4 Months!

Our little Callan man turned 4 months old on Saturday. He's growing like a weed and doing more and more fun things each day! I'll have new stats to post when I finally get him in for his 4-month appointment...I keep forgetting to call and get it scheduled, but I can't wait to hear how big he really is!

So, what new tricks is he up to these days? Well, for starters, this kid is going to have some serious abs. He keeps doing these funny baby crunches where he lifts his legs and tries to pull up to a sitting position. After doing that for a few days, he realized he can grab his toes with his hands and can now even get them into his mouth! He does well with his tummy time, for about 30 seconds! Then he gets bored and decides to roll over onto his back. There is so much more to see that way! :) He is really grabbing at things--toys, Brody's face, and my hair! It's cute to watch him learn to use his hands--he's quite fascinated by them! And he loves to sit in the swing and watch himself in the mirror. He's changed his communication tactic, though, and is now doing this crazy shrieking at himself instead of just cooing and babbling. It's hilarious!

I know I mentioned in previous posts that he was sleeping like a champ right from the start, waking only twice a night. Well, I would love to say that he has kept that routine, or even narrowed his nighttime feedings to just one. However, I must admit that isn't the case, and I'm pretty sure I'm partly to blame for this. You see, I just can't put him in his own crib yet. And I know he would probably sleep better in there, but I can't part with him. Just as I did with Leyton, I've gotten into the habit of bringing him into bed with me when he wakes up the first time, and then he sleeps with us for the rest of the night. That has led to more frequent wakings, but it's just so darn easy to pull him close and nurse him that I don't mind at all. I know, I know, what am I thinking? The thing is, I'm totally addicted to his cuddliness...I love his smell, his soft skin, his little warm head, and I can't give it up yet. So, maybe I won't win any awards for sleep training, but I have learned some things along this parenting quest, and one of those things is that in the blink of an eye, he'll be four years old, and then the cuddles will come a lot less frequently, except when he's sick or sad or tired. I'll wonder how in the world he got so big, and I'll long for the days when he would fit right up against my chest. I've also learned that it doesn't matter if he sleeps in his own crib at 4 months or 7 months or 1 year. He will eventually sleep thru the night, just like his two older brothers do with no problem. So really, I don't feel bad at all. I'm soaking in every bit of his sweet babyness and loving every minute of it!!

Thank you to Paula Charchenko for the amazing photos she captured of our littlest love. They are beautiful!