4 Months

So many changes this month!  I feel like once I get a handle on him, everything changes!  Luckily, since my last post, the sleeping has gotten MUCH better. He even made it the other day all of the way until 6 am which is the best he has ever done! Unfortunately, at his 4 month appointment, he had to get shots. At his 2 month appointment he had started sleeping really well and then after his shots, he started sleeping HORRIBLE again. I don't know if it was just the timing of a growth spurt or if it was the shots, but I am praying that he doesn't start up with that again!  I know I need to start with sleep training. It is just something I am really not looking forward to. Now that he is 4 months and we finally have a little more stability (we have been out of town a few times in the last few weeks) I am going to get started with it. I know that no baby is really that good at crying themselves to sleep, but I feel like Owen is really really bad at it.  It doesn't seem to get better, but he screams harder and harder.  It is the same case with the car. I am motivated to do it now though!n In fact, he is trying to cry himself to sleep during his first nap (as recommended by his doctor). I pretty much hate it and am horrible at it!  I never thought I would be one of those moms who needed to baby their baby at all times. But I am eating crow big time.

4 Month Stats:

Length: 26 inches (75th percentile)

Weight: 14 lbs 5 oz. (25th percentile)

Head circumference: 41.5 cm (25th percentile) 

Owen has always had the cutest little tongue.  It is heart shaped at the end instead of round. I never really thought anything of it because my niece Laine and nephew Gabe also have heart tongues. Well, turns out, it is actually that Owen is tongue tied. The doctor wasn't terribly concerned about it since he has no problems eating, but it could cause problems with his speech in the future. I am supposed to watch it over the next two months, but we might be getting it clipped next appointment because it is much easier to clip now instead of when they are older.

Now lots of fun things about this little boy:

• Nicknames: buggie, wildman (doesn't even do it justice), kitty cat (sometimes when he whines, it sounds like a meow and he scratches), monkey boy
• Fitting into 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers
• Everyone always comments on how tall he is. I was actually surprised that he was only in the 75 percentile because he literally does not meet anyone without them commenting on his length.
• Cannot get enough of chewing on his hands and fingers. He is always sucking on either his fist, his thumb or his pointer and middle finger together. He loves it so much that sometimes when he is eating, he tries to slip a finger in his mouth.  Don't think that is going to work...
• Started rolling over on October 13.  He can roll from his back to his stomach and sometimes from his stomach to his back.  It was like he just all of the sudden got it.  He had been kind of arching his back, but then once he rolled over, he has been rolling over ever since!  I don't like that he can roll over in bed now! Last night we put him to bed swaddled and I went in there before I went to bed to put another blanket on him and he had rolled over and the swaddled part was all tight on his neck. I hate thinking of what could have happened had I not gone in there.  I guess we are going to be done with swaddling. 
• Since he can roll over and that seems to be his preferred way of sleeping, I put him down to sleep on his stomach a lot now.  I never used to do it in the night, but if he is restless, it is my best solution. He sleeps so much better that way.
• His absolute favorite thing to do is lay across my lap with his head hanging down.  He could sit there for hours looking around upside down and just be as happy as can be.  He has even fallen asleep that way a few times. He loooves it. My little bat :)
• At his appointment, the doctor asked if he could stand up and apply pressure on his feet. Um, yes. He pretty much has been able to do this since he was 2 weeks old. He is a pro at standing up and loves to do it.
• He has a new love for toys. It seemed like all of the babies around his age were already grabbing at things like toys, but I didn't think he was interested in them at all. I picked him up a few new toys at the store and after a few days, he loved playing with them and was grabbing at them all of the time.  This is nice because now I can actually set him down and he doesn't get bored after 2 minutes!  He has also started grabbing at his feet which is just adorable
• His new thing is pinching and scratching. IT HURTS!  He is a strong little booger and if he pinches you just right, it feels like it is going to leave a blood blister.
• He loves to flail his arms and legs all around. When he is on the ground, he lifts both legs straight up into the air and slams them down onto the ground as hard as he can. I don't know how his little heels aren't bruised, but it never seems to hurt him at all. He also loves smacking things... including my face when I pull him into bed with me in the morning!
• His nails grow so fast. I feel like I can't keep up with trimming them and always forget to trim them. I usually remember when he gets me really good during a smacking fest (sounds like my little baby is a bully!)
• Has more hair than shows up in pictures! It looks like he is pretty much bald, but he has lots of blonde fuzzy duckling hair on top.
• Smiling all of the time now. Still laughs when he is tickled.

 Happy boy!

He is so interested in things around him now

 Cutie pie

Many faces of Owen

Get out of here...

Always chewing on his fingers

Standing up by himself! (With my hands near and ready to catch him)

Loves to arch his back and stretch out his legs

He has been spitting up so much more than he ever did. I thought it was supposed to DECREASE as they got older!

Hello.

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