Emerson's 4 Month Update!

Emerson is officially 4 months old and I feel like she's more of a "baby" than a newborn these days. Her personality is really coming through and she's awake so much more now. She still has the sweetest little personality, but she has a feisty side too. Life with Emerson has been so much fun this month and I love that she's really feeling like a part of our family by interacting more with all of us and really being present. Here's an update on how this past month went! Happy 4 months, Emerson!

Weight and Height: At Emerson's 4 month check up she was 12 lbs. 7 oz. (15th %) and 24.5 inches tall (50%). I can definitely tell that Emerson is growing! She is feeling much more solid to me these days and I love her little rolls and chubby cheeks. She's filling out her clothes much more and continues to move up in sizes. I feel like she looks so big right now compared to the tiny baby we took home from the hospital. Unfortunetly, Emerson got pink eye again this month because of her clogged tear ducts. Thankfully, a stronger eye drop has done wonders and her eyes are the clearest they've ever been. It looks like her tear ducts have finally have opened up! At the very least, the infection is gone.

Sleep: Oh sleep...why do my children not like you?! From the beginning Emerson has slept better than Grayson, but she's still not the best sleeper. The girl loves a good cat nap, but sleeping through the night still isn't happening. We traveled a lot this month, so I know that affected her sleep a little. She was getting up 1-2 times a night, but unfortunately, she started getting up 2-3 times a night for the majority of this month. Emerson has had a cold and is teething, so again, that doesn't help with sleep either. This week she has been back to sleeping much better. On a good night, she will sleep 4-5 hours, eat, then sleep another 3 hours. On a not so good night, she will wake up every 2-3 hours to eat. Last night, she slept 6 hours straight then almost 4 hours! Every night is different. I do feed her when she wakes up. I know some moms choose not to do this, but Emerson is still very small for her age and she eats a lot when she wakes up, so I choose not to deny her especially because it seems like she's genuinely hungry. Just a personal choice :) On an exciting note, Emerson has been sleeping in her crib! She does just fine in it, so I'm excited about that. She sleeps the same in her crib as she did in the Rock 'N' Play, so I'm happy we've made the transition. She either sleeps in her swaddle or a sleep sack. I'm also trying to lay her down for naps in her crib, so she gets more used to it. Emerson takes about 3 naps a day at this point. She's finally starting to consolidate her sleep into 3 longer naps and we try to limit how long her naps are, so that she's tired at night.

Eating: Emerson is still an awesome eater and she's going longer between feedings which is really nice! She's still exclusively breastfed and rocking it. I don't plan on starting her on solids any time soon, so we will continue exclusively breastfeeding. I'm so thankful it's worked out that I'm able to do that for her and that she does really well with it. She eats every 2-4 hours, but can now go 3+ hours without eating. Before now, she's kind of wanted to eat constantly, so the break is nice. Emerson LOVES to nurse and then fall asleep in my arms. It's the sweetest thing. She definitely knows what breastfeeding is at this point and feeds for nourishment and comfort. If she's fussy, I can feed her and she's very happy just suckling on me and going to sleep. She won't take a pacifier anymore, so sometimes I will let her do it. You can tell she feels very safe and comforted feeding from mommy in her arms and I love that. 

Clothes: Emerson is still in a size 2 diaper and she's officially in 3-6 month clothing. I put away all her 0-3 month clothes and put out all her clothing in the next size up. It's all slightly big, but she fills it out better than I thought she would! Side note: Emerson has SO many clothes. We've been so blessed. She has a much better closet (and much cuter clothes!) than I do!

Mood: Overall, Emerson is still super sweet, calm, and mellow. She's still a very go-with-the-flow baby which is really a blessing since we have a toddler as well. She's been teething badly this month, so there have been a few times where she's cried and wasn't easily consolable. We've been giving her Infant Tylenol and that does seem to help along with some comfort nursing. She also likes to be walked around when she's fussy which I vividly remember doing with Grayson also. She's funny because she's such a happy and smiley baby, but if something upsets her, she will shriek and it always surprises me. The girl definitely knows how to bring the drama if need be, but thankfully she reserves it for very special occasions. She's still very easy to soothe. But most days, she's our cheerful little girl. Full of smiles and more and more personality. She has also found her voice recently, so she's been talking up a storm. I love it! Emerson laughs a lot more now which is my absolute favorite. She will make some small giggles, but she will also laugh hysterically! Usually at her brother! Those moments are the best. Emerson has started smiling a lot at strangers and other children as well. Because she is more laid back, there were times where I questioned where her personality was, but now that she's a little older, she's becoming more expressive and I love seeing it come out. She's totally different than Grayson in this department, so it's been a learning curve, but I'm learning to appreciate her for who she is. And she's pretty amazing and such a sweetheart, if I do say so myself ;)

Milestones: Emerson has rolled over once as of right now (from belly to back). I'm not sure if it was a fluke or not because she hasn't done it since. She is in absolutely no rush to be mobile and is quite content just laying there. She cracks me up because she either lays there and screams during tummy time, but makes so effort to turn over or she is super content and falls asleep! We've been doing tummy time a lot more lately trying to get her to roll over, so hopefully it will click for her soon and she'll get it. I'm definitely worried, but I just tend to worry about her more than I ever did Grayson. I feel so protective over her and never want to see her fall behind. Emerson is finally lifting up her head during tummy time though! She is awesome at standing while we hold her hands and is learning to put pressure on her legs. Her head control is getting better and better and she sits up (with assistance) very well. She is getting really good at grabbing objects and loves to shove them in her mouth. She will reach for what she wants more often. She now sleeps in her crib and has started scooting around on her back while in her crib. She is in a different place than where I left her when she wakes up!

Loves: One of my favorite things this month has been seeing the interaction between Emerson and Grayson! She always smiles at him and loves watching him play. He can get her to laugh more than anyone else and you can really see how much she loves her brother. Grayson also loves his sister! He's so interested in her and is so sweet to her! He loves giving her kisses, showing her what he's playing with and what he's doing, and is constantly talking to her. He asks me where she is every morning when he wakes up and loves to do "tummy time" along side her. He cheers for her and says "Go Emerson! Good job Emerson!" when she does something exciting. Grayson gets so excited to be around her each day and it just melts my heart. I love the sibling love they already share! Emerson also loves mommy's singing (poor girl), chewing on anything and everything especially her hands, blankets, her bottom lip and mommy's finger. Loves nursing, snuggles and cuddles, taking naps with Daddy, being carried and held (she will go to anyone!), watching tv (she's entranced by it!), games like Peek-a-boo and funny sounds, facing forward in her carrier (Baby Bjorn), sticking out her tongue, bath time and when people talk and interact with her. She is pretty content when being left alone, but prefers to be around people!

Dislikes: Emerson still isn't the biggest fan of tummy time or getting her outfit changed. She has also started to dislike being put in her car seat. She definitely likes to be free. She will be happy as a clam and then start to cry when you put her in the car seat and strap her in. She loves her car seat toys, so that helps!

Mommy Update: Overall, I'm doing good, but this month has definitely had it's tough moments. We've all been under the weather for about a month with coughs, colds, and runny noses. I now have a sinus infection and Josh and Grayson have a stomach bug, so that's been exhausting. We've traveled more than ever in the past 1-2 months, so that's definitely taken a toll on me. Traveling with children is exhausting especially when your toddler is extremely moody and you never know when a tantrum will strike (hello, security line at the airport...that was fun!). I think the best word to describe this month would just be tiring. I'm sick and not able to rest like I probably should. There really is no break for a sick parent. Since Emerson hasn't been sleeping as well and Grayson has been a handful lately, I have many moments where I get overwhelmed. Josh has been working more and I've done a lot more solo trips and long days where I'm the only one home with the kids. I love it, but there are days where it takes a toll. To ensure all the Christmas shopping and errands get done, I started going in the afternoons while the kids nap. While I like doing that because it's much easier and quicker to get out and run errands alone, it also means the little time I have to rest gets spent cramming in as many errands as possible. Hopefully once the new year starts, life will slow down a tad and we will all get the rest we need. Anyways, I LOVE being a mommy of two, but I will never deny that it's one of the hardest things I've ever done especially having two children 19 months apart. Those of you with multiple children will probably laugh at this, but I've come to the realization this month that with more than one child, someone needs something at all times. If Grayson sleeps great, Emerson has been up all night. If Grayson is being great in the car, Emerson is screaming her head off. When I finally get Emerson down for a nap, Grayson wakes up. When Emerson is content and playing with her toys, Grayson is having a tantrum. When Grayson is happily watching Paw Patrol, Emerson needs to be fed. There truly is no break. Sounds obvious, I know, but it's still exhausting. Add mommy life to constantly cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, dishes, and just trying to take a shower and make myself look presentable and the stay-at-home mom life starts to look much harder than most people would realize. Lots of giving myself grace and accepting that some days I just need to survive and forgot "productivity". That's very hard for a super active person like me, but that's just life sometimes!

Things I Want to Remember:

• Thanksgiving -- we had an awesome Thanksgiving with my side of the family! It was a great day and I really enjoyed spending a few days in Woodstock afterwards seeing family and friends. I loved being home! Unfortunately, my kids sleep really badly while out of town, so I was ready to get back after a few days of virtually no sleep and no naps.

• Trip to Maryland -- This was such a special trip. I took Grayson to Maryland to meet my grandparents (his great-grandparents) when he was 3.5 months and got to do the same with Emerson at the exact same age. Unfortunately, my Grandma has since passed away, but we got to spend a few days with my Grandpa and it was really wonderful. Emerson did great on her first plane ride and I expected nothing less.

• Visiting Santa -- It's Emerson's first Christmas! She's met Santa twice and hasn't been phased either time. I'm sure next year will be different. We've made homemade ornaments with her hand print and taken some adorable Christmas photos of her. It's been so fun adding her into all our family Christmas traditions.

Grayson's 4 Month Update!

Welcome to Grayson's 4 month update! Our little man is growing and changing so quickly. We fall more in love with him every day. Not going to lie, this past month has been somewhat challenging. And I have fallen into the horrible habit of comparison and mommy guilt. I struggle with comparing Grayson to other babies and then feeling bad about myself that he may not be doing certain things yet. I am trying to remember each success no matter how small and trying not to get too down on myself as I navigate being a parent for the first time! I'll be the first to admit that this month has brought times where I am completely clueless as to what to do, but I'm learning :)

Weight & Height: Grayson just had his 4 month check up so his measurements are up to date! He is measuring 78% for height (25.75 inches) and 69% for weight (15 lbs 14.9 oz). I can definitely feel the difference when I pick him up now. Grayson is giving mommy an arm workout! He's a growing and healthy baby boy!

Feeding: Grayson's feeding schedule is pretty much the same as last month. He still eats about every 3-4 hours and can go a little longer between feedings now. We have been trying to cut out his snacking, so that he has more solid feedings. Josh is better at it than I am because he is a little more restricted with his supply of milk I have pumped and left for him to use on the days I work. I, on the other hand, am able to feed Grayson any time I want and tend to give in to that when he is being really fussy. These days the trouble comes from trying to decipher the difference from when Grayson is hungry or just grumpy! We still haven't started solids as of yet and I am still exclusively breastfeeding. I am a little torn on what I am going to do. But I'm thinking by 5 months, we will definitely be ready!

Sleeping: Sleep is all over the board for Grayson. I hate to say that, but it's the truth. I have felt really discouraged recently with Grayson's sleep schedule. Unfortunately he still wakes fairly often during the night. He struggles to sleep for long periods of time, usually 3-4 hours at a time (sometimes more and sometimes less). Last night he did a 5 hour stretch, so that was nice! I am getting better about not always feeding him when he wakes up and giving him his pacifier to soothe him back to sleep. That works about half the time. Some nights he does great and only wakes once a night and other nights it's 2-3 times. He usually isn't up for very long, but I struggle to go back to sleep quickly, so that's tough. I get discouraged when I hear about other babies who sleep through the night, but that just isn't our child. I honestly think Grayson is just one of those kids who won't sleep through the night until he's a little older. And that's okay. It's a constant work in progress! But on an exciting note, he successfully transitioned into his crib! Grayson officially sleeps in his own room! As much as I thought I would be sad about that, I am kind of enjoying it. He may not sleep through the night, but he is doing awesome in his crib! I am trying to focus on the little successes in the sleeping department :)

Clothes: Grayson wears size 3-6 months now in most things. He can still fit in a few 0-3 month clothing items especially pants (poor baby has his mama's short legs!). He is growing like crazy though and sometimes only wears certain outfits a few times before he can't fit in them any more. We were blessed to be given bags of little boy's clothes from one of my co-workers! Grayson will have cute little boy's clothes for a very long time :) He is still in a size 2 diaper, but we are pushing it. I have a box of Pampers to finish off and then we will be off to size 3!

Mood: Our little guy has begun teething, so he has been quite moody and fussy this month. His mood kind of cracks me up because he can be giggling and smiling and within seconds start to cry. He's a little emotional ;) Grayson is now a little ticklish, so I can get some good laughs and smiles out of him. He is much more free with his grins and will give them to you now without you having to work so hard! You can also distract him when he is upset now. I often dance, sing, or make crazy sounds to distract him from crying and he soon forgets what he was upset about! Because he is teething, he has been a little fussier and more clingy than normal. I also think he realizes who Josh and I are at this point and sometimes gets upset if other people (who aren't mommy and daddy) are holding him. I'm thinking this is a phase that will soon pass! Overall, he's a such sweet little boy. Sometimes I look over and see him just grinning while watching me and it makes my heart melt!

 

Milestones: No more screaming during tummy time because Grayson can lift his head up!, grabbing toys and reaching for what's in front of him, sleeping in his crib, and scooting around in a circle on his back (he is no longer in the same place you left him!).

Loves: Mommy & Daddy, kisses from Cedric, funny sounds, chewing on anything he can get his hands on, sitting up and standing with assistance, other children, his carrier, loud environments with a lot going on (he loves to observe), chatting up a storm and watching tv!

Dislikes: Nothing specific comes to mind, just whatever rubs him the wrong way in the moment! :)

Things I Want to Remember

• First Easter

• Taking Grayson hiking at Kennesaw Mountain and Sweetwater Creek Park -- He did so great! He loves being outdoors and is always completely silence and in awe on our hikes, taking in all the sights, sounds, and colors. We took him in the jogging stroller at Sweetwater and the Baby Bajorn carrier at Kennesaw Mtn. I really like the carrier and he seems to as well. Our family has really enjoyed these hikes lately as a way to enjoy some fresh air and quality time together.

Meeting his great-grandparents and his first flight -- what a special weekend! Grayson did really well on both flights back and forth and he also really liked the airport. He was observing the entire time and taking it all in. I am so thankful Grayson was able to meet his great-grandparents (my grandma & grandpa). We were also able to plan a strategic visit with my brother who planned his layover in Atlanta while we were coming back from our trip! It is really special for my family to meet and spend time with our son.

He can now use new toys!