Watch Ava Grow - 4 Months!

This picture is my favorite!!

First, thank you Nana, for all of our adorable outfits! I get lots of compliments every time I take her out in one of them! 

How in the world is this baby 4 months old already?? While I am LOVING how interactive she is, it makes me sad in seeing how quickly time is flying. Time really does fly when you're having fun! Ava has so many similarities to Audrey when she was this age (awesome sleeper, thank you Baby Wise!), but in some ways she is completely different. While Ava does use her voice, she's not nearly as loud and talkative as Audrey. Ava will usually flash lots of sweet gummy grins, but there are times you have to work for it. If you want to make her laugh, you better be prepared to work hard!! Sometimes she'll give you a pity laugh :) I think Ava looks at us and thinks, "Well, she looks really stupid right now...I'll humor her." She is still the most easy-going baby EVER! In that way, she's totally different than Audrey. Audrey was happy and easy-going....as long as all eyes and attention were on her. At 4 months, Ava can entertain herself better than Audrey can at almost 3 years! 

Anyways, I am a few days late on this. Part of it was because I was waiting on her 4-month well-check, and also because well, I've been a little lazy! 

Length: 22 1/2 inches (20th %ile)

Weight: 12lbs 9oz (15th %ile)

Head Circumference: 43cm (<95th %ile!!) It's no wonder she has trouble holding her head up when the rest of her is in the 20th %ile and below, and her head is greater than 95%!! Poor girl...when I look at her, though, I don't think her head looks THAT big. Oh well...she's adorable!

Sleep: She still takes 4 naps a day - her first 3 naps are about 1.5-2 hours long, her last nap is about 45 minutes. She sleeps through the night!! Every night! At 3 months, she would still wake every few nights to eat, but it's been about a month since she woke. She is my early riser, though. Audrey would always wake in the 7:30-8 range, but not Ava!! This morning she was awake at 5:45, and she doesn't hang out quietly....she goes from being totally asleep to yelling (not crying, just yelling). Luckily, I've been able to flip her over to her tummy and pop a paci in her mouth, and get her to go back to sleep until 7. I try to keep her in bed as close to 7am as possible. If she keeps spitting the paci out and yelling, then I know she's actually hungry. Usually, though, I can put her on her tummy and give her the paci and she'll go back to sleep pretty quickly. Then I know she didn't wake up out of hunger - she just woke up, and needed help getting back to sleep. I can't complain, though.

Eating: That girl has a big appetite! Although, she is proving to be longer and leaner than Audrey at this age (she's 1/2" longer and one pound lighter), she eats way more than Audrey did ever. She eats 5 bottles a day (7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm), and she usually does 3 big bottles (6-8oz each), and 2 small bottles (2-4oz each). On her "not-so-hungry" days, she eats about 20-24oz of formula; on her HANGRY days, she'll easily put away 30oz. The pediatrician told me I could start rice cereal, but I don't see the need. I didn't start food with Audrey until somewhere between 7-8 months. Since Ava is sleeping well, and is satisfied on formula, I'll be sticking with just formula for awhile longer. 

Clothes: Still comfortably fits in 0-3 month/3m clothes

New Achievements of the Month:

1. Reaching for toys above her head!! This is a goal she's working on in her physical therapy (which she's doing VERY well, by the way). The therapist said that reaching is a sign of her pectoral muscles strengthening. OK, so I realize we all have the same muscles, but it always makes me laugh when I hear the therapist talk about Ava needing to strengthen her pectoral muscles and abs. I don't think about babies needing to "work out" those muscles, but all their playing is what they're doing - strengthening all of their little muscles!

She pulled the lion string several times and made it play music - she loves this bouncy seat!

2. She's found her thumb!! She still sucks on a paci, too, but I have no problem with her sucking her thumb. I really think it's adorable...especially when she doesn't know where to put her other fingers, so they just lay on her nose. 

3. I need to start writing stuff down because now I can't think of anything... #secondchildproblems!

Things she likes:

1. The swing! She gives it the biggest smiles and they have great conversations!

2. Hanging out with the family 

3. Being "loved on" by Audrey - I think it looks like she's being smothered, but Ava is always all grins! 

Things she doesn't like:

1. Being hungry! She goes from being totally fine to being super "hangry" in about 0.3 seconds!

I just can't express enough how much we love, love, love this sweet baby!! While it does sadden me to see how quickly time is flying, and how quickly she's growing up, I can't wait until she's older and we can really do lots of family things, and she and Audrey can play more together.