four months.

Today, our little lady turns four months old!

She is such a happy girl. We just got our pediatrician bill for the past few months and I was laughing when I noticed that I took her in to see the doctor around 8 times in the first month of her life. She was just so sad and miserable, and we were so lost! Everyone always said, "It will wear off around 4 months." And, it did!

Today I looked down at my baby girl and realized, "We made it!" Over the past few weeks, this little one has just transformed. It's like her body finally caught up with her. She is just so happy and content. This girl will absolutely always return a smile. And, it's not just a smile. It's a SMILE. It's like her face might explode she is so happy. She smiles at me. She smiles at Daddy. She smiles at anyone on the street who gives her one first. One of my favorite things to do is smile at her in the mirror, and see her face just completely light up. She is so beautiful.

I'm just enjoying this time so much. I love to see her move and wiggle and figure new things out every day. And I love feeling that I am figuring things out, as well. It's not such a guessing game anymore. It's not about "getting through" each day, hoping that I can keep her sad crying at bay- trying every trick in the book to make her feel better. Our days are full of teaching and learning, and giggling and chatting. I feel like we understand each other, and it's so fulfilling.

If you have ever met her in person, you would probably agree that it looks like she wants so badly to take in everything all at once. Her head bobs around wildly as she looks at everything around her, and her tiny body never stops moving. I always get the feeling like she just wants to be a real person. I have this recurring dream that we look over at her one day and she just stands up and starts running around in circles. I love my crazy, little girl...

Eliza at four months:
-monster mouth smiles
-constant stream of drool
-finally graduated from her newborn diapers!
-sporting 0-3 months quite nicely
-entertains herself happily
-rolls from tummy to back
-wiggling and rotating
-so, so chatty
-squawking at extraordinary decibals
-taking regular (short) naps!
-growth spurt = nighttime feedings x 10
-tough girl through her first cold
-plays with her feet and monkey toes
-chubby legs
-sits in the Bumbo for long periods of time
-wants to be outside all day long
-grabby, grabby
-still loves her sling- especially at the park, gardens, grocery store,
and brightly colored clothing stores
-favorite spot: sitting on the porch, staring at the pink roses
-will always return a smile
-so strong it's scary..
-making her way through all the picture books at the library
-likes it when you blow on her face
-loves it when Daddy nibbles on her legs and feet
-favorite toy: color links
-"walks" across the table
-the sweetest voice
-talks to herself in her crib after naps
-huge variety of crazy noises
-communicates her wants and needs
-male pattern baldness / nappy hair
-new hair is much lighter
-puts everything in her mouth
-baby crunches
-such a happy girl.