FOUR months old!!

Length:  26 5/8 inches (holy tall!) (98%)

Weight:  16 lbs 4 ounces (90%)

Head: 16.5 inches (85%)

Maddie was four months old Tuesday, November 4!!  I'm a little late actually posting this - however, I have had it written since last week when we took these pictures, just wanted to wait until her doctor's appointment today to get the official stats.  As this is her "baby book" for now, I wanted it to be official and not forget to update after the fact!

Milestones:

• You have the cutest smile and you are not afraid to share it.  You will smile and whomever smiles at you or makes a funny face!
• So we have had a few nights of sleep regressions - but that is expected with the 4 month sleep regression, right?  Paired with the daylight savings time change...we had a rough few nights here and there, but I'm not complaining because you are a great sleeper.  So much better than your brother!  And remember how I said we were too lazy to get you in your crib? Well, we finally tried harder and put you in your crib and wahla.  Just like that, you decided you like it and now you're sleeping there at night. Ok so literally the night after I wrote this...your sleep changed and you apparently hit the 4 month sleep regression.  With all your new tricks you are learning, you seem to not want to sleep.  So we have resorted to anything and everything - including back to the rock n play some nights!  Hoping this doesn't last long - at least I know it won't forever.  Your doctor did say you are big enough to cry it out - which breaks my heart, but I know that we did it one night with your brother and by the next night he somehow figured how to put himself back to sleep when he woke up and we were all happy.  We will see when we try this with you - I still think you need a little more time! 
• Still rocking those size 2 diapers
• For sure 6 month clothes and 6-9 months.  Finally had to retire anything 3 months because you are SO long and you were ripping the snaps.  Ha!
• Taking 3 or 4 5-ounce bottles per day at day care or nursing on demand on the weekends/nights (usually 3 hours, but sometimes longer sometimes shorter).  Overall, you love eating and I love feeding you.
• You rolled over BOTH ways.  Way to go sweet girl!!!  You love showing off your new tricks too and seem to roll over every which way every time I put you down!  No more hanging out on the bed for you - only the floor for safety sake!!!

Things you like:

• Love love love your breastmilk.  From any source at any time you will take it!!  Way to go girl - I was worried about you going back and forth between bottle and breast since you started day care just after 2 months old, but you have had no issues at all.
• Making goofy faces and smiling at your mom/dad/brother/teachers.  You finally have giggled and it's just the sweetest sound I have ever heard.
• Thankfully, you and your big brother are just the best of friends.  You stare at him constantly.  I cannot wait until he realizes that he's looking at you because he will be "funny" for you.
• You love the wubanub so much - and so do we.  What in the world did we ever do when Charlie didn't take a pacifier?
• You love taking a bath.  And you like it better when Charlie helps too!!  
• The exersaucer and the johnny jump up.  I cannot believe you are old enough for these things already - but you love them and it keeps you very entertained with all the toys and bouncing up and down!

Things you don't like:

• When you have to burp
• When you have to poop/have gas
• Lately when it's time to go to sleep
• Other than that - I swear you are just so cute and so happy!!!

Special memories:

• You started sleeping consistently in your crib!  After my last post where I said you were still in the rock n play sleeping full time...when we tried to put you in your crib you are finally getting the hang of it and will stay in it all night!
• Your first Halloween!!!!  You made an adorable little Jessie doll!!
• Ummmm - you rolled over from your tummy to your back in front of both sets of grandparents and us!  It was so fun and unexpected!  And THEN at four months + two days you randomly rolled from your back to your stomach.  Needless to say, I was quite surprised when I turned around and you were rocking tummy time!!  Way to go girlfriend!!!
• First road trip to the lake with the Bruns family (and shopping at the outlet mall!)

A note to our girl:

This month FLEW by.  Holy cow!!  Fall is always busy, but as I went back to work full time and you to school full time and then add on the Royal's going to the world series and then Halloween - October flew by and just like that you are four months old.  Please slow down!

It's so crazy to think of our lives without you.  Our family is just so much more fun with you in it.  Your brother is just the sweetest to you - he likes to bring you your toys, your pacifier, etc. all the time.  And you?  Well you love him and could watch him all day long.  It's pretty cute.  It makes me so excited to see you grow up together.  The sweetest!

I just love how much you love me and you remind me so often of why being a mom is just so great.  It's hard work, but you are worth every second of it.  We love you so much and can't wait for some fun upcoming events that you will experience for the first time - Thanksgiving, Christmas and just growing up.  Still cannot believe you are already rolling over girlfriend - now we have to keep an extra careful eye on you!!

Love,

Your parents

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Maddie and Charlie at 4 months:

Girlfriend is ALL about her hands these days!

I feel like the look on her face on the left picture is just the beginning.  *oh my* and then she gets all dramatic with "no pictures please".  Sheesh!

But then she sat here for like 15 minutes sucking on this chew toy thing while Charlie was all over her and she didn't even notice.  Good thing babies are resilient!

ALL SMILES!!!

Selfie with dad

They just love Papa!

Big girl in the big stroller!

I love when she wakes up a little early and I feed her and snuggle with her in bed.  AHH!

And baby girl cardigans and camo leggings.  I die of cuteness. 

The BEST laundry partner.

Sitting in the high chair at school and watching fireworks with mom and aunt Lulu.

She loves tutus!!!  

Halloween night fun with mom.  She's just the best!

'

Little miss after she surprised me and rolled over!!!

Loving time at school!!!

Meeting sweet Nash!!  At four months older than him - you tower over him in size now, but I'm sure it won't take long for him to catch up!!  So glad to have baby friends!

playing with your big bro and pulling his hair!!

Charlie likes to help make sure you bounce just right...

This is our life

Unknowingly, while I was attempting to film Maddie rolling over - I caught a somewhat hilarious - yet true - glimpse into our lives.

This video entails the following real life scenarios:

• Me talking/encouraging our kids with my annoying mom voice
• Demonstrates how incredibly nosy, up in our business and annoying our dogs are
• How Charlie is completely impatient...
• How Charlie loves to wrestle
• And so much more

So like my friend Emily always says - she likes to hang out with us because it reminds her how "normal" life with kids is.  Thank you, Emily, I take that as the ultimate compliment.  Even when it means that you come over and feel good that we have dirty diapers sitting here and there.

Yes, that really does happen regularly at our house.  As long as it's not poopy.  PU.  Also we are watching Ratatouille - we don't normally listen to classical music in the background I promise.

Happy weekending friends!

Five on Friday

This week was SO long it felt like, but then all of a sudden Friday is here.  

TGIF - seriously!

 

Join the link up too with Darci, April, Natasha and Christina. 

{ONE}

So my husband was so sweet and surprised me with these beauties randomly.  I mean is that not great or what?  We did have to get a half size bigger - but now that I have them I am nervous to wear them.  I just need to figure out how to wear them with skinny jeans!!!

{TWO}

So I'm reading this book.  On and off every once and a while when I pump during the day.  I am finally starting to get into it!!  I haven't seen the movie - so I'm excited to get more into this book!  Anyone else read it and love it!?

{THREE}

Breastfeeding.  I love it.  But when you work full time, that means that you pump like non stop.  I mean seriously.  There are some days I feel like that's all I do. 

Then you take the milk you pump and put it in bags in the freezer.  Man oh man.

{FOUR}

Maddie is getting baptized next week so we tried her outfit on this week.  I mean how sweet is she!??  

We have the gown, just need to get the menu for the brunch and get the food and we are done!!  Can't wait for next week!!!

{FIVE}

I finally have storage on my phone to take videos.  So here are a few from this week!

One of Maddie laughing (and my obnoxious voice)...




And another of Charlie dancing to shake it off - his favorite song ever.  Let it go is a close second....

at the end you get a glimpse of what he now says 24/7 - "mom, mommy, what's that?  what are you doing?" haha - this kid!

Halloween day and night fun!

Halloween came and went.

It was fun. We were exhausted (per usual these days) but it was a first fun holiday as a family of four in the books!!

Maddie started off the day helping mom pump in her cute Jack o lantern outfit!!

 

I attempted to be crafty, Pinterest mom and use Halloween cookie cutters to make Halloween shaped pancakes.  This is how they turned out.  But guess what?!? Charlie ate them right up. Love kids!

Neither jimmy or I had costume contests at work- which after working at hallmark for five years where the creative department goes all out, it was a little different! But my work had plenty of candy lingering around from the kids trick or treat fun they hosted the afternoon before! 

Charlie's class had a party at 3:30 that I was a little late to (as always) but we both ended up making it and it was fun to see him with all his friends!!!  And of course, all his friends moms that we have gotten to know!

This is where I found my sweet girl. Hahah. Passed out from too much fun.  Oh and she loved her tutu! 

After school- we headed home for some mummy wrapped hot dogs (crescent rolls) that Charlie had a good time helping me make!! My sister and Casey came over to eat and then we headed to our neighborhood parade!!

It's seriously the most ridiculous and fasted most unorganized parade ever.  But I love it.  I mean it's hilarious!!  So fun to see all these kids in our neighborhood!!

And can we talk about how it was freezing?? What the heck?! 

But my sweet girl loved snuggling!!

And guess what? We found a Buzz Lightyear!!!

 

And his name was Charlie too!! Ha!

 

Then it was time to head home and then go trick or treating!!  (It was cold!)

Charlie got the hang of it pretty fast!  The whole getting candy for free he was in for!

But it was cold (can I mention that again?), so Maddie and I headed home to pass out candy.  She was a great helper! 

When Woody got him, he wanted to help passing out but also eat the candy!!!

The it was time for baths, selfies and bed!!!  Thank goodness! 

The next day- these 2 woke up all smiles. One of them filled with candy in his belly and sugar in his veins... 

 

  Overall it was a good holiday!!  Very different from Halloween without kids- but seeing Charlie learn the concept of trick or treating and greeting our neighbors was pretty priceless!!

It's hard to believe next year Maddie will be almost 16 months old- holy cow!!!