3 to 4 Months: The Happiest Holiday Season

January 12, 2014

Dear Little Ones

Yeah! Your first Christmas! Ok, so second Christmas is going to be way more fun because you guys were just too little to enjoy anything and your bedtime conflicted a bit with our previous adult only Christmas routines. There will be some adjusting for 'the fam' but I have to admit that I am excited for the new breath of joy you guys will bring to this wonderful season! I hope you will grow to love the spirit of Christmas and enjoy, and carry on, old and new traditions. We have so much planned for the years ahead. 

We did manage to take some pretty cute Christmas shots and you guys are getting really used to the camera. Nothing depicts the joy of this Christmas better than cute babies wrapped in lights! It really was A Baby Christmas in the house. The tree was packed with so many presents for you guys from all our far away family; lots of first Christmas ornaments, cool hats and clothes, toys you can grow into, and your very special teddy bears, from Nana and Grandpa, of course! Christmas Eve was a late one at Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Dave's and it threw us all off. Despite a later night we were all up bright and early for a fireplace cuddle the next morning. We had a quiet Christmas morning at home and then went to Nana and Grandpa's for the rest of Christmas Day. You guys were very good for this; sleeping, nursing, and just hanging out while the family opened gifts. Doing things with you in the day is much easier than in the evening. We are learning this the hard way by pushing you guys during the witching hour, which is around 7:30. Then we had another late night for Christmas Eve dinner. We tried very hard to play Auntie Lindsay's game but I had to go upstairs and feed you guys and then we had to duck out early again as it was way past bedtime. However, this was not before Mommy found the Christmas pickle (second place). Glad I bought such a big pickle for our own giant tree or you guys would never spot it! Then, Uncle Kevin came to meet you guys between Christmas and New Years! I'm so glad you guys got to meet him so early. It was really great to see him during the holidays, even if it was quick. For New Years we had Jen and Dave over and you guys went to bed at your regular time and slept while we played quiet board games and missed the countdown by accident, oops. Happy 2014! So that was your first Christmas Holidays in a nutshell.

You also had a quick visit with your first baby friend, Astrid. It's the first baby you guys have seen. Evan and Astrid shared a couple smiles and then you guys squirmed around on the play mat and let her play with your jingly octopus. What nice babies to share your toys! 

THE SLEEP SITUATION: So we've found if we don't mess with your schedule you are consistently sleeping 8 hours. This is good. I feel like I can tackle any day as long as I can get 8 hours too. Sometimes I feel like Alice would sleep even longer if little Even didn't get us all up in the morning. You are still the last to bed and first to rise, little guy. A few days before you guys turned 4 months we moved you to separate cribs. Not only were you getting too long to lie in them perpendicularly, but Evan wouldn't sleep unless Alice was sleeping first, and we want you guys to be independent! You guys made that transition without so much as a hiccup. Nights are going very well. The only problem with this long sleeping is that by the time the morning rolls around  Mommy's boobies are super duper full! I have taken to sleeping with a beach towel over them as the breast pads just don't contain the mess and I was tired of changing bed sheets. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Breast feeding is messy!  

At 4 months old we decided to buy you guys a Bumbo. It's a little red rubber chair to help you guys sit up. Mostly this was to help get you guys off the floor and have gravity help with your heads. Alice has been to physio a couple times to make sure she has no neck tightness making her always turn to one direction. We have worked hard to even you out little miss; always wanting to look tot the right. I blame your womb position. Being off the floor should help. Evan has the same problem, just more on the back of his head so we are taking the same measures with him. Being on your backs to sleep is great to reduce SIDS but not so good for perfectly shaped heads. Anyway, you guys seem to enjoy sitting up for short periods, but it's obvious your heads get heavy and you need a break. Someday you won't have to work so hard to hold your heads up! Imagine that! 

 

EVAN... You are ever more a charmer. You have mastered smiling in an 'aw shucks' kind of way that melts our hearts. You still love the letter B and singing... Almost any song works but Morning Train and Cheers are still high on the favorite list, and We Built this City and Teddy Bear Picnic as well. Thanks to your awesome core strength we have mastered the double pick up as Mommy can scoop you with one arm while holding Alice. You still like to look up and stay stiff as a board, and your planking is top notch. The mirror on the play mat finds you often staring intently at yourself while holding your fists out, sometimes a few words are even exchanged. Every now and then your hands catch your eye and you stare at them intently instead. My little boxer, keep your hands up! You have started to make some sounds and have a grumbly way of conversing, which means you usually have to furrow your brow when you do it. Every now and then we get high pitched squeals of delight or attention seeking. Still for the most part you are the strong, silent type. Your favorite toy is the Winkle Grammie sent you for Christmas; it's the best for grabbing and chewing. You also like to chew on your striped monkey when it's sleepy time. And sometimes your hands. If you could fit both fists in your mouth at the same time I'm sure you would.

 

ALICE... You are a little cutie pie and so very curious. We used to think you were the lazy baby but our minds sure have changed about that. You've become a pro at tummy time and can lift your head up quite well. Just before you hit four months you surprised Mommy one day and just rolled over on your own! So so proud! You also are more aware of the other little person in the house and look over at your brother from time to time to check out a sound he is making or something else he is doing. You love babbling with anyone who will listen. The sounds you make are adorable! Your favorite toy is sometimes the Winkle (there's only one) but usually you like your pink striped monkey, it's better for chewing. Sometimes I think maybe you are teething, but most of the time i think you are probably just being a baby. Your hand eye coordination is spot on, mostly because for the last month you've decided to be a thumb sucker! I will admit that it drove me a little bonkers at first because I will give you a nice meal and then you immediately suck your thumb after, making me think you are still hungry... Perhaps you were. You can never really tell how much breast milk you guys are getting. At least formula drinking is quantitative. We will know next time you weigh in how the eating is going. This is the only anxiety I have right now, that somehow you guys just aren't getting enough to eat. Oh that you would talk and tell me! Finnigan has become Alice's fun morning time buddy and he has started to let you pet him. My hope is for him to be a best friend to you guys. I always loved my cats growing up and hope you will too!

 

As the weeks go by you guys are slowly looking less alike, and your individual personalities begin to emerge. Can't wait to see where your curiosity will take you Alice. Or to watch Evan quietly take everything in and work his charms.

 

Weights: Evan 11.0lbs Alice 11.2lbs