WOW! Where has the summer gone? I know according to our funky system most of September is still considered summer and winter doesn't really start until around Christmas, but our practical system says that summer is just about done and so is your first 1/3 of a year :) You, like most mammals and your daddy, were a spring baby...but fall is almost here!
Everything seems to have started to happen much faster now. Each week you seem to be mastering or refining new skills. You are working on the rolling thing. You have started rolling from your tummy to back, but this is still an emerging skill. When we place you on your tummy you are just content to be there for while and look around and then you start to get upset. This is when we try to let your frustration motivate you to roll, but if you are too upset we still help you out :) You are so into your hands. You love to move your fingers all around, stack them on top of each other, and grab for items. You have even transferred items from one hand to the other. And everything in your hands, including just your hands, is going into your mouth (in another month or so maybe there will be some solid food)! Even with your feet you are experimenting on how to use them and those little toes of yours are SUPER strong when you clench them around something. You are also much more interested in other living things; all the dogs you get to see during the week (Tahnee, Glacier, Harley, Murray, Dexter, Toby, and Dixie). You watch them run around and try to find them when they bark.
You are doing TERRIFIC with your Gramma and Nana.They have spent enough time with you to know you {almost} as well as your mommy does. They have both bought you new toys this month...spoiled? it hasn't even begun yet! Now if only one of your aunts or uncles would hurry up and get married and give you a little cousin to play with OR your Virginia cousins would move closer...
The only {compliant}I have is that you have decided to take only bottles, except for your first feeding in the morning (so I treasure this time). You take your bottles very well and I am happy not to have to worry about your eating when you are with your grandparents, but I actually miss those 45 minute nursing sessions we used to have. So now I pump, pump, pump, pump, and pump! Cows got nothing on me and I will keep feeding you breast milk until at least a year, maybe more :) Soon we are going to have to tackle some solids...the suggestion is at about 6 months, but you are already watching us eat and {we think} you are teething. I have read some books and websites...not sure yet what that first food will be.... Just like with breast milk, we are committed to starting your life with nutritious foods to aid in your development and health (it must be working because so far you have not been sick for a day!). So while the grandpa's will have years to sneak you over processed, sugar loaded foods, you are stuck eating what mommy makes you, at least for your first year.
You are also still sleeping A LOT! Since around 6-8 weeks you started sleeping from about 8pm-6am and you take naps every 1-2 hours you are awake during the day. Naps range anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, we just figure you know what you need :) Although hopefully you will start taking more regular naps, so we can plan more fun activities as a family. This past month we took you out to eat, a couple walks, to a family picnic, and shopping at the mall. All of those went pretty well, but by the end you let us know that you were tired and wanted to go home and sleep! You mostly nap in a swing or being rocked, what can we say, you are a motion junkie! You are also still in our bedroom and we have no plans on moving you. You sleep in your crib right next to our bed where we can reach you in a second if you need something. You also still sleep swaddled, but this might not be going on too much longer... the other night you got an arm and both legs out! When you don't need to be swaddled you can start rolling into bed with mommy and daddy in the morning to snuggle :)
We so look forward to each day with you and discovering the new abilities you are mastering. Each month has been getting more and more fun as you are able to interact more with us. You really are such a fantastic baby, now don't let that go to your head, you also have your moments...but we love those too! When we are not meeting your needs fast enough you have started yelling at us...kind of like a grumpy whining, but we think it's kinda cute anyway! And my goodness, you have become such a talker. I warned daddy that you seem to be taking after me in this area and I have already apologized profusely because once you have words, there won't be a moment of peace and quiet...I definitely remember being offered money to be quiet when I was little. I think right now our favorite thing is when you laugh. There is no better sound on earth than your sweet laugh, it makes all those around you laugh too! You are so special and loved little girl :)
