Milestones: 4 months

Oh Piper. If it's possible, we fell even more in love with you this month than we already were. You definitely captured our hearts from the beginning, but these last few weeks have been the most joy filled yet. Maybe it's because we're getting to know your personality more, maybe it's because we're sleeping more...but you have been an absolute delight. Here's a little bit about who you are shaping up to be:

• You weigh 15 lbs, are 25" long, and have a 44cm head circumference. That puts you in the 67th, 74th and 99th percentile respectively. And respectfully I have to tell you that it means you're thinning out a bit, still elegantly tall, and in possession of a giant noggin. I was worried that you were getting too skinny (you started in the 92nd percentile and though you continue to pack on the pounds, your weight-to-age ratio has steadily dropped since birth), but the doctor assured me that this was good news. Breastfed babies tend to follow a pattern of growing rapidly in the beginning and then leveling off. Plus, he reminded me that neither myself, nor your dad are especially large, so it wouldn't make sense for us to have a giant baby. And kids in general are tending towards obesity early, so you don't exactly want to be on the upper end of the comparison chart. As for your head though? Well...I like to think it's extra large to hold your extra smarts. That may not be true, but you sure are adorable, even if it is a little tough to get your shirts on sometimes.
• You're starting to roll onto your side. You get your legs up in the air, and use the weight to tip yourself over. You're not always doing it purpose exactly though, in fact- you were able to roll over from your tummy to your back a few times, but now you seem to have forgotten how, which leads me to believe that milestone was a bit of a fluke. But I think it's only a matter of time now, and your extra mobility does remind me I need to watch you more carefully on changing table from now on.
• You're learning to play with toys. We've been "playing" with you for a while, setting things in your lap, or dangling things over your head, but early this month was the first time you really reached for something instead of batting it around by accident. It was such a small action- just reaching to grab your moose, but you did it with such purpose!
• You're a drool machine. You never used to drool at all, and now you've constantly got at least a little slobber going on- mostly because you constantly want a toy, or your fingers in your mouth. You've been chewing up a storm, which makes us think you might be teething, but the doctor said that could still be a ways off.
• You've started reading your storybook bible...well, you've started listening to it anyway. I know you don't understand it yet, but I love sharing it with you. Though the days seem hard sometimes now, I can't even imagine how hard it's going to be when we actually have to parent you- teaching you morals, shaping your character, introducing you to Christ...Raising a little girl is such a daunting task, but I'm loving laying a foundation for you now.

Those are just a couple highlights- there are of course a million other things you're learning and doing. But unlike the previous three months, you're not astounding us daily with new abilities. Don't get me wrong, you still seem to get cuter by the minute, and we love you more and more as time goes on....it's just that your development isn't on the crazy warp speed path that it was in your newborn days. You're definitely still learning and growing, but it's at a steadier pace, with more modest advancements. There aren't many huge milestones in this phase- it'll still be a while before you do any of the biggies, like sit up, eat solid food, get your first tooth...so for now you're working on refining the skills you already have. And actually, some of the most noticeable changes have been in what you're not doing:

• You don't poop every single time you eat. And you rarely poop on your changing table anymore (although you did save a good display for the first morning your dad had to get you ready for daycare by himself. I think you were just hazing him.)
• You don't cry in the bathtub. You still don't love it...there isn't much smiling going on in tubby time, but you seem to have learned to tolerate the annoyances of being cold and wet, and sit calmly while we wash you.
• You don't require such a dramatic bounce to go to sleep. We still have to rock and "shush" you, but it's easier now. We pat your back, and bounce you a bit, but we're (thankfully) able to skip the deep knee bends.
• You don't refuse to be laid down flat. You are often content to play on your mat, and you now sleep in your crib more often than not. There are certainly times when you're just not having it, but you seem much more adaptable now and willing to tolerate different positions.
• You don't freak out when you're hungry. When you were brand new, you would scream bloody murder when it was time to eat, but now you are consideralby more calm. When we get you up from naps, you'll smile and play for a few minutes, waiting patiently for your "meal". If it's been too long (you're on a solid 3 hour schedule now) then you'll definitely have a bit more of a sense of urgency, but it's not the fire drill panic that it used to be.
• You don't have a crazy greasy head. Your hair keeps getting lighter and lighter (yay!), but in addition to that your scalp seems to have mellowed out. I was worried you'd constantly battle greasy hair, but now your locks are fine and fluffy (although you're still rockin' a pretty fierce mullet...what can ya do?)
• You don't hate the Bjorn (or the Ergo, or the MobyWrap). Maybe you never hated them, but I just couldn't get the hang of them, and you seemed to sense my discomfort. But now we're old pros at all three, and switch between them pretty frequently. I love to have you snuggled up on me, and the extra support as you continue to get bigger is a major plus.
• You don't mind the bumbo either. That one you definitely hated- arching your back and crying the minute we put you in. Slowly but surely though, you learned to tolerate it, and each time you sit in it, you last a few minutes longer.

So those are some snippets of our lives at the moment. These past few months have been a whirlwind, and I can't even imagine what lies ahead. Hopefully more smiles, giggles, and cuddles. Always more of you.