time knowing how fast it all goes. I do have to say how much I LOVE the 4 month old stage. It's like Zoe just can't smile big enough. You just make eye contact and her whole face lights up and she smiles with her whole body and being. She kicks her legs and flails her arms so excitedly. Just this morning at 530am I decide I better change her diaper before I lay her back down and I keep telling myself...don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact. I go to the extreme of pretty much keeping my head turned. Yet seeing this sweet girl just laying there so intently smiling and seeking out my eyes I can't help but lock her gaze and give her a quick smile. Thankfully she did lay back down and settle very quickly.
We celebrated the 4th by staying home. How exciting does that sound? Actually it was great. The city had a fireworks show less than 1/2 mile away which meant that all we had to do was sit with our neighbors across the street to see the show. It was especially nice that I could lay Zoe down in her bed and keep the monitor on. Derick could go in and out of the house for bathroom, snacks, and drinks. The show included many of the loud booming sounds, and I was sure this would wake up Zoe. She would stir a little but go back to sleep. When the show was over and it was quiet is when she started to wake up (go figure!). I could movement on the monitor camera and heard crying. I figured she had her arm stuck in the crib slat...something she has begun doing even with the bumper on. I went into her room and found that she had rolled over for the first time on her own and she didn't know what to do. Last night she did it again. Hmmm...now I am remembering another reason I didn't want her to do this yet.
This was Derick's first 4th of July, as he could never stay awake late enough that we never bothered to take him somewhere...and last year we were moving out of our house on the 4th. I think he enjoyed the fireworks for what he saw of them. He was so busy running around with the neighbor kids and his cousins. He would stop and look up every now and again. The finale did capture all the kids attention though...they stopped and just stared up at the sky...it was fun to watch him.
I can't believe he is 2 days away from being a 4yr old. I have the day to finish preparing for his party tomorrow. Will give an update on him more next week and also post some pictures then.
