To Lucille on your Four Months Birthday,

Just like I did!

You are becoming such a big girl. Your physical strength increased quickly this past month. Not only do you lead with your head as I pull you up from your back to sitting, but by the end of this month you became awesome at tummy time. You lay their casually taking in your surroundings, chewing on your hands, playing with toys. Okay so this is still only limited to five minutes at a time, but I'll count it! On a few occasions you even have flipped back the other way, but at this point I don't think you really understand how you are doing it.

Super Girl

You transitioned from swaddle to sleep sacks relatively easily. The first few times you were especially squirmy, but quickly adapted. I think you appreciated the extra freedom they provided. It is not uncommon to find you in a totally different direction in the crib then I put you down.

Hmmmmm

At the end of the month you also started a new noise. For most of a whole day you tucked in your lower lip, pursed your lips and said "hmmmmmm".












In addition to your physical growth, your awareness has increased. You are super interested in the things around you, so much so that if we are out and about you will skip naps, feedings, etc. Apparently, this is an inherited trait from yours truly who also was an inquisitive (nosy) baby. No longer can I always trust you to doze peacefully as I get errands done. *sigh*

We aren't sure about your personality yet. At times you seem like your dada, quietly studying something with a raised eyebrow. Other times you seem like a miniature version of me, filled with spunk and sassiness. Overall you are an easy-going baby willing to smile at anyone who engages you.

Thankfully, you and your dad are buds again.  He made sure to get home early-ish in the evenings to play with you and/or give your your baths. By the end of the month you built up enough trust him to fall asleep in his arms- which he loved!

Smile!

I am really grateful I get to spend so much time with you. I just think you are the best. Thanks for being such a stellar baby! When I am feeling blue, just looking at you will bring a smile to my face.

Moma's Girl

Lucille at Four Months:

Four Month Stats (as of 1-16-13)

- Weight: 14lb 1oz - 41 percentile

- Height: 25 3/4 inches - 89 percentile

- Head: 16 1/2 inches - 80 percentile
- Brown for sure!

- More hair - color still indistinguishable

Milestones
-Head no longer lags while pulling you up from your back to a seated position
-Sporadically rolling belly to back (at very end of month)

-Learned to make the "mmmmm" sound
                                                                               -Nicknames include Sassy, Stinker, momma's girl


Love,

Mama & Daddy

Christmas #1

Feeling inspired by our new roles as parents Pearce and I enthusiastically joined in the holiday spirit this year. We decked the halls, listened to Christmas music 24/7, and headed to the mall to get presents. While there we got our version of a photo "with" Santa.

This year we even got our very own Christmas tree, something we haven't done for years because we are always out of town. Thanks to Susan and Andy, we actually had a ton of presents under the tree for Lucille to "open".

Lucille monitoring her dad's progress of putting up the tree

The Loot

 Since we were headed out of town to celebrate Christmas with the Coral Springs crew, we decided to open the presents the weekend prior for what was our first "Christmas". I even convinced Pearce to open a few presents the night before we were going to officially celebrate.

Lucille's First Present:

1st Present

Big Bootie Bunny

The next morning while sipping from mugs of apple cider we opened her other Christmas goodies.

Lucille anxiously awaiting her presents

Her first ornament

I think in the end she enjoyed the bow of one of her presents the best- isn't that always the case?!?

Chattanooga with the Girls

In early December Lucille and I had a girls trip to Chattanooga. We were enticed to go there by my childhood friend Kate Honey Lookabill and her daughter who were visiting from out of the country.

Lucille did great on the drives. On the way up she slept the whole time; on the way back the next day she woke up and hour and a half into the drive so I pulled over at a cafe to feed her and then she slept the rest of the time. I am constantly amazed at how she handles herself in new situations.

Miss Merril and Me

Kate and Lu

It was a quick trip unfortunately because as soon as we arrived Kate's Mother-in-Law was diagnosed with pneumonia and I did not want to risk Lucille catching it. 

Lucille is a great sharer

Still we managed to cram some good bonding in a short amount of time- something I think both Kate and I really needed. Nothing like some good conversations with an old friend. And now with the kiddies!