Dear Parker

Dear Parker,

Ever since we brought you home from the hospital you have worked your way up to a pretty good sleep schedule all on your own. It started with 3 hours stretches, to 5, then 8 and now you're up to almost 11 hours a night. The only down fall (for me)  ...  you not going to sleep until after 11pm every night and sleeping in way late in the mornings. My goal is to get you on a more normal sleep schedule. Say.... 9pm-8am. Well, this morning you decided you were ready to get up earlier than normal, around 7am. So this got Mommy thinking. If you wake up earlier and have your first bottle earlier, than that must mean that you will take your last bottle of the night earlier and go to sleep earlier. Right? It was worth a shot. You did take a bottle earlier and you did go to sleep in your bed earlier... but you only stayed asleep for 30 minutes. Then you were wide awake again. So, we had another bottle... and you fought going back to sleep for close to 45 minutes.... and finally you were asleep again at 10:50 which is before 11:00. Baby steps. It's a work in progress, but we'll get there. :)

Love,
Mommy

4 Month Stats

Parker was 4 months old on December 5th (he just can't be that old already)! He had his 4 month check-up that day, so he and I bundled up and headed to see the doctor. The appointment went well - he was able to sit up on my lap (shows how big he's getting!) during all of the doctor's checks so I think that helped a bunch. He ended the appointment with 2 shots... poor baby. Around 2pm that afternoon he started to get fussy, which sometimes happens, so I didn't think it was due to the shots. However, by 7 that night, he was a screaming mess. Way different than his 2 month shots! He didn't want to eat, didn't want us to hold him, didn't want in his swing. We gave him some Tylenol and finally just laid him on the floor where he seemed the most content - for 20 minutes or so until the whole cycle started over! We then gave him a warm bath which really calmed him down and then he took his bottle and fell sound asleep in my arms. He slept until 10am the next morning! Poor guy! :(

4 Month Stats

 

Height: 25 3/4 inches - 75th percentile

 

Weight: 15 pounds 7 ounces - 50th percentile

 

Head: 16 5/8 inches - 75th percentile

 

Still tall and skinny like his Daddy! :-)

 

 

 

Parker is doing SO many new things I don't even know where to start!

 

 

*Wearing mostly 6 month clothes

 

*Sleeping close to 10-11 hours/night

 

*Taking 6-7 ounce bottles 5-6/day

 



*Rolling over both ways EVERY time he lays on his back... on the floor, playmat, and in his bed.

*Has the rosiest little cheeks from rolling over onto them everyday

*No more swaddling throughout the night - I start him on his back but find him on his belly every morning.

*Loves his toys!

*Will grab on to anything you put in front of him

*Still "talks" to anyone who will listen

*Sucks his thumb and/or fists - hard habit we are trying to break!

*Has the strongest little grip and will hold on to your fingers forever and not let go!

*Can sit up in his bumbo and seems to really like it!

*Really holds his head well

*Helps to sit himself up from a lying position when you pull him upwards

*Does "baby crunches" all the time

*Will watch you as you walk past him, or out of the room

*Enjoys watching the colors and movement on the TV

*Still has lots of hair, which I think is getting a bit lighter, but is finally growing into it since his head is getting bigger

*Has the darkest brown eyes

*SMILES all the time! LOVE!

Happy 4 Months, Parker! We LOVE You!