4 Months!

Clara is certainly growing up fast, especially since it seems like she's always doing something new!  David has frequently commented as of late on how much sweeter Clara is these days.  It's been really fun for me to now watch him finally enjoying being around her.  I do think she'll be a Daddy's Girl.  : )

Here's some info on Clara at 4 months old.  I don't have her body measurements yet, but she's definitely a big girl and seems older than she is.

Clothes: Still mostly wearing 3 months, although they are becoming tighter and too short.  In 6 months for jammies.  I need to buy her some bigger clothes!

Diapers: Just started size 2

Temperament: Clara is turning into such a sweet, fun baby!  It's amazing to see the turnaround in her personality!  She is so quick to smile, and just thrives on personal interaction and communication.  She wants to be in the center of whatever's going on, and doesn't miss a beat.  She LOVES music and being sung to, and likes it when I dance around.  : )  She enjoys being outside and out and about to watch her surroundings.

Sleep: Clara is a girl who just wants to be in her own bed to sleep, and she does not want much fuss beforehand.  She does not like to be held long when tired, or rocked, or sung to.  She just wants you to put her down and let her sleep!  So of course she doesn't nap well at grandparent's houses (does best with what's familiar to her), and she struggles getting much sleep at all at church.  (Way too much distraction for her, and Daddy has to be the one to help her sleep. : (  She is a super napper at home though, and does decent at night.  Usually she's up for good by 7:00, down for nap by 8:30, and will sleep til after 11:00 if given the chance (but usually has to be woken up a bit before that so we can do something in our mornings!).  Then she'll go back down for an afternoon nap, around 1:00-3:00 or later, and then a short evening nap around 5:00, for 45 minutes to an hour.  She's ready to prepare for bed at 7:00, but some evenings she'll get fussy and not get to sleep til closer to 8:30.  

Baby is definitely easier during the day than at night.  She's often a fitful sleeper for an hour or more after being put down between 7-7:30 (meaning she wakes up and cries).  Once she's finally out she usually doesn't wake up to eat until close to 2:00.  (Sometimes she wakes up for feeding at around 11:30, and then still again at 2:00).  I wish that 2:00 o'clock feeding was it, but unfortunately she wakes up to eat again around 4:30.  She wakes up AGAIN after that sometime for her paci, and is then up for good between 6:00-6:45.  Phew!  Yes, it is quite exhausting.  She really does seem to need two feedings still, and I'll have to try to let her fuss herself back to sleep after that, although I always worry it will wake up Eli.  

Every time I read or sing to Clara she gets very excited and wide-eyed.  So fun!

These days I'm realizing how beneficial it would be for me to be up earlier than the kids in the mornings (Eli's up at 7:40) to get myself ready and have time for my spiritual nourishment.  It's just plum too hard to try getting up extra early when Clara gives me such a hard time in the early morning hours!  I hope I can get that resolved soon so I don't feel zombie-esque when I wake up, and instead can feel prepared to take on a new day.

We are SO excited around here, because we finally have our bedroom back!!  Clara had been sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed for the last 4 months.  I didn't want her in a different room when I had to feed her throughout the night, and also Eli was still using the crib.  Finally last week we moved Eli into a toddler bed. We didn't have a mattress ready for Clara to use, but we felt that she really needed to be in her own room anyway, so we just moved the bassinet in there.  She's doing awesome, so it's a double win!  

Eating: Clara's a great nurser still.  She's taken a bottle a couple times, so it's a relief to know that she will, especially with holidays and events to attend coming up.  I always wonder though how moms can nurse their babies and do other things.  Clara pulls off several times while nursing, gets distracted easily, needs to be  burped every few minutes, and often flails around while I'm trying to feed her.  When I'm around other nursing moms it seems like their babies quietly and calmly lie there eating/sleeping, while I've got the little mover.

Now that she's 4 months she's able to start eating rice cereal.  I'm waiting to give it to her until I talk with her pediatrician first, and her check-up is in another week.

Activity: Clara is awesome at rolling both ways (although she hasn't been rolling much at all lately).  She's got a great ability to grip onto things pretty hard.  Loves to grab onto my clothes while I'm feeding her, holds onto toys, loves holding my fingers, etc.  When she's picked up from tummy time she always brings the blanket along with her because she's had such a tight hold on it!  : )  She really loves being on her tummy and being free to move.  She does not care at all for the swing, bouncy seat, or bumbo, although she will tolerate them for short periods.  Being able to use the bumbo has been such a lifesaver for me!  People area always commenting on how strong her head is, and also how alert and observant she is.

Health: This little baby must really not like the cold, dry weather, because she is so often congested at night!  For weeks now we've been keeping the humidifier running when she sleeps or else she's too congested to eat.  She's also been working on teething.  A few weeks or so ago I noticed that her two bottom middle teeth were visible right under the gums.  A little while after that all the other teething symptoms came up--drooling, chewing on everything, disturbed sleep, irritability (we've had to give her tylenol to get through the nights for awhile now), even more frequent and runnier poopie diapers.  So far her gums are just swollen, so I'm not sure when we'll finally see those pearly whites pop up!

As she's been in teething pain, she's often seen holding her hand under her chin like this.

 And finally, I saved the best for last.  : )  I took this photo, and David edited it so nicely.  Love it!  It captures her sweetness and fun personality so perfectly.

We sure love our Clara!  : )